Italian Consumer Watchdog Sues Microsoft Over 'Windows Tax'

An anonymous reader writes with this quote from El Reg: "[An] Italian consumer watchdog is suing Microsoft over the 'Windows Tax' – the near impossibility of an ordinary user getting a refund if they decide to delete Microsoft's software from a new computer or laptop. The class action case says Microsoft makes it too difficult for people who buy a computer with Microsoft software on it to remove that software and get their money back. Most users do not realise that starting the software means you have accepted the end user licence."

Comments

now look at the mac os tax

[Anonymous Coward]

now look at the mac os tax
it has to be at the most $1500-$500 on the mac pro.

Re:Updated TOS

[Frosty Piss]

If you don't want to pay for Windows, don't buy a machine with Windows. I haven't paid for Windows in over 10 years. I buy a new machine just about every years. But not ones that come with Windows.

Why no noise about being able to buy a Mac without whatever Macs run?

Buy Only What You Want

[T-Bone-T]

Why buy a computer with Windows when you want a computer without Windows? I buy lots of things and throw out part of it. I don't expect a refund on the skin of an onion that gets peeled and promptly thrown away.

Re:Buy Only What You Want

[grantek]

I don't expect a refund on the skin of an onion that gets peeled and promptly thrown away.

Yes, but the farmer doesn't pay a third party to add skins to their onions, thus increasing the cost of onion production. They may pay Monsanto, but without going too far off topic, that system's just as screwed up.

Re:Buy Only What You Want

[flaming error]

> Why buy a computer with Windows when you want a computer without Windows?
Why buy an onion with skin when you don't want the skin?

> I don't expect a refund on the skin of an onion that gets peeled and promptly thrown away.
The onion skin doesn't cost $129.95 when purchased separately. Nor does the grocery store deliberately add the skin and pay Microsoft for the privilege.

Re:Updated TOS

[Locke2005]

Right... just try buying a new laptop without Windows preinstalled... it seriously limits your choices! In fact, it's usually cheaper to buy a laptop on sale and throw away the Windows license than it is to buy one without Windows preinstalled!

To be fair, not a Microsoft problem

[microbee]

Microsoft makes deals with PC manufacturers, who then bundle Windows and sell to end customers. If you buy such a PC, and don't want Windows, you should talk to your manufacturer instead. Why is it an issue for Microsoft to deal with, or make it convenient for you to get a refund from your PC manufacturer? It just doesn't make sense.

So sue the manufacturer instead.

Re:To be fair, not a Microsoft problem

[grantek]

The problem is Microsoft uses bully tactics and abuse their monopoly to bend the manufacturers to their will. MOST people who buy laptops want or don't mind using Windows on them, so to be competitive in the laptop market you have to have a good price on your laptop+windows bundle, and if you want a good deal on Windows, Microsoft's exclusivity agreements then stop you from offering any other alternative.

The legal challengers are trying to say that a laptop as a piece of hardware is separate enough from Windows that you shouldn't be allowed to force it on people.

starting the software means...

[hAckz0r]

...you have accepted the end user licence

Funny, I thought that is what liveCD's and OS installation software was for?

Actually, I got so $%&&%$## off a year ago when I bought my last (as in never again) Dell and I was forced to purchase a 64 bit copy of Windoze just to get the amount of memory I wanted. Even though they knew I was going to wipe whatever they put on the disk drive as soon as it arrived I still had to pay the ransom/extortion fee. I never looked back. My next machine was an HP with twice the memory and a blank disk drive. Speak with your wallet, as that is the only language they truly understand.

Re:Updated TOS

[sjames]

It doesn't make laptops cheaper, it just makes inexpensive laptops a bit less inexpensive. The fact that buying a bare laptop is more expensive is a nasty side-effect of MS's licensing arrangements with OEMs. That, in turn, is why people are getting fed up with the Windows tax.

Re:Updated TOS

[click2005]

Dont forget they earn a few dollars installing Norton, a few more for the MS Office trial version, browser toolbars and other crap-ware.

Re:Just argue for a discount...

[joocemann]

But in a consumer-activism sense, you failed. You still let Dell take your money (albeit discounted) and pay M$ for the OS. M$ still got paid, and while it was indirect, you voted for more M$ with your dollars.

To some people this matters... Maybe not you, which is totally fine.

Re:The geek returns to Never-Never Land.

[sjames]

Absolutely none of that explains why they can't refund you the cost of the license if you wipe the drive.

Re:Updated TOS

[hairyfeet]

Total bull. That was true a decade ago but thanks to the Internet ANYBODY can buy ANY kind of machine, desktop, laptop, netbook, server, and do so without Windows. Not only does Dell offer Ubuntu machines now but there are plenty of specialty retailers like System 76 that are more than happy to have your business.

To me this "Windows tax" crap smells like trying to eat your cake and have it too. These people want the lower prices that comes with bundling trialware but then want to just go "my bad" and get money back ON TOP of the lower prices they don't qualify for well sorry friend, it shouldn't work that way. Just as you can't buy basic cable and then demand they remove the ads or give you money back for the channels you don't want, so too should you not get the lower price that comes with trialware if you refuse to take the OS the trialware requires.

I bet these that scream "Windows tax!" would STFU if the OEMs said "Well we only pay $15 for Windows in bulk, but that trialware we install nets us $75. So you actually owe us $60 for the difference. Shall we just use your CC that we have on file?"