HP's Windows Bundle Trouble

narramissic writes "A French consumer group has filed 3 lawsuits against HP, saying the company's practice of selling consumer PCs with Windows pre-installed violates a French law that 'prohibits linking the functionality of a product to another product' — not to mention that consumers wind up paying for an unwanted OS. For its part, HP contends that it is not in violation of the law because the OS is integral to the PC. 'The PC without an OS is not a product because it doesn't work,' said Alain Spitzmuller, legal affairs director for HP France. 'We believe the market is for products that work.'"

Comments

Re:Complicated things?

[NineNine]

I can eat a pizza without onions. I can buy onions in the store. Two separate items. Both completely functional. A computer without an OS is not functional. An OS without a computer is not functional. It's a stupid law.

Of course, this is coming from a country where people *riot* if they are not guaranteed, by law, that they cannot be fired for two years.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/europe/jan-june06/f rance_4-4.html

Re:He's an idiot

[MustardMan]

Right, and since mechanics can install a transmission in their own car, all cars should be sold without transmissions, too.