Let me see if I'm following this argument...

(1) "Will it be possible to replace the operating system?"
(2) "Of course it will because it uses an A4 CPU."
(3) "But there could still be issues with the bootloader and firmware which would prevent that, even though that's not supposed to happen."
(4) "The Windows sticker means that there won't be any kind of problems like that. Ever."
(5) "HP has a history of producing poor quality hardware, particularly budget notebooks. I wouldn't be at all surprised if their new $200 notebook failed to meet the standards set for higher end hardware."
(6) "Oh yeah? Well, you're an ad hominem! So double dumb ass on you!"

Well, that sure put me in my place. Clearly yours is the superior intellect.

Didn't you ever wonder why every time you go to the store to buy tinfoil, The Government has replaced it with aluminum?

You make a good point. I am sure that HP would never, ever compromise the legendary high quality of their notebook computers by failing to adhere strictly to the standards of the Windows Logo Program.

I must have confused them with another computer manufacturer with lower standards who might be willing to sacrifice the usability of their product just to squeeze a few more dollars our of every sale.

I'm afraid that very few computers of any kind offer a way to expand the storage without buying storage.

You could try stealing three USB drives and a high capacity SDXC card and fitting them into the available ports on the Stream 14, easily expanding the storage by as much as you want, but speaking as your attorney I would have to advise you that that could cause you some legal difficulties in the future.

The fucking summary said nothing about whether or not the system used "Secure Boot" or whether it would continue to allow the end user to add a custom bootloader or new trusted certificates. The CPU can understand whatever instruction set it wants, but that won't make any difference if the system firmware won't allow you to run code that isn't signed by Microsoft or HP.

...of a site that already tried this, and failed. Isn't this exactly the kind of example that the article was asking for?

Well, since his kids would have been 2 and 3, he would probably have told them that it was nap time.

You're right. Encouraging kids belief in fictional places like Jerusalem, Shuafat, Golan Heights and Tel Aviv is never good.

The last time they tried that was in the late 60s. It didn't go so well.

I wish [vendor representative] luck in pursuing other interests outside of [vendor]. You pay enterprise suppliers the insanely big bucks to be diplomatic enough to not tell the truth about just who screwed things up. Given the choice between calling the customer an idiot and having the customer continue buying expensive toys with a lot of zeroes in their prices it is usually preferable to just say something about how you will look into how the warning wasn't delivered to the right people, and then shut up and never speak of it again.

Deflecting blame to the department head may make you feel better but it's a dangerous move. When life hands you a bucket full of... let's just say "waste products" you can hand it to someone else, empty it out the window and trust that nobody is on the sidewalk or carry it to the dumpster yourself. Throwing it directly upwards shows a distinct misunderstanding of how gravity works.

This is exactly the kind of problem that makes you glad you overpaid for name brand hardware.

Which of these two answers to the question "Why did our network fall over and sink into the swamp yesterday?" would you like to give?

"Um, it's because I recommended saving a bit of money on buying off-brand routers that couldn't handle everything. I'll go clean out my desk."

or...

"It's not my fault! We bought [insert name brand here] because they were supposed to be better. Round up the rest of the management team and we'll have a conference call with [vendor] this afternoon and get them to explain how they failed us."

At the time, it wasn't easy drawing rounded corners.

Fast-forward to the next century where rectangles with rounded corners are still everywhere, but only Steve's company is allowed to use them.

He only drops the phone when it makes him angry. It's the phone's fault, really.