Vista-Capable Labels May Have Misled Buyers

New evidence shows that many Microsoft employees had the same misgivings about the Windows Vista Capable label as plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit now do.

Microsoft may have known that computers branded “Windows Vista Capable” were inadequate for its operating system, according to new evidence unveiled in a lawsuit against the company. The class action suit was filed a year ago in Washington by customers to who felt Microsoft’s label was misleading. According to SeattlePI, the plaintiff’s lawyers used internal Microsoft e-mails at a hearing on Friday to show that Microsoft employees knew there was an issue.

“We really botched this. … You guys have to do a better job with our customers,” read one email read aloud in the courtroom. Mike Nash, now Microsoft’s vice president for Windows product management, had his own tale of woe. “I PERSONALLY got burnt,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Are we seeing this from a lot of customers? … I now have a $2,100 e-mail machine.”

Microsoft lawyers responded by claiming the evidence was merely out-of-context remarks made in the process of evaluating the Vista-capable program. “Throughout this review, Microsoft employees raised concerns and addressed issues with the aim of making this program better for our partners and more valuable for consumers,” said Microsoft spokesman David Bowermaster. “ In the end, we believe we achieved both objectives.”

The judge in the case is expected to announce a ruling next week.