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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."
now look at the mac os tax
it has to be at the most $1500-$500 on the mac pro.
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!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
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.
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.
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.
> 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 $129.95 when purchased separately. Nor does the grocery store deliberately add the skin and pay Microsoft for the privilege.
Dont forget they earn a few dollars installing Norton, a few more for the MS Office trial version, browser toolbars and other crap-ware.
I am a free slashdotter. I will not be modded, blogged, DRM'd, patented, podcasted or RFID'd. My life is my own.
But in a consumer-activism sense, you failed. You still let Dell take your money (albeit discounted) and pay M$ 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.
Absolutely none of that explains why they can't refund you the cost of the license if you wipe the drive.