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Re: [News] Compaq: Got Virus, Buy More Software

Roy Schestowitz wrote: 

> Compaq: Buy ANOTHER os because of virus
> 
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| well appreantly this is a known fraud. the quickrestore cd
>| is a freesbie. it contains NOTHING exept a bat file that
>| intitiate an install from the hard drive!!!, they
>| advertise you get a windows xp home with your pc but they
>| dont actually give you the cd. they only preinstall it and
>| you pay for a serial. this isnt the meaning of OEM.
> `----
> 
> http://sickofmusic.com/2006/11/24/compaq-buy-another-os-beca
> use-of-virus/ 
> 
> When I bought a Compaq in 1999 I actually received the
> Quickrestore CD's _as well as_ the original Windows 98 CD.
> This may have changed since... 

AFAIK, it has changed.  No longer do you receive an original
software installation CD.  OEM licensing changed as a measure
to combat piracy. 

If you wonder why there is a lot of customer unhappiness out
there, it is because the monopoly has basically gone out of
control.  I came across this article on an incident that
occurred several years ago: 

http://www.aaxnet.com/news/M020422.html

| 22-Apr-02
| Microsoft Screws Schools
| The Redmond Giant applies "extortion marketing" to the 24
| largest school districts in Washington and Oregon. 
|
| Microsoft has given the school districts 60 days to
| inventory their huge number of computers and match them all
| to paperwork proving they have valid licenses for all
| Microsoft software. This would be impossible at the best of
| times, but Microsoft has pulled this stunt at the busiest
| time of year. 
|
| Should a school district fail to complete the audit in
| time, Microsoft will "help" by sending in their own audit
| team, but if just one computer is found non-compliant, the
| schools have to pay for the audit - and it ain't gonna be
| cheap. Given the way schools acquire computers (many are
| donated), it is absolutely certain some will be declared
| noncompliant. 
|
| But Microsoft has a solution! The district can just sign
| the Microsoft School Agreement. Just count all the
| computers and pay Microsoft $42 per computer every year.
| The Microsoft agreement says you count ALL computers that
| could conceivably ever run any Microsoft software. That
| includes Apple Macintoshes and apparently any computers
| running Linux, Unix and other non-Microsoft operating
| systems. 
|
| Meanwhile, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation makes a
| big PR stink over donating software (which costs them about
| nothing, but gets written off for millions against taxes)
| to schools. Hypocrisy rules the day. 
|
| [ Update: 04-30-02 - Microsoft has a Guide to Accepting
| Donated Comptuers which states that you cannot accept
| donations that do not include the original disks and
| certificates for Windows and all other software on them. 
|
| The guidlines imply that you cannot accept computers
| without a Windows license even if you intend to reformat
| them and put Linux on them. The implication is absurd, but
| if you've been swindled into accepting the Microsoft School
| Agreement, you can't put Windows on them (because you don't
| have the original license), but you still have to include
| them in the total count and pay for Microsoft licensing on
| them anyway. ] 

Now they appear to be going after Linux regarding software 
patent issue.

When will the insanity cease?

-- 
HPT

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