Hardware companies, Microsoft, Competition and Consumer Choice

[Paul Shirren]

db wrote:
> (as this is in the eula and Most retail outlets / vendors are not
> aware of this and it is difficult to follow up).

Didn't the EULA change with Vista so the refund terms are up to the
supplier? I think some companies have an additional EULA that says you
must return the whole lot (hardware included) for a refund. I think this
might close the Windows refund option for some people.

BTW I am just googling this. I don't have any EULAs here to check.

I would be happy for the ACCC to slap someone on the wrist but if they
don't have any legal reason I guess that isn't happening.

I am not sure the refund thing is a good idea long term as far as
getting retailers to look at Linux favourably. They probably think we
are a bunch of anti-business trouble makers which might not help
convince them to market to us.

Perhaps a flood of people buying Dell Latitude 2100s with Ubuntu
pre-installed from Dell Australia might help? Although I wish they would
offer Ubuntu on higher end products as well. The idea that Ubuntu is a
budget option compared to Windows being premium kind of annoys me.