BW )(: Institute advises EU to forbid windows pre-instaled on PC's

[Andy Gale]

On 9/24/07, Steve Woods <woodsy at bristolwireless.net> wrote:

> You're obviously completely unaware of the price differential: OEM Windows Vista
> Home £17 (as refunded by Dell to Bristol Wireless), Windows Vista Home retail
> version £180 (today's price PC World).
>
> I think the Office of Fair Trading might just be interested in such sharp
> business practice...

I understand why you feel strongly about this and I agree something
should be done about Microsoft's domination. If there is a plausible
alternative. I'm not "completely unaware" of the price differential.
Support + packing + discs + shipping + retail costs + retail markup is
greatly different from bulk selling a bucket load of OEM license key
and stickers to Dell.

It's fair to think that they could justify an amount of the cost
difference in most of the things I've listed above. At the end of the
day, the large majority of people who buy computers are going to want
Windows on there when they buy it and if it's not there, whether it's
£17 or £180 more, it's still a huge pain in the ass.

I think the manufacturers of PCs should be forced to give the option
of Windows or something else pre-installed. Not including an operating
system when the computer is purchased in not the solution.

In my opinion it's like selling a car without an engine. Just to spite
Microsoft, at the cost of every consumer in Europe. It's not worth it.

-- 
Andy Gale

Print this email out and keep it somewhere safe. Your great
grandchildren will thank you one day.

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