Re: [tlug] GREAT NEWS

[Godwin Stewart <gstewart@example.com>]

On Wed, 2 May 2007 13:27:18 +0900, "Keith Bawden" <keith@example.com>
wrote:

> > A great evolution just occurred. Dell just signed a contract to
> > start selling their PC's with Ubuntu!!!!!
>
> I was more impressed when they started shipping workstations with no
> OS installed.

I was even more impressed when they stopped billing individuals in
France 700 euros (110,000 yen) on top of the price of the standard
setup to *remove* the preinstalled crapware. Meanwhile, the same
machine ordered by a professional organisation would cost them 75 euros
*less* without the O/S.

The Winter Olympics will take place in hell before I recommend a Dell
machine to anyone - Ubuntu on it or not.

Page in French:
http://www.zdnet.fr/actualites/informatique/0,39040745,39123895,00.htm

Translation:

Dell and HP against the generalization of selling PCs without an O/S.

ZDNet France, Sept. 17th 2003

After reimbursing a client who did not wish to purchase the software
preinstalled on his PC, HP confirmed today that this was an exceptional
situation. Dell, however, has found the solution: bill 700 euros for the
uninstallation of the O/S and the software.

Last month, August 29th, we told the story of Mickael Roger, the young
man who, after purchasing a Compaq brand machine, managed - not without
difficulty - to obtain reimbursment by HP France of the software
bundled with his PC.

Today, the manufacturer, who seems to be afraid of a flood of similar
demands, insisted on setting the record straight via a press release in
which it confirms its "commercial policy regarding preinstalled software
in response to various press articles". "It was an exceptional case that
will remain exceptional", the manufacturer confirmed.

"HP wishes to reiterate that on its range of consumer microcomputers it
offers a set of preinstalled software applications running on
Microsoft's Windows XP operating system and perfectly adapted to the
home or personal use for which the machines are destined. There is no
option for the reimbursement of this software. Furthermore, this policy
is in line with huge demand on the part of users and has been standard
procedure within the profession for years."

* No mention of software licenses

However, this declaration does not mention the software licenses under
which the software supplied with HP computers is supplied. This was the
main argument on which Mickael Roger's action was based. It was written
black on white that if the client did not wish to acquire this
software, he could "contact the manufacturer as soon as possible in
order to find out how to send the product(s) back and be reimbursed for
it/them." This was in the contract dated March 1st 2002.

When asked about this, HP was unable to answer and is currently
checking to see if the contracts have been changed since the HP-Compaq
merger at the beginning of this year.

* An O/S-free Dell PC is possible: it's a 700 euro option!

After HP, we decided to find out what the position of the world leader,
Dell Computer, was. Dell differenciates between orders placed by
companies, for which Windows is supplied as an option for 75 euros (at
least that's what happened when the CNRS administrative services
recently placed an order), and those placed by individuals for whom
this option is unavailable according to comments posted on the "Detaxe"
mailing list devoted to this particular kind of problem and hosted by
AFUL (Association Francophone des Utilisateurs de Linux et des
Logiciels Libres).

When quizzed on this point by ZDNet, Dell declined to comment. However,
a mere phone call to the manufacturer's customer service enabled us to
confirm the above-mentioned difference. If we introduced ourselves as a
company, we could have ordered computers from the Optiplex range
without an O/S and save roughly 90 euros in the process. Things were
more difficult if we introduced ourselves as individuals. In this case,
customer service is far less amenable: "I'm sorry, Sir, but for that we
have to bill uninstallation fees that are set at 700 euros." So, a
basic PC from Dell, with an O/S, costs about 537 euros for a Dimension
2400. Without the O/S, the machine suddenly cops a 130% price hike...

According to comments posted on "Detaxe", Acer and even Apple Belgium
are other manufacturers who reimburse unwanted software to individuals.

--
G. Stewart - gstewart@example.com

'Palladium' is an answer to a question no one asked.
You want safety, trusted code and no viruses? Get Linux.

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