Hey Raj I went thru the link. It was quite interesting :-) We should propogate the word Paul Ashton (of Samba fame). Paul was the one who told me in January that when I purchase a laptop I should read the Microsoft Licence Agreement, and take note of the bit about a refund.
This would educate people of the MS policies. -MG > -----Original Message----- > From: Raju Mathur [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 8:36 PM > To: multiple recipients of > Subject: Re: [ilugd]: laptop without windoze > > > >>>>> "LL" == linuxlingam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > LL> On Friday 27 September 2002 01:25 pm, you wrote: > >> L, > >> > >> This is quite normal. I have never used the joystick port > >> behind any of the PCs I have owned, yet no one ever offered me > >> a discount if I took a machine without it. Their costs do not > >> go down, which is why, if you do not accept their EULA, they > >> will refund what you paid for the Windows Licence. Show them > >> the line on the Invoice that says "MS Windows XP Home - Rs > >> 7500", they will honour (perhaps). > > The first person to try this and succeed (at least on the 'net) was an > Australian who got a refund from Toshiba for Winduhs on his laptop to > the best of my knowledge. Read all about it here: > > http://www.netcraft.com.au/geoffrey/toshiba.html > > Since then there have been a slew of people returning Winduhs software > boxes unopened and getting refunds for the software from their > vendors. > > The important thing to do here is: > > 1. Do not ever boot Winduhs on the machine, not even for the first > time. If you do, you have used it and are then bound by the EULA. > Simplest thing to do is to have a Linux install CD in the drive and > the boot sequence set to CD-HDD-Diskette when you switch the machine > on for the first time. Zap Winduhs, install your favourite flavour of > Linux (or favourite 10 flavours if you're eclectic) and send me 10% of > the refund you receive from the dealer ;-) > > 2. Do not open the shrink-wrapped Winduhs box. Opening it is also > implicit acceptance of the EULA. > > It doesn't matter whether you do this right at the dealer's premises > or at home: just state that you have not booted Winduhs and return the > shrink-wrapped software box unopened, and the dealer is legally liable > to give you a refund on Winduhs. After all, it's that EULA which can > get you into jail if you don't honour it, isn't it? > > Other useful links: > > Windows Refund Center Home Page: > http://www.linuxmall.com/refund/ > > Google :) > http://www.google.com/search?q=linux%20eula%20refund%20windows > > A rather funny account of a group of people who tried to get into the > MS offices to get their refunds from them: > > http://marc.merlins.org/linux/refundday/ > > Regards, > > -- Raju > > LL> they sounded rather confused on whether they wish to even > LL> honour a refund fee. am still looking for that clear, > LL> voice-from-heaven from branded vendors, who clearly mention in > LL> their ads, or their salestalk, or to customer queries "yes, if > LL> you do not accept the eula, we will honour the refund. here's > LL> a photocopy of a check given to a customer as proof." or > LL> something similar. > > LL> if they could mention this in their ads, would be even sexier > LL> "/microsoft/piracy/howtotell.html" we also ship / refund > LL> windoze against a gnulinux installation: > LL> /gnu/piracy/gotohell.html" > > LL> so in the meantime, if ilugd guyz could ask vendors, get > LL> quotations from them, and we could compile a list of vendors > LL> who are willing to refund, or to ship boxes with gnulinux > LL> pre-installed, it would be a major service to endusers and > LL> customers. > > -- > Raju Mathur [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kandalaya.org/ It is the mind that moves ================================================ To unsubscribe, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe in subject header. Check archives at http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd%40wpaa.org ================================================ To unsubscribe, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe in subject header. Check archives at http://www.mail-archive.com/ilugd%40wpaa.org
