[Linux-aus] [Osia-discuss] If you could ask Microsoft a question...

[Daniel Mons]

squareyes wrote:
> if I could ask Microsoft a question, I already have (Not expecting an 
> answer).  That is why do they as good as call me/others a thief, when 
> after installing XP I still have to contact them to prove I have a valid 
> copy. Sorry but I find this to be insulting and offensive, and am sure 
> anywhere else would possibly be grounds to sue. I can circumvent this by 
> removing and re-installing every 29 days anyway, will give me another 29 
> days.
> Another question would be,  why is it so hard to get a refund, am at 
> present trying :-) .

This is honestly a question I would like answered by someone.

If purchasing a piece of hardware from a supplier of my choice that
comes bundled (without my consent) with Windows, and upon clicking "I
disagree" to the license agreement, the software is disabled and I am
free of my licensing costs.  Microsoft themselves have said they will
refund licenses in these cases, yet the hoops one has to jump through to
get there are ridiculous (I've tried and failed in the past with a
number of laptop manufacturers).  When will the process of returning
unwanted licenses in Australia be improved?  I have a number of OEM
licenses I don't want or use, and paying for them is inconvenient, as is
the idea of being considered a "successful sale" or "happy customer" by
Microsoft marketing when I clearly don't use their product.  Microsoft
have promised to fix this, and I'd like to know what the timeline is to
have this completed.

I'm not anti-Microsoft.  I just can't use Windows to do the tasks I need
to do in my job (it's a "right tool for the job" thing).  Why then am I
forced to pay for licenses I don't want/need/use?  Surely of the reverse
was the case (imagine if every laptop came pre-bundled with Solaris
without consumer choice), the situation would have been remedied long ago.

Is there a hard timeline to have this already promised "license return"
service completed?

-Dan