Software Certification Tightened for Vista

New application logo guidelines for Windows Vista indicate a shift in Microsoft’s approach to certifying software for Windows: Building the largest possible catalog of applications is less important than the quality of those applications. Applications that qualified for previous logos may need additional work to qualify for Vista, but the more stringent program could weed out some competitors and increase the value of software that does qualify. For the program to be successful, however, Microsoft must convince customers that the new program is different and that logo-approved software will be more secure, more reliable, and easier to install and maintain.

The software logo program complements similar logo programs for hardware vendors and OEMs. For details on those programs, see “Vista Advisor and Logos Help Users Upgrade“.

Two-Tiered Program

Microsoft’s software logo program serves the following three basic goals:

• Increase the perceived value of Windows by having a large catalog of