Industry Insiders Impressed with Vista Stamp

Back in the earliest days of home gaming, Nintendo used to employ a little gold merit badge it called the "Nintendo Seal of Quality". It was a nice way for young and new gamers to navigate the enormous 1980s NES games library.

Got the seal? It's probably decent. No seal? Avoid at all costs. Many companies have tried a similar campaign, with Microsoft's Vista logo now appearing on certain software programs deemed the most compatible with the company new operating system (OS).

One industry insider recently blogged that when he found himself shopping for a TV tuner for his PC, there was a tough decision to be made. On one hand, a proven WinTV product. On the other, a PCTV Pro Stick boasting the Vista seal of approval. Gripped in hesitation, the blogger bought the Microsoft-approved PCTV.

Results? Entirely positive. The PCTV contained everything necessary, while the WinTV would have required some painful driver downloads. By comparison, the PCTV installed easily, no web wandering needed.

Due to the experience, the reporter approved of both the product and agreed with Microsoft that it deserved a seal. (Source: Microsoft-watch.com)

However, the stamp's presence opens up a new debate. When Nintendo used its seal of approval back in the 80s and 90s, there was good reason. Many of the titles that skirted its scrutinizing eye didn't deserve gamer coin. Is that applicable to the thousands of PC software products on the market today? (Source: wikipedia.org)

Complaints over Vista's compatibility issues have plagued the operating system since it launched in late January. Microsoft is still tinkering with the long list of products still not working properly, and it's entirely possible the seal is meant to curtail MS' own responsibility.