[olug] funny, true but funny

Thu Nov 19 17:39:11 UTC 2009

The license is an OEM license, heavily discounted. Microsoft sold the
OEM license to HP, Dell or whomever. They resold it to you as part of
the bundle. Plenty of retailers tell you that you must buy a bundle,
and don't allow you to return individual components. If I purchase a
piece of furniture from Ikea, and assemble it with my own screws, can
I demand Ikea return the cost of screws?

There have been some individual cases (mostly in Europe) where someone
fought long enough to get a $50 refund. However, I assume the time
doesn't justify the cost. Again, if you don't want to pay for an OEM
license, then just buy a Linux prebuilt computer like others have
suggested.

Along similar lines, I just put in a new DC for a customer. We ordered
from Futureware. We wanted Server 2008 R2. We got Server 2008. Even
before it shipped, I called Futureware back to say that wasn't what I
wanted. Even though they were not yet in possession of the license,
they refused to change the order. They said it was impossible. They
just resell HP OEM licenses. HP refused to exchange the license. We
contacted Microsoft who refused to exchange the license.

I wasn't asking for a refund. I was asking to exchange an unopened
license for another unopened license of the same cost because they
screwed up on their end. No one would help me.

What kind of business practicess is that? How many businesses refuse
an exchange on a brand new unopened product?

That truly is fantastic service. Because they were so shitty, it gave
me an in with the client on the end to convince them to perhaps not
purchase Microsoft in the future. We're already dropping Exchange and
going to Zimbra. The DC just needs to authenticate, serve as a file
server, and be a Quickbooks Enterprise server. Linux does all that. I
want to setup a backup Linux DC (hoping Samba4 will do the trick) and
show them how much they can save in licensing. (If anyone here has
successfully got a Samba4 box to operate as a backup DC to a Windows
PDC and has advice, contact me in another thread, or off list.)

-- T. J. Brumfield

On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 10:45 AM, Dave Rowe <dave at roweware.com> wrote:
> True, though you're buying a custom vehicle at that point, not "off the lot"
> so to speak.
>
> To continue the engine analogy, that isn't something you can buy the vehicle
> without.  I can't go to Ford and say "I'd like to return this engine, since
> I'll be installing a Honda engine" - it just doesn't work like that.  I
> don't get why computers need to be the exception.
>
> Likewise, with the laptop / media center, etc.  Even if it is harder to
> find, that isn't the fault of HP, Dell, whomever, they have chosen to bundle
> with Microsoft.  If you don't like it, don't buy from them.  I just don't
> get the argument that people feel they're entitled to a refund on the
> software they knew would be bundled with the hardware.
>
> Buy from System76, or one of the other Linux providers out there, and stop
> fueling the problem.
>
> On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 10:37 AM, Carl Lundstedt
> <clundst at unlserve.unl.edu>wrote:
>
>> This is certainly correct for the desktop market.  I would argue
>> laptops, media center form factor and micro PCs are harder to find/buy
>> without Windows.
>>
>> I would also argue that when I buy a new car from a dealer they give me
>> a sheet that I have to check off the accessories I want.  (New being a
>> key word there.)  If I don't want XM in my Ford, I don't have to order
>> it.
>>
>> To better your analogy I'd say if I bought a car to 'rod' up and planned
>> to replace the engine I shouldn't get money back.  Maybe that's the turn
>> analogy here.  The OS on a computer is not comparable to an XM radio in
>> a car but the engine.  Of course I'm free to sell the stock engine to my
>> buddy...
>>
>> In general car analogies get us in trouble in the computing world :P
>>
>> I don't, just typing out loud here...
>>
>> Carl Lundstedt
>> UNL
>> On Thu, 2009-11-19 at 08:54 -0600, Dave Rowe wrote:
>> > I still really don't get the argument behind this practice.  If you want
>> a
>> > PC without Windows, why not buy one _without_ Windows?  There are plenty
>> of
>> > options,
>> >
>> > If I bought a vehicle with XM and never used it (I technically paid for
>> the
>> > hardware) - should I be able to yank it out and return it for a refund?
>>  No,
>> > I purchased the vehicle knowing full well what was installed, and
>> therefore
>> > paid for.
>> >
>> > If you can't find a comparable PC without Windows for as cheap as the one
>> > with Windows, then you can't really argue that you've actually _paid_ for
>> > Windows.
>> >
>> > On Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 10:13 PM, Luke-Jr <luke at dashjr.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > > On Wednesday 18 November 2009 07:22:41 pm Eric Lusk wrote:
>> > > > So, what happens if Windows is loaded on a recovery partition (as is
>> so
>> > > >  often done now), and there is no media to return?
>> > >
>> > > Presumably you still have a license key or such.
>> > > _______________________________________________
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