[Wylug-help] Buying laptop with no OS installed

[Richard Ibbotson]

On Thursday 09 September 2010 15:37:15 James Holden wrote:
> On Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 11:01:00AM +0100, Howard Close wrote:
> > Does anyone have any recent experience of buying a laptop without
> > the ubiquitous Windows 7 installed and hence negotiating a price
> > reduction? Do I remember a few years ago a legal challenge about
> > unfair practices in this area?
> 
> Yes there was, but I don't think it'd be worth the effort since
> some lower end laptops come with Windows 7 Starter. Microsoft
> introduced this as a response to netbooks being pre-loaded with
> Linux and the OEM license cost is peanuts.
> 
> My Dell Mini 10 came with Win7 Starter, and I don't think it'd even
> be worth the price of the stamp writing to them to ask for a
> refund.
> 
> To be totally honest, I dual booted it in the end. Whilst 99.9% of
> what I do is Linux, having a Windows install lying around does
> occasionally come in useful. Very occasionally ;-)

Just to add on to what James was saying.  My EeePC 1005HA came with 
winduhs XtraPants ShitPack3 installed.  Viruses included.  I kind of 
managed not to kick it around the room when it arrived.  I was also 
able to move across the room in a short enough space of time to 
collect the plug in DVD drive and Ubuntu CD so that I didn't start to 
punch pieces out of the wall.  I came to the conclusion that asking 
for a refund was a lot like asking the Civil Service to do something 
that was even vaguely sane about something.  Which I have never known 
them to do.

My Ubuntu netbook works fine.  Great piece of hardware and software.  
Also good with Fedora, Slackware, Sabayon, Debian and others.  Tried a 
few.  Anyone else coming over tonight ?  ....

http://www.theiet.org/local/uk/yorks/south/10-09%20evil%20on%20the%20internet.cfm


-- 
Richard
http://www.sheflug.org.uk
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