The Windows Ecosystem Team has gone official with the new 'Compatible with Windows 7' sticker, which we sincerely hope won't be as laughably misapplied as its
Vista-related predecessor. Set to appear on hardware, software and peripherals, the label is intended to reassure customers that they'll have the "optimal Windows 7 experience" thanks to "robust testing requirements" and a longer testing cycle. That's good to hear, as is the fact that already over 6,000 products have been given a passing grade, meaning that -- surprise, surprise -- when you get your
Windows 7 machine, it will most likely be compatible with everything you own or intend to buy. An intriguing tidbit is that one logo will cover all flavors, including 64-bit,
meaning that you'll have to wait for Intel's Pineview chips to come around the turn of the year if you want to get a certified Atom-based Windows 7 netbook.
Update: Okay, so it looks like we were a little off the mark here. To be clear, this program is primarily intended for peripherals and accessories you purchase
after you get a computer, which is why testing against 64-bit Windows 7 is a requirement. We're sure we'll see plenty of Atom netbooks running Windows 7 with a slightly different sticker on 'em just as soon as October 22 rolls around -- you just won't be able to buy an Atom-based mobo with this particular sticker on the box, because it won't run 64-bit Windows 7. You know what else you can't buy? A dragon.
posted Sep 30th 2009 6:47AM
What a boring logo to be so mass produced.
It's actually not bad at all. What's boring are the Windows 7 software boxes, specifically the font.
Who gives a dam about the bleedin' logo?
Personally when evaluating an OS I look at other kinds of details.
They needed to keep it simple. Remember what happened with Vista when consumers were shown two different logos with more than one word on them? They sued.
A good logo is about easy recognition, not good looks or taste.
You're the only one, WinDULL. You're the only one.
Woah, sorry guys.
Don't get me wrong. I can't wait for Win7, I just thought seeing as this is going onto such a massive amount of computers, they would put maybe a little more jazz into it.
jimminy @
No massive at all. The last survey I saw indicates most businesses sticking with XP.
@Fud
Yeah good point. About three people the the world will buy win7 computers.
The only use for a computer is obviously business.
/sarcasm
@fud09: The last survey you read was wrong, then.
MS wasn't sued because the design logo but because they cheated to say that a device is "vista capable" when it wasn't.
Haha, WinDULL? It's all about the WinDoze! ;)
Also, 6,000 "Certified" apps and peripherals on x64 Win7 3 weeks before release is not that bad. Many more run than that you just won't see the logo catching on yet.
I enjoy bashing M$ with the best of them, but for this? They are doing pretty good here, I think.
@Magallanes: But that's the thing - the computers were perfectly capable of running Windows Vista; they just weren't capable of displaying Aero Glass.
It's simple and serves its function, nothing much else to it besides that.
Certified, schmertified, been running it since the beta on my Dell Mini 9 like it was the OS this netbook was MADE to run.
Exactly!
Programs like this are for consumers who are now too lazy to research or too confused by technology to be able to discern whether or not their machine works is "Windows 7 Compatible". Netbooks are ABSOLUTELY compatible with Win7, even Z520s with 1GB of memory. Fast? Not so much. Do they install, and boot, and run? Yes, why yes they do.
Think about it. The Vista Compatible label is essentially the cornerstone in Vista's commercial failure (don't give me shit, I loved Vista once SP1 came around and I still use it at work and at home; just saying commercially here), and given MS's apparent kick in the pants as of late, I'd be really surprised if this turned into lightning striking twice.
I'm pretty sure Windows haz a win on their hands
Oh absolutely, I'm not doubting that. This is the my favorite version of Windows since Win2k.
I ran into problems when I tried upgrading a emachines t3516 (upgraded to 2gb ram and a Nvidia 8600gt gpu) with a "compatible for Vista" logo on it. Turns out that "compatible" part meant that I had to flash my motherboard bios, of which there were to to choose from with no easy way to know which board was actually in your machine with same model number. I did eventually get Vista running, after about a week of trial and error with too many BSODs to count. Then about a year later I decided to put OS X on it, it took a couple hours and actually work very well on it`s 3.2 ghz Celeron D. This weekend it shall be reborn once more as a Windows Home Server box, hopefully. So the moral to the story is there certification program is a joke if you can upgrade a certified machine to OS X more easily than Windows.
BTW 7 doesn`t run on it either, nothing with a vista based kernel does, hopefully home server is running something else at heart or I gonna play with penguins again.
WHS runs on a server 2003 install. aka, the XP-era kernel.
Works for me. Though I wonder if they'll provide stores with OEM to upgrade a lot of the Vista Machines as they'll be dated stock and really, Who is going to buy a older(even if its only a week or two) and slower(7 is faster =]) laptop/PC when Windows7 is right next to it?
I've been running Win7 since before July I think? and it's been a awesome experience and will absolutely recommend Win7 to anyone
I wonder if Windows 7 will come with its own set of viruses and crash all the time like every other windows product.
I think my computer must be broken... I'm running Windows Vista, and have never had it crash or had a virus... can someone tell me what's wrong?
Yeah just like your Mac came with black thick rimed glasses, a smug leftist point of view, and your ability to create "art" in photoshop.
Oh whats that you were already a frail metro asshole, and you still suck at photoshop?
@pknyo
+1
@ Epsilon
The answer is that you are actually using a Mac. The thing is Windows has copied so many things from OS X that it is increasingly difficult to visually tell the difference between the two. It's only when you use a Windows PC that you'll begin seeing the difference as it starts to crash and get filled with spyware and viruses.
@ pknyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_X5uR7VC4M
you shrimpy, panty-wearing transvestite PC user.
@Fox
Actually it's quite easy. Windows is the one with all the good software.
@FoxKenji: Huh, I wonder why Apple put the Dell logo on the case, seems kind of odd of them. I have to say, I'm impressed at how OS X must now be compatible with applications I've used since Windows 95. (Seems to have come at the cost of being unable to run any Mac applications)
Hi Ccflores!
I really wish they'd get into the habit of putting stickers UNDERNEATH the bloody computer where I can look at them if I need to feel reassured but beyond that are never seen. When I buy a computer I know what is inside it (that's what the specification is for) and I don't need stickers littering up the thing like the inside of a school locker. Sure, I could peal them off but, dammit, why should I even have to?
Sorry, personal whinge...
I was always curious to know how you would get these stickers. I'm using the RC version of 7. I'm getting a copy of 7 for volunteering that hosting party (don't expect much to show up =< ). Will a sticker come in the box, or do I have to get it from somewhere? I really want one.
Hey what all you had to do I tried and they said Not a Finalist to me ;-(
I wish they would only be on the computer's box and not the computer itself. Yes, I know MOST of them can be successfully removed, but it is lame that I have to take the time and effort to stop their free advertising.
My EeePC 1000HE runs Win 7 Pro with aero very well, thank you.
Can it play h264
Well, it's a bit more attractive than the goddamned silver XP stickers. I do wish they would try harder to coordinate with the intel stickers and the GPU stickers. This sticker ecosystem needs better standards.
I tear them all off.
I don't get people, you take the sticker off your pants when you buy them, right? So why do you keep the Windows and Nvidia stickers on your computers?
Isn't it ironic that with Vista, Microsoft was putting Vista compatibility stickers on machines that didn't have enough power to run the OS.
Now, with Windows 7, netbooks run the OS fine, but Microsoft is balking because of the lesser revenue they'll get from it.
Microsoft Compatibility Certification: A certified SCAM
Alot of people blame Microsoft when Intel had a hand at it
http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/03/the-vista-capable-debacle-intel-pushes-microsoft-bends.ars
Adrian: So Intel and Microsoft weren't on the same page. That means Microsoft was not at fault?
That new blue gradient background in the logo is also featured in Window 7's new Blue Screen of Death.
Now see, you got me all hopeful and after a quick google search I see you're just trolling. The BSOD looks exactly the same with windows 7 albeit with different wording.
For shame.
LOLz
I have Win7 RC1 running on my Asus netbook, Asus laptop, Core 2 quad desktop and wife's Toshiba laptop. All without a hitch. A sticker means nothing.Anyone with a partial brain can figure out most Windows problems anyway unless a hardware manufacturer doesn't offer a compatible driver. Most people only bitch about Windows because of their own lack of knowledge or laziness.
This logo is for programs and add-on devices.
Microsoft finally straightened out their stickers, to a degree.
With Vista, the stickers meant that the computer could run SOME version of Vista at least minimally, and possibly after some firmware update that was not yet available.
Win WIn7, the stickers mean that the computer can run ANY version of Win7.
The problem is that the new stickers require a computer to be able to run all hardware versions of Windows, not just all feature versions of Windows. That is, just because the computer can run Windows Ultimate doesn't mean it can get a sticker. It has to be able to run Windows Ultimate 64-bit. That leaves out a lot of equipment, most notably netbooks that, in general, cannot use 64-bit processors, regardless of how much you max out the other specs.
It will help on the accessory and software ends though. It means that when I get a new TV tuner that has a Compatible logo, it will work with my Windows 64-bit edition and will not have a asterisk - "* Requires a 32-bit version". (I'm looking at you, Pinnacle...)
And NeatCo, with their Neat Receipts. That also was 32-bit only when I got it. I looked online before buying it, and NeatCo said that they would have soon an update for 64-bit. But when they did, they wanted to charge another $30 for it.
Too many stickers. My palmrests look like fruit salad.