Microsoft seems to be absolutely fine with antiquated and inadequate machines at the store, so long as they come saddled with Windows Vista and its sophisticated disablement capabilities, better known to many as "DRM". Intel has no problem flogging old machines that nobody wants, as long as there are salesmen out there whose Microsoft recommendation they fall for. This recommendation allegedly came after Intel's CEO, Paul Otellini, conversed with Steve Ballmer. The latter chap ought to have undergone his deposition by now (before Christmas), but there was no press coverage.
An expert estimates Microsoft earned more than $1.5 billion through the sale of PCs labeled as "Vista Capable," according to a court document.
I have been asked by Plaintiffs' counsel to estimate the amount of revenue earned by Microsoft from the licensing of Windows XP on Vista Capable but not Vista Premium Ready PCs sold to Plaintiffs. In Microsoft's Supplemental Responses it estimates that it received revenue of [redacted] from Windows XP licenses on upgradeable PCs sold in the U.S. during the April 2006 through January 2007 period. From the estimates of Windows Capable but not Vista Premium Ready PCs compared to all upgradeable PCs as in Table 1, I estimate that [redacted] of the [redacted] from Windows XP licenses on upgradable PCs were for XP licenses on Vista Capable but not Vista Premium Ready PCs -- those PCs purchased by the Plaintiff class. From these figures, I have, therefore reached the opinion that Microsoft revenue from the Windows XP licensing on Vista Capable but not Vista Premium Ready PCs sold to Plaintiffs was $1.505 billion.
Microsoft adds to Atom’s restrictions
One of our readers was kind enough to send in the Microsoft Windows hardware requirements (or limitations) for the NetBook and NetTop platforms. This spec applies to the top 20 OEMs and should have come into effect in September last year.