Nonprofits slam Microsoft's Vista name

Macworld ^ | August 02, 2005 | Elizabeth Montalbano

[Panerai]

Microsoft Corp. Monday again came under fire for its choice of the name “Windows Vista” for the next version of its client operating system, this time from two groups that help health-care organizations implement U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) software.

The VistA Software Alliance and WorldVista, two nonprofit groups that assist American veterans hospitals, nursing homes and clinics with the VA’s VistA software, have denounced Microsoft’s name choice, citing possible confusion between the operating system and the software used to store and manage veterans’ patient information.

“The confusion created by Microsoft and its choice of the word ‘Vista’ is an affront to the people who take care of our nation’s veterans,” Barbara Boykin, chairman of the VistA Software Alliance said in a press statement. “The VistA software enables these caring professionals to provide our veterans with some of the best healthcare in the nation. Microsoft is demeaning their passion and dedication to our veterans by expropriating the name Vista.”

VistA has been in use for about 20 years and provides electronic records for millions of veterans in 163 hospitals, 135 nursing homes and 850 clinics, according to the groups.

The timing of the naming is especially inconvenient because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is readying the release of VistA-Office EHR (electronic health record) within a few days, according to the groups. This is a version of VistA specifically tailored for medical practices and will be offered for free or low-cost to physicians nationwide.

[jdm]

I tried to install Vista earlier tonight but the damn product key won't work!

[thoughtomator]

They might as well just call it Microsoft Scrudiu. No confusion, and the customer knows what to expect.

[Prime Choice]

I tried fooling with it.   I got the Blue Screen of Joy.

(Yeah...like Microsoft will ever make anything this good.)

[isthisnickcool]

Maybe Bill Gates can buy the name "Smuckers"......

[Buck W.]

Lighten up, Francis.

Vista is a fairly common name. They're being awfully sensitive. Remember Volunteers In Service To America?

[Spktyr]

Oooops.

[jdm]

Microsoft Vista Colmes Beta 1 (still lots of bugs)

[Riley]

I have one of those shirts.

I don't look that good in it. :-P

[softwarecreator]

First time I was ever happy to see the BSOD!!!!!

[softwarecreator]

Man, I hate that name.  Of all the choices out there, "vista" is what they came up with ... {hurl}

[softwarecreator]

And going back further, remember the car called Vista?

It's a common name all right, but it's not very good.

[scrabblehack]

Yes, and one of Disney's subsidiaries is Buena Vista Television, no?

[Buck W.]

Not sure about that one, but I do remember a Dodge Colt Vista in the '80s.

[nsmart]

And then there is my Vista Credit Card.. oh wait, that's a Visa.

[savedbygrace]

The BSOD. Breasts Squeezed On Demand

[Swordmaker]

What about Volunteers In Service To America???