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Lenovo Requires NDA For Windows License Refund

tykev writes "A customer wanted to return the license for preinstalled Windows Vista Business that came with his Lenovo laptop. After some lengthy negotiations with representatives of Lenovo's technical support and management, he was offered financial compensation for returning the license in the amount of CZK 1950 (USD 130, EUR 78), pending his acceptance of a non-disclosure agreement that would cover the entire negotiations with the company and its results. He declined and published his experiences on a Czech Linux website. The website editors decided to reward the customer for publishing the article by paying him an author's royalty in the same amount as was the offered compensation for returning the license."

20 of 321 comments (clear)

  1. Vista is pants by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Vista is pants

    1. Re:Vista is pants by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      no it's not

    2. Re:Vista is pants by Millennium · · Score: 5, Funny

      Linux is better

      (This post is a violation of your bank's terms of service. Please choose another post instead.)

  2. I read that as "DNA"... by HetMes · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...which didn't even seem that implausible at the time.

    1. Re:I read that as "DNA"... by Enki+X · · Score: 5, Funny

      National Dyslexics Association?

      --
      On second thought, let's not go to the internet. 'Tis a silly place.
    2. Re:I read that as "DNA"... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, that's ADN.

      I know because I'm a member...

  3. Consise and entertaining by Timesprout · · Score: 5, Funny

    I especially liked this bit

    Sleny operátorky na lince Lenovo byly velice milé. Po vyslechnutí mého poadavku m chtly odmítnout, ale poté, co jsem odcitoval píslunou ást licence, si vyádaly pár dní na zjitní aktuálního stavu od vedení firmy. Tím jsem se viditeln dostal o úrove vý, nebo nyní následovalo kolo telefonních rozhovor.

    I dont know what it means but I like it. I think.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
    1. Re:Consise and entertaining by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      "The operator girls on the Lenovo phone line were very nice. After hearing my request they wanted to reject, but after I cited them the respective part of the licence, they asked for few days to find out the current state from the company management. Obviously I got with that one level higher, as next round of phone talks started"

  4. Re:He's from the Czech by everphilski · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is it wise to be Russian into these kinds of jokes in this political environment?

  5. Stupid Lenovo... by bennomatic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...Everyone knows you make them sign the agreement *before* making an offer!

    --
    The CB App. What's your 20?
  6. Re:He's from the Czech by Dunbal · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah I think it's NATO good idea. Ukraine never know where it will stop.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  7. Right Now, In the U.S. Vista Cost You $349 by mpapet · · Score: 5, Informative

    Before anyone goes blathering on about "ufair" this and "innacurate" that, follow my test.

    1. Visit Dell.com on two different browser tabs.
    2. Tab #1 starts here.http://www.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/linux_3x?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
    3. Tab #2 starts here. http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1330?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19
    4. Configure the Vista product with the ultimate version. That is roughly feature equivalent to Ubuntu.
    5. Pay attention to the hardware options because the Linux product has fewer and generally more storage/RAM.
    6. At the end, you should have a spread of about $349.

    So, Vista costs the consumer $349 OEM through the consumer URL.

    --
    http://www.maxineudall.com/2010/02/should-economists-be-sued-for-malpractice.html
  8. Big deal by Bogtha · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The website editors decided to reward the customer for publishing the article by paying him an author's royalty in the same amount as was the offered compensation for returning the license.

    Meanwhile, Microsoft still got paid for a product that was completely unwanted and unused. This is a great example of the Microsoft Tax in action. Even when their new operating system is a disaster and people refuse to use it, they still get paid, purely on the basis of their market position. This is the kind of reason why Microsoft should be subject to antitrust laws. Normal market forces just don't apply to them.

    --
    Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
  9. Re:He's from the Czech by Warll · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don`t like the Sweden stuff myself, when I`m Hungary I just go for some Chile.

  10. Re:He's from the Czech by hexapodium · · Score: 5, Funny

    Uzbekistanding it would certainly become a chore.

    Yeah, it's dead.

  11. Czech? by Sporkinum · · Score: 5, Funny

    The website editors decided to reward the customer for publishing the article by paying him an author's royalty in the same amount as was the offered compensation for returning the license."

    Lenovo tried to cancel the Czech. Did the editors pay the Czech with a check? I guess I should TRFM and Czech it out.

    --
    "He's lost in a 'floyd hole"
  12. Re:The only english story on the site by LubosD · · Score: 5, Informative

    The article was published in English, because it was found interesting for people outside the Czech Republic. We have published several other articles in English so far, typically interviews, but it's always an exception.

  13. Re:He's from the Czech by Bemopolis · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well of course Lenovo didn't have to refund the license money — everyone knows that WIndows Vista doesn't require sending Czech sums.

    Nor, might I add, would they Dane to send such a refund to Northern Europe. Not a single Finn. As for Southern Europe, I would expect they would be Balkan at every request. Even in their own part of the globe I think Lenovo would claim that their hands are Thai'd. And do so Lao'd and clear.

    The only people with any hope at all for satisfaction live in the Hellenic Republic. Their palms are always Greece'd.

    --
    "I guess the moral of the story is, don't paint your airship with rocket fuel." -- Addison Bain
  14. Quick overview for speed readers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man buys a laptop from Leno.

    Laptop comes with Windows Viagra.

    Man insists he doesn't need Viagra, insists on money back.

    Chinese authorities confused as to how a man can perform without it, ask for a copy of his DNA.

    The Chinese insist that the man keep quiet:
    Bootleg copy of Windows (the screen of death is red).
    Laptop also contains birth records of the Chinese gymnastic team.
    (OK, I admit, I made this part up, but it makes the story better.)

    Man publishes his story on web.

    Profit!

  15. Re:Vista is pants Is this in reference to Lloyds? by davidsyes · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7585098.stm

    "A man who chose "Lloyds is pants" as his telephone banking password said he found it had been changed by a member of staff to "no it's not"."

    ""But what really incensed me was when I was told I could not change it back to 'Lloyds is pants' because they said it was not appropriate.

    "I asked if it was 'pants' they didn't like, and would 'Lloyds is rubbish' do? But they didn't think so.

    "So I tried 'Barclays is better' and that didn't go down too well either.

    "The rules seemed to change, and they told me it had to be one word, so I tried 'censorship', but they didn't like that, and then said it had to be no more than six letters long." "

    ----

    So, this is my position/question:

    Why the HELL was a low-level functionary employee able to "see" the true password of a customer? The frackin password should have been a reduced or hashed form so that even if an IT person can copy and paste it in a local system, they could not know the contents and be able to type it in at a point of sales station or an ATM, or on any sites that reject copy-paste-in passwords...

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"