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Italian Consumer Watchdog Sues Microsoft Over 'Windows Tax'

Posted by Soulskill on from the get-out-of-arrears dept.

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."

5 of 313 comments (clear)

  1. Updated TOS by SilverHatHacker · · Score: 5, Informative

    I recently bought a Sony VAIO laptop. I was somewhat surprised to see that Windows 7's license agreement now says "contact the manufacturer and find out their refund policy" rather than "contact the manufacturer for a refund". Not only that, underneath it was a separate agreement from Sony which said, in a nutshell, that it was all or nothing. Looks like somebody got tired of actually having to keep their promises to us nerds.

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    Funny may not give karma, but +5 Informative never made anyone snort coffee out their nose.
    1. Re:Updated TOS by sjames · · Score: 5, Insightful

      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.

  2. Re:Buy Only What You Want by grantek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

  3. Re:Good luck with that... by Farmer+Tim · · Score: 5, Funny

    Way to go ADUC.
    They might not get very far, but I will cheer them on.

    Well, if it walks like ADUC...

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    Blank until /. makes another boneheaded UI decision.
  4. Re:The geek returns to Never-Never Land. by sjames · · Score: 5, Insightful

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