Microsoft Earned $1.5B from Vista Capable PCs, Claims Expert

According to a court document, an expert estimates that Microsoft earned more than $1.5 billion through the sales of PCs labeled as "Vista Capable" when they allowed some PC makers to label XP-running PCs as "Vista Capable" prior to the release of the Windows Vista operating system in early 2007. (Source: nwsource.com)

Last February we reported that a "Vista Capable" lawsuit was granted class-action status because some PCs labeled as "Vista Capable" were only capable of running the most basic version of the operating system. (Source: infopackets.com)

Despite claims that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had no direct input into the Vista Capable scheme,  he was ordered to testify in the case late last year.

Several Microsoft emails were presented to the court last November that suggested Microsoft had lowered the Vista Capable requirements at Intel's request, noting that the decision to omit Intel's 915 chipset could cost them billions of dollars. (Source: pcpro.co.uk)

Microsoft executives were split about the accuracy of its "Vista Capable" claims. Needless to say, Windows Vista has created some embarrassing problems for Microsoft, including this ongoing lawsuit.

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