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Italian Judge Tells HP To Refund Pre-Installed XP

Posted by kdawson on from the fair's-fair dept.

Paolo DF writes "An Italian user asked for a refund after buying a Compaq computer that came with Windows XP and Works 8 pre-installed. HP tried to avoid the EULA agreement which states, approximately: '[I]f the end user is not willing to abide by this EULA... he shall immediately contact the producer to get info for giving back the product and obtaining refunds.' The court ruled in favor of the user (Google translation from the Italian), who received back €90 for XP and €50 for Works. Here is the ruling (PDF, Italian)."

8 of 225 comments (clear)

  1. Progress. by nozzo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is progress, the more this happens the better the choice for the consumer. It shows the vendors that users prefer OS choices a la Dell.
    True, this is but 1 user but every little helps as we say in the UK.

    1. Re:Progress. by AusIV · · Score: 5, Insightful

      True, this is but 1 user but every little helps as we say in the UK.

      It's not just one user. It's a legal precedent. Now Italian Linux users may be more likely to request refunds for Windows licenses that come with computers, and since there's a legal precedent, the vendors may be more likely to comply.

  2. MS Tax by indy_Muad'Dib · · Score: 5, Insightful

    90 euros for XP, $130

    50 Euros for Works, $70.

    so why do we only get back around $10 for a XP turn in?

    1. Re:MS Tax by JoshJ · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because Microsoft owns a significant chunk of the American political machine, but owns very little of the European one.

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    2. Re:MS Tax by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Funny

      90 euros for XP, $130
      50 Euros for Works, $70.

      Telling Microsoft to take their software to the dumpster: Priceless.
    3. Re:MS Tax by jollyreaper · · Score: 5, Funny

      90 euros for XP, $130

      50 Euros for Works, $70. Canadian dollars, right? So in American that guy just got back $10k, right? Payday!
      --
      Kwisatz Haderach
      Sell the spice to CHOAM
      This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  3. Plenty of other (successful) attempts at this... by Aehgts · · Score: 5, Informative

    As a quick google search's first few results show: this has been done in the US and Australia in the past with at least Dell and Toshiba and has been followed on slashdot before.

    --
    "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?" - Albert Einstein
  4. Re:Work still has to be done by udippel · · Score: 5, Funny

    It went off-line long ago! It was www.wondowsrefund.net

    No winder it went off-line !