Internal Microsoft Emails Warned Over Vista, Low-Cost Laptops

Microsoft's reprieve for Windows XP, at least for what Microsoft calls Ultra-low-cost PCs (ULCPCs), came as no surprise to most. ULCPCs are notebooks such as the Asus Eee PC or HP 2133 Mini-Note PC.

Shockingly (insert sarcasm here), and most likely, damagingly, at least in terms of the "Vista-Capable lawsuit" Microsoft is embroiled in, emails from that lawsuit show that Microsoft wasn't exactly in the dark about Windows Vista performance issues, especially as it related to these low-cost laptops.

For example, an email from Gregg Daugherty, sent at 12:46 PM on February 28, 2006 (see page 66 in the .PDF of emails) says the following (click to enlarge):

For those not wanted to click through, he said (emphasis Microsoft's):

"We all know laptops are growing, but I'm struck by the magnitude, especially in the home. And I'm especially taken by the fact sub $1,000 laptops are now 50% of the home laptop market, and in Dec. '05, accounted for 26% of all retail computers sold ...

It should be noted that the just-launched HP 2133 runs Windows Vista. While receiving mostly positive reviews, it has had the word "slow" inserted into most of them. No doubt it would run spiffier on XP.

Not that anyone has ever said Vista was "bloated" or anything.

BTW, the slowness of the "Vista-Capable" lawsuit proceedings make me wonder if they are using an ULCPC with Vista on it for their briefs.