In U.K., I get my no OS computers from Dell refurbish stores who usually have some offered without any OS or software. Hardware only computer at adiscount. Usually a 6 months old machine but useful.

Why no PUBLIC appology.
Data may be public, but use and misrepresentation is not a 'legal' or moral action of a good corporate company. This is a blur of actual action to say data is 'public'

USA law* (and UK) law covers the actions of any subsidiary of a parent company where 'claimed fraud' or 'claimed misuse of 'trade marks' or 'contractual relationships' {i.e YYY claiming to be working in partnership with XXX] is done by subsidiary. The parent company needs to act quickly to stop any misdeed by a subsidiary. Otheerwise easy to bride, corrupt steal by use of a subsidiary without any recourse.

Sometimes a 'combination' suits best. E.g. public as in UK National Health Service (NHS), at least gets majority of care to most folk (no one out of the net as in USA) while private health care is available for those who are money rich/time poor to get quicker service or major cosmetic health not in NHS. The balance is very difficult to strike (all UK governments left or right leaning have problems withh balance, and 'idealist socialists have problems with private element), but it avoids the non-availability or health care to the poor.

Soyuz-2-1a The "a" is important, it was Soyuz-2-1b 3rd stage engines that failed.

Knights (Sir XXXX) are NOT and never were aristcrats, Very basic mistake. USA President and members of Congress ARE aristocrats (words means 'those who rule!)

[My english is better than most other people's german, so please point out mistakes politely. Thank you.]
should read as:
[My English is better than most other people's German, so please point out mistakes politely. Thank you.]
While English does not Capitalise many Nouns as German does, it retains initial capital letters for Countries, Languages and proper names,
  {Großbuchstaben für Länder, Sprachen und Eigennamen}

It is "Sir Jonathen", knights never are addressed by their surnames.

8500 folk worked inside Bletchley Park, with upwards of 4000 odd 'feeder' outworkers. secret kept for 30 years. even wive/husband pairs did not tell each other what they did at Bletchkey Park.

BBC has just announced the bank did not discover the error or problem. The trader told bank about problem. So no bank checks or audits were in any way involved until after the problem was known to bank.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14943084