About the Windows Logo/Compatible Products

The Microsoft "Designed for Windows" logo identifies hardware and software products that have been designed and tested to meet Microsoft standards for compatibility with Windows^® 98 and Windows NT^® Workstation 4.0. Below are key benefits you get when you look for the logo when purchasing products for your computer.

Tested
Products displaying the logo have passed rigorous testing that assures they are easy to use, stable, and take advantage of the new features of Windows 98 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0. Software is tested by VeriTest, an independent testing lab. Hardware--both PCs and peripheral devices--are tested by Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL).

Works well with other software and hardware that bears the logo
When you mix and match products with the Designed for Windows logo, you can be assured they will work well with other products that bear the logo.

Installs properly and uninstalls completely
Logo'd products have been checked to be sure they don't overwrite key system components when they install--a phenomenon known as "DLL Hell" that is the main reason new installations sometimes trash your system.

What do "Designed for Windows" products offer for businesses?
The "Designed for Windows" logo can play a key role in reducing total cost of ownership for organizations. The Windows logo criteria is one of Microsoft's key vehicles in communicating to software developers how to incorporate Zero Administration initiative for Windows (ZAW) features into their applications in preparation for the next releases of Windows.

Businesses that use products meeting the Designed for Windows logo criteria stand to gain the following benefits:

• Lower support costs: "Designed for Windows" applications follow standard Windows look-and-feel guidelines. That helps users get up to speed without phoning your helpdesk.
• Help manage "DLL Hell": "Designed for Windows" applications do not overwrite applications or uninstall key components.
• Support mixed Windows environments: "Designed for Windows" products work on both Windows 9x and Windows NT to help you manage the mix of Windows desktops in your organization
• Proper use of operating system: "Designed for Windows" products make proper use of the Windows registry and other key operating system files.
• Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other equal rights legislation: "Designed for Windows" applications meet usability standards for a wide range of people.

What others are saying about the logo
Corporate customers and software developers report major benefits from participating in the Designed for Windows Logo Program:

Ford Motor Co.: Ford uses the Windows Logo program and has worked with Microsoft to help outline recommendations to reduce the cost of PC ownership in large organizations. "Ford believes the better this program is, the easier the environment is to manage, and is encouraging its in-house development activities to follow these rules," says Dave Principato, Public Affairs Manager at Ford.

Attachmate: "We are proud to have recently passed the Designed for Windows NT and Windows 95 Logo testing for the majority of our EXTRA! product line," says Mike O'Neill, Product Marketing Manager at Attachmate. "The Designed for Windows Logo is important to our customers because it helps their organizations reduce the total cost of ownership of PCs by ensuring a common desktop experience that lowers software support costs and reduces training."

Borland International: "Not only are we proud of the fact that we are fully compliant with all of the Windows NT and Windows 95 Logo requirements," says Diane Rogers, Group Manager for C++Builder and Delphi at Borland International, Inc. "But that we provide our developers with premier development tools for building their own Windows NT and Windows 98 Logo-compliant applications. Logo compliance extends ease of use to a great number of customers."