Windows Catalog Promotes XP-Optimized Products

The Windows Catalog is a Web site listing software and hardware compatible with or designed for Windows XP. The Catalog will allow users to browse software and hardware by category or device type and to search for specific vendors or items.

By using the Web rather than putting the Catalog on the Windows XP CD-ROM, Microsoft eliminates the problem of shipping an outdated or incomplete listing, and vendors can be added (or deleted) from the Catalog at any time.

The Catalog’s home page offers a selection of products that have met the “Designed for Windows” requirements, tabs for selecting hardware and software, and a search engine.

Hardware and software are further broken down into subcategories (e.g., business productivity software, digital video cameras). Once a category is selected, the site displays a table of all products in that category that have been tested to be compatible with Windows XP and submitted to the Catalog.

Any hardware and software that meets even the basic requirements for compatibility can be submitted for a free listing in the Catalog, but basic compatibility ensures only a listing of the vendor and application, without images or hyperlinks to the vendor’s Web site.