Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

How to get a Refund on Your Unwanted Windows

Posted by Zonk on from the breaking-the-window-and-climbing-out dept.

lisah writes "Serge Wroclawski recently contacted Dell to request a refund on the unwanted copy of Windows XP that came pre-installed on his computer. Somewhat surprisingly, Dell complied. Wroclawski admits that the $52.50 refund was more of a victory in principal than anything else, but it was a success nonetheless. Using his tips and techniques readers can try their hand at getting a refund of their own. Wroclawski cautions that you should be prepared for a long haul: the process could take hours." Linux.com and Slashdot are both owned by OSTG.

5 of 409 comments (clear)

  1. Everyone try this today! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    This is too cool!

    Let Micro$loth know how you feel!

    First post???

  2. Dumbass by NineNine · · Score: -1, Troll

    What a dumbass. Just don't buy a computer with Windows on it if you don't want Windows. I don't understand zealots. Why waste so much damn time fighting fights that nobody (other than them) care about? Did Dell "learn a lesson" in this case? No. Did MS? No. End result: one guy out a lot of time, and up $52. Big deal. If I want to waste time, I'll at least waste time in front of my PS3, cocktail in hand. I certainly am not gonna waste one more second than I have to arguing with some poor minimum wage Indian call center drone over $52, WHICH I WILLINGLY SPENT IN THE FIRST PLACE!

    1. Re:Dumbass by LurkerXXX · · Score: 1, Troll

      What a dumbass. Not everyone has the same money or priorities you do. You and I might make good money, but plenty of folks are out there making minimum wage or not a lot more an the $10/hour phone call (or whatever it is) is a decent wage for them. Also consider that most of that time on the phone is likely to be on hold or in phone queues. With a headset, someone can be in front of their PS3, cocktail in hand, and get back the $52 that they didn't want to spend on MSware. Yes, you can get computers without Windows (I always build my own), but Dell has lower prices than a lot of those custom shops for the same hardware. Getting back that $52 is additional savings.

  3. Re:hmm... by Conor+Turton · · Score: -1, Troll

    Yes. The linux loonies have run out of arguments a long time ago so they just keep repeating the same bullshit in the hope people will eventually believe it.

    --
    Conor "You're not married,you haven't got a girlfriend and you've never seen Star Trek? Good Lord!" - Patrick Stewart
  4. Re:$52? by dabraun · · Score: 0, Troll

    No, he could have returned the whole computer. He could have noticed that the machine came with windows when he ordered it. You're talking the hypothetical person who has never seen windows, has no idea what might be in the EULA and somehow now decided to actually read the whole EULA. The actual poster who write this most definitely:

    - Has used windows
    - Has previouosly clicked past the windows EULA screen on other machines
    - Did NOT read the EULA this time around
    - Knew the PC he was ordering included windows and ordered it anyway

    In other words he's just another annoying eccentric slashdot rodent whining because the PC vendor market doesn't agree with his little closed minded view of the technology landscape where everyone must inherently hate Microsoft and Windows and dream of running three different flavors of Linux in their sleep.