Comment I just experienced this (Score 2, Interesting) 656
I'm going to buy a Dell laptop. On their website you can customize the laptop fairly much, including operating system and office package.
But, suprise suprise, on the menus you can just choose between Microsoft products, and 'none at all' is not an option.
So I phoned their sales department. 'Why can't I deselect Windows and Office?', I asked. The drone at the other end told me that virtually everyone wanted Windows on their laptops, so it wasn't there. So I told him that I was not one of those 'virtually everyone', and didn't want it.
'No can do', he told me. They apparantly had a deal with Microsoft, which required them to ship -all- computers with Windows.
I didn't quite believe it. I live in Norway, and I've always believed that our laws is more consumer-friendly than what's the situation in the US.
So I asked him if it really was legal. He didn't know, but the one thing he _could_ tell me was that without that agreement, the boxes 'virtually everyone' bought (including Windows, that is), would be so expensive that they wouldn't be able to compete other laptop-makers.
So, there I am, with no other option than buying Windows and Office lisences I won't be using anyway.
But then one thing occured to me. Nobody can _force_ me to accept the EULA that comes with Microsoft's products. So if I buy my laptop with Windows and Office, and refuse to accept the EULA, I should be able to return the software to Microsoft and get my money back. That's how it _should_ be, at least.
Can somebody confirm that the EULA gives you this possibility? Have anyone tried this? Any success?
I will certainly try my best to kick up a fuss if I can't .. write to all consumer-rights organizations and consumer TV programs. I think it's worth the effort, don't you?
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Tore
But, suprise suprise, on the menus you can just choose between Microsoft products, and 'none at all' is not an option.
So I phoned their sales department. 'Why can't I deselect Windows and Office?', I asked. The drone at the other end told me that virtually everyone wanted Windows on their laptops, so it wasn't there. So I told him that I was not one of those 'virtually everyone', and didn't want it.
'No can do', he told me. They apparantly had a deal with Microsoft, which required them to ship -all- computers with Windows.
I didn't quite believe it. I live in Norway, and I've always believed that our laws is more consumer-friendly than what's the situation in the US.
So I asked him if it really was legal. He didn't know, but the one thing he _could_ tell me was that without that agreement, the boxes 'virtually everyone' bought (including Windows, that is), would be so expensive that they wouldn't be able to compete other laptop-makers.
So, there I am, with no other option than buying Windows and Office lisences I won't be using anyway.
But then one thing occured to me. Nobody can _force_ me to accept the EULA that comes with Microsoft's products. So if I buy my laptop with Windows and Office, and refuse to accept the EULA, I should be able to return the software to Microsoft and get my money back. That's how it _should_ be, at least.
Can somebody confirm that the EULA gives you this possibility? Have anyone tried this? Any success?
I will certainly try my best to kick up a fuss if I can't
--
Tore
