Picked up a new T61 Win XP. But why is there a Vista Business serial label on the bottom?

Shouldn't it be a Windows XP Serial Label?

 

It is a marketing gimmick by Microsoft. They agreed to allow hardware manufacturers to sell XP machines, since the demand is still very high, but they are counted as Vista sells. This is because, supposedly, after the purchase they are "downgraded" to XP. This way, the user gets what they want and Microsoft gets to say that Vista is a success.

What do you think, clever or crooked?

 

This is Microsoft here, do you really need to ask that question?

 

I was going to post a question, but since it is closing related to this one, I thought I would just add the question.

I am planning to get an X61 Tablet, but I know that you can order it with XP Tablet Edition, I would like to add Vista Premuim, can this be done??, in a dual boot method?? When I got my Dell 700m, I ordered it with XP Home and requested the upgrade to Vista Home, and then set it up for dual boot and it works fine, but that is regular notebook, not a tablet.

Will Vista Premuim work on a Tablet??
Can I order it with XP installed and a Vista disc??
Any suggestions??

 

I'm not sure if it answered my question though. Why does a new XP notebook have a Vista serial label?

Also, the sticker on my laptop palm rest reads Windows Vista Basic!

 

I gave you the answer. Just go ahead and re-read it. You bought a Vista machine, but asked for the optional feature of it being downgraded to XP. That way, MS can count your machine as a Vista sell for publicity statistics and such. I know my writing skills leave a lot to be desired, so I hope this is clearer now. Otherwise you are going to give me a complex.

 

It came with a Vista serial because Microsoft does not allow any vendors to sell computers with an XP license. If they have Windows, they have a Vista license.

Recognizing that most companies still have not adopted Vista, Microsoft allows systems with a Vista Business or Vista Ultimate license to be preloaded with Windows XP Pro. The license is still for Vista, but the EULA allows the use of XP Pro for "backward compatibility" or some such.

As a side effect, Microsoft gets to count the sale as a sale of Vista... even though it's not really.

 

Does this mean I can install Windows Vista Business and activate using that serial key?

 

Yeap, simply install Vista and activate it. No problem for me!

 

Great! Because XP was the only store option at the time of my T61 purchase.

I have the OEM disk. Ra!