Microsoft starts 'Vista Ready' programme

Despite the countless delays to Microsoft's upcoming operating system, the company has started labelling PCs as 'Vista Ready'.

The program involves ticking a number of certification check boxes on pre-built PCs - when a system passes the certification, it earns a 'Vista Ready' sticker - it's a bit like a Blue Peter badge because it means you can do cool stuff. At least, you'd hope so.

Qualifying systems will be able to run the Windows Vista Home Basic version. Home Basic will not feature advanced media centre functionality and there will be no translucent Aero Glass GUI effects, either. This means that there isn't much of the Vista 'cool stuff' left...

'Vista Ready' systems are required to have 512MB of memory, a DirectX 9.0-class video card and a compatible processor, listed on either AMD, Intel or VIA's websites.

A Microsoft spokesperson admitted that the specifications were 'baseline' specs and there isn't any official word on the hardware requirements to run premium versions of the operating system at this moment. However, we reported some brief outline specifications last September.

Do you want a Blue Peter Vista Ready badge on your PC? Fill out an application form in our forums.