Buy PC Without an OS... Get a Visit From MSFT?

sebFlyte writes "'Don't sell PCs without operating systems or we'll send the boys round.' That seems to be the general message coming out of microsoft's antipiracy unit, according to ZDNet. While MS seems to accept that people might want to get hold of PCs without Windows so they can put Linux on them, they don't think that's a good enough excuse. "We want to urge all system builders -- indeed, all Partners -- not to supply naked PCs. It is a risk to your customers and a risk to your business," says Microsoft. The FSF has given this policy short shrift, saying: "It looks like a private sniffing service which is supposed to spy on these who do not want to pay the Microsoft tax anymore. It is an incredible piece of impudence.""

Comments

How IS is a Monoply?

[PiNzign]

"In economics, a monopoly (from the Greek monos, one + polein, to sell) is defined as a persistent market situation where there is only one provider of a kind of product or service. Monopolies are characterized by a lack of economic competition for the good or service that they provide and a lack of viable substitute goods. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly/

So how is it a Monoply? There are hundreds of different Operating Systems to choose from, and while Microsoft may say what they want in way of "encouraging" use of Windows, they have no power to force anyone to do it.

This may be silly, but it's not a monoply. The EU is as dumb as a box of rocks, and the US is not far behind.

And so you don't hink I'm an MS fan boy, and since it's never a requirement to be fair to Microsoft, I'd just like to point out the MS Suckz! At least I'm sure thats what your thinking.

Re:it sounds like this..

[ehrichweiss]

I hear some strange twisted Beavis and Butthead skit: Bill: I'm going to have to install Windows on this naked PC of yours... The Great Cornholio: are you thrrreatening me!!?!??!?!

duh!!

[SoulRider]

Well of course Microsoft wants all new PC's to be sold with windows. Im sure Goodyear wants all new cars to be sold with Goodyear tires. Gee I wonder if Ore-Ida wants all fast food joints to sell Ore-Ida french fries? Think Sherwin-Williams wants all new houses to be painted with their paint? If I buy a PC without windows, microsoft has no right to "pay me a visit", if they do it would constitute harrasment and I am calling the cops. If I buy a Ford does that mean Chevy and Dodge have right to harass me as to why I didnt buy their products?

Come get me, assholes

[EmagGeek]

I build PCs on the side for a little extra spending cash. I will not sell a PC with windows, even if a client wants it. I only sell machines either naked or with some flavor of Linux on them. If a client wants windows, I sell them the machine naked and tell them to go to CompUSA and buy their own copy of Windows and install it themselves.

I will take no part in the purchase or sale of Windows.

Re:MSFT should tread lightly

[Oliver Defacszio]

Oh, would you wake the fuck up. Do you think that the liquor store or its employee really cared what you were going to do with the bottle? Of course not. The ONLY reason why he or she prevented you from buying it is that the West has become so litigous that even those who have no rational reason to fear lawsuits fear lawsuits.

So, if you want someone to blame, point your self-righteous finger at your neighbor who has a new big-screen TV because the host of a party he once attended didn't stop him from drinking and driving.

Re-buying the user's existing scanner

[tepples]

Linux is well-known as running better than Windows on lower-end hardware, something that will become even more true when Vista finally makes it out the door.

True, but which video cards that are still available are well supported? Without a supported video card, all you'll get is a 16-color, 640x480-pixel, slow-ass X.

Unless your definition of cheap starts at the bottom of the professional scanner range, you're really off track here.

I'm just bitter that my Microtek Scanmaker 4850 flatbed scanner, which was paid-for before I thought of switching to Linux, remains unsupported after years. Remember when dial-up was still the most popular Internet access and there was the winmodem problem? There will still be the winmodem problem in geographic areas that can't get affordable residential broadband. Without a lot of money to re-buy hardware, what should I do to help the cause?

SANE supports hundreds of scanners.

But if SANE doesn't support the particular scanner that a PC maker has already bought in bulk, then the PC maker has to re-buy scanners.

Most people don't want a scanner bundled with a computer system because they either don't want/need a scanner, or if they want one, they usually already have one.

Trouble is that I already have one, and it happens not to be one of the supported hundreds. I would have to re-buy.

But for most people, who just need a computer for Internet access, light word processing, managing digital photos, etc., Linux is ready.

"Managing digital photos"? Not if I can't turn prints into digital photos without re-buying the scanner.