Windows Vista Compatibility Center

Screenshot of the Windows Vista Compatibility Center. F

In an effort to encourage users to upgrade to Vista, Microsoft created the Windows Vista Compatibility Center, a searchable database that contains “thousands of products and clearly label[s] their compatibility status for Windows Vista.”¹⁷ The database features four compatibility categories:

• Compatible – status given to hardware and software that have “undergone Microsoft tests for reliability, security, and compatibility on PCs running…Windows Vista”.¹⁸
• Action Recommended – this status indicates that a user may need to obtain an update for a particular program or device in order “to ensure that [it] will work properly with Windows Vista.”¹⁸
• Not Compatible – this status “is confirmation by the manufacturer or publisher that a product is not supported on computers running Windows Vista.”¹⁸
• Status Unknown – status given to products whose compatibility Microsoft has yet to ascertain. ¹⁸

By making this crucial information easily accessible, Microsoft aims to make the switching process as seamless as possible for those considering upgrading their systems.