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HP Dishonors Warranty If You Load Linux

Posted by kdawson on from the caveat-installor dept.

darkonc points us to a writeup on linux.com about a very Linux-unfriendly policy at HP. A woman bought a Compaq laptop and loaded Ubuntu on it. Some time later, still well inside the 1-year hardware warranty, the keyboard started acting up. An HP support rep told her, "Sorry, we do not honor our hardware warranty when you run Linux." Gateway and Dell refused to comment to the reporter on what they would do in a similar situation. (Linux.com and Slashdot are both part of OSTG.)

11 of 702 comments (clear)

  1. Also.. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..the warranty on your car is invalid if you let someone smarter than you drive it.

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  2. This is disappointing by c0l0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    and surprising to me at the same time - HP always seemed to be "one of the good guys", fostering and supporting GNU/Linux and free software on many occassions (for instance, HP provides the quite powerful infrastructure for kernel.org).

    I was going to go buy a HP notebook some time later this year, but as things turn out this way, I'll stick to Lenovo/IBM once more again...

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  3. Re:Illegal? by bcmbyte · · Score: 5, Funny

    That LINUX is evil, just ask M$, they will tell you how it crashes computers all the time. I have heard of stories where LINUX has turned off the sun. Third grade linux users are writing code that causes hardware like keyboards and mice to break all the time... How is HP supposed to be responsible such catastrophies...

    Oh wait tech support for linux on systems costs companies more, that's why it voids the warranty... I would like to see some one take this to court.

  4. Re:Who tells the support guy that you're using Lin by brunascle · · Score: 3, Funny

    Who tells the support guy that you're using Linux?
    they start to suspect things when you laugh at them after they tell you to click Start -> Run
  5. Re:Not Unreasonable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If your software can break the hardware then your hardware is broken. Of course, since the software already broke your hardware.
  6. Re:Illegal? by MBCook · · Score: 4, Funny
    Microsoft has had Sticky Keys in Windows for years and years now. Maybe someone just developed a similar driver for Linux?

    (yes, I know)

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  7. THEREALISSUE by Gary+W.+Longsine · · Score: 4, Funny

    SHIFTKEYBROKENTOO.

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  8. Re:Not Unreasonable by Carrot007 · · Score: 4, Funny

    > You trust an end user to tell you that a key is not working because it is sticking?

    I'd trust one that ran linux.

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  9. Re:Illegal? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Exactly how is an unsupported driver supposed to cause physically sticky keys?

    By displaying particularly good porn?

  10. Re:Illegal? by the-amazing-blob · · Score: 4, Funny

    Your "(yes, I know)" just ruined my chance at "whoosh" jokes following responses to this post.

  11. Re:Illegal? by FesterDaFelcher · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, considering it's an ENTER key on most keyboards made in the 15 years, I would have a hard time finding it as well. :)

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