[Wiltshire] Wiltshire Digest, Vol 97, Issue 4 (swindon meetings).

[Simon Fryer]

On 11/01/2011, Andrew Meredith <andrew at anvil.org> wrote:
> On 10/01/11 21:43, Simon Fryer wrote:
>> In an ideal world. However the options for no OS are not easy to find
>> unless you build it yourself - a little difficult with a laptop!
>
> Sorry, no, that's not what I mean.
>
> I am talking about buying a machine with Windows pre-installed, stating
> that you have never used it, removing it, sending back the docs and
> claiming the Bill tax back again. I had understood that this was now an
> established way of working that they were obliged to honour by giving
> you a refund for part of the cost.

Again, in an ideal world. There was some discussion about this, back
in 2006 or so. Maybe before, maybe after. I forget. Either way, I
haven't seen anywhere for an MS cashback if you haven't used the
installed copy of Windows. I sit on a number of lists where, if
returning MS licences was easy, it would be a common discussion topic.

A quick web search resulting in:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_refund
seemed to indicate that it is possible, not easy and it depends which
manufacturer you go with.

Which brings us back to the first point... The easyest way to not pay
the Windows tax is probably to build the box yourself... Which is
difficult if you need a laptop.

Of course, if we could get enough people to make enough fuss to obtain
a refund it would probably make the computer manufacturers job
worthwhile to make the process easier.

Simon

-- 
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"Well, an engineer is not concerned with the truth; that is left to
philosophers and theologians: the prime concern of an engineer is
the utility of the final product."
Lectures on the Electrical Properties of Materials, L.Solymar, D.Walsh