According to a lawsuit filed against Microsoft, a customer who purchased a Windows Vista Capable PC believes they were deceived by Microsoft because the company is allowing PC makers to badge computers as “Windows Vista Capable” even though the computers are incapable of running key features of the new operating system.

The lawsuit centers on the inability of the Windows Vista Capable PC Logo to effectively state that the PC is unable to support the new, key features of Windows Vista that Microsoft has been advertising. The lawsuit alleges that PCs with the “Windows Vista Capable” logo are able to only run the bare-bones Windows Vista Home Basic version, which doesn’t include support for Aero Glass, Flip3D and Media Center PC functions. Because of this, the lawsuit reasons that the product doesn't meet the expectations that Microsoft marketed in its Windows Vista marketing campaign.

The lawsuit goes on to say that even Bill Gates took part in the deception by saying on TV that PC users can upgrade to Windows Vista in less than $100, a price point which can only provide a copy of Windows Vista Home Basic.

One of the lawyers working on the case, Michael Rosenberger, said “All the ‘wow’ stuff that Microsoft is selling and marketing is present in (Windows Vista Home) Premium, but it’s not present in Basic.”

Microsoft feels differently, as Linda Norman, a Microsoft associate general counsel, responded by saying in a statement: “We feel as a company we went beyond what we’ve ever done to try to educate people so that they understood and could make the right purchase decision.”

Whatever the validity of the case, it is no secret that Microsoft’s Vista badge system might come off as confusing, especially to inexperienced PC users. Whether this confusion warrants a successful lawsuit, though, depends entirely on the courts.