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Lenovo Announces ThinkPads Preloaded With XP
BBCWatcher writes "Lenovo just announced new ThinkPad T61 models preloaded with Microsoft Windows XP. Ironically they're called ThinkPad T61 'TopSeller' models. Lenovo says they're aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. The XP TopSellers are available immediately, and the part numbers are 6465-03U, 7658-04U, and 7664-06U (PDF links). "Lenovo recommends Windows Vista Business"? Not so much."
I wish legislators would just get off their ass and prohibit Microsoft from charging different prices for the stand-alone OS and the OEM versions. Sure, if Microsoft were playing nice they should have the privilege to set prices as they see fit. Problem is that they haven't been playing nice, rather they have used their OEM discounts and other bribes ( yeas that is what they are ) to force suppliers into installing Windows on every machine.
The consequences should be obvious, if they abuse their privilege to set different prices for different customers, then they should lose that privilege, end of story. You don't even have to force the vendors to unbundle windows, if there is a demand for machines without Windows it will sort itself out once you stop Microsoft from preventing it. Simply put, if they can make a profit selling the OS to OEMs for X then they are abusing their monopoly if they demand 2X from regular customers.