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Windows Refund Day (1999)

marc.merlins.org

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Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#101

Post by rbanffy »

zeruch wrote: post #33
filmgirlcw wrote: post #24

I’m going to get downvoted into oblivion for this, but as a teenager who remembers when this happened, this always struck me as the absolute dumbest idea and the most useless of performative actions. First, it was sponsored by a VC-backed company (that had hired a documentary crew to capture their success, the ill-fated VA Linux Systems (which eventually became known as Geeknet) and the pretty poor propaganda documen…

You won't get downvoted, but you make a few factually questionable statements (disclosure: I worked at VA from 1998 to 2002): 1. VA didn't sponsor the event, but a chunk of the staff of the company's Sunnyvale HQ attended (and most of us were in the LUGs). VA didn't have any need at that stage to boost the IPO, as the fever was already brewing for companies like VA and Red Hat (both IPO'd that year, RH in August and…

> VA didn't hire a camera crew either, but a friend of one of the executive staff (Jon Hall) wanted to do a story about Open Source

Jon "Maddog" Hall is an awesome guy, BTW. He used to be a constant presence at the Brazilian Free Software Forum (FISL). He's now the board chair of the LPI.

Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#103

Post by gambiting »

tinus_hn wrote: post #98
gambiting wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Retailers in EU(and EEA and UK) have to take the product back if you don't agree with the licence, the problem is that this is not what customers usually want. People want to buy a laptop, disagree with the licence, and get money back just for the licence. Instead retailers will(or should) offer you a refund for the entire device, which is not what most people want.

I’d like to buy a phone and then get a refund for the screen, microphone, camera, battery, speakers, case, antennas and the modem. And the software too please. Of course this only worked because Microsoft put this in the license and they have taken it out long ago. You can’t return Windows for a refund anymore.

No, you can't return it, but at least in EU you are 100% allowed to take that licence and sell it on, no matter what the EULA says.

Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#104

Post by trynton »

scruffyherder wrote: post #87
filmgirlcw wrote: post #24

I’m going to get downvoted into oblivion for this, but as a teenager who remembers when this happened, this always struck me as the absolute dumbest idea and the most useless of performative actions. First, it was sponsored by a VC-backed company (that had hired a documentary crew to capture their success, the ill-fated VA Linux Systems (which eventually became known as Geeknet) and the pretty poor propaganda documen…

I had friends do the mail in but, I didn’t care as I used windows under OS/2.. I tried really hard to go full Linux before but compiling all the dependencies of everything got so old quick. Sadly nothing has changed there.

@scruffyherder: "I had friends do the mail in but, I didn’t care as I used windows under OS/2.. I tried really hard to go full Linux before but compiling all the dependencies of everything got so old quick. Sadly nothing has changed there."

:] you're a really funny guy :]

Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#105

Post by trynton »

srazzaque wrote: post #94
npteljes wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A second Linux installation would do the same for you. The insurance is less Windows, and more having redundancy. Especially true if the situation is time critical - a default Linux installation won't stall you with a mandatory update.

For some things yes, but not for all things. I can think of 2: For a remote interview that I had a while back over Cisco WebEx, when things didn't work on my Fedora machine immediately, I'm glad I had my wife's XPS13 with Windows as stand by. Zero time wasted, worked immediately. If that didnt work, it would have been a phone call. I really wouldn't have wanted to muck around with some other distro at that point in t…

@srazzaque: "For those situations where someone emails me an Excel or Word file that they would like my edits in, and I'm simply not in the position to extoll the virtues of open formats or coach them in Markdown or LaTeX, I have a Windows VM and office."

Why not get them to install LibreOffice and sent you the spreadsheet in the native format?

https://www.libreoffice.org/

Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#106

Post by anthony_r »

I tried doing that sometime in mid or maybe late 2000's. The manufacturer said I'd have to return the hard disk (on which the system was technically installed, on some shadow partition) and pay for the replacement cost of the disk with an amount that's surprisingly close to the cost of the license that would be returned to me (netting me ~0). Being a teenager I just stopped there.

Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#107

Post by anthony_r »

filmgirlcw wrote: post #24

I’m going to get downvoted into oblivion for this, but as a teenager who remembers when this happened, this always struck me as the absolute dumbest idea and the most useless of performative actions. First, it was sponsored by a VC-backed company (that had hired a documentary crew to capture their success, the ill-fated VA Linux Systems (which eventually became known as Geeknet) and the pretty poor propaganda documen…

VA Linux is one of those prime examples of stock market mania. Close behind in terms of scale and similar in terms of philosophy/narrative (of the good small man sticking it to the evil big machine) to what we saw recently with GameStop. It is even a featured example in recent editions of The Intelligent Investor.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#109

Post by dominicjj »

filmgirlcw wrote: post #24

I’m going to get downvoted into oblivion for this, but as a teenager who remembers when this happened, this always struck me as the absolute dumbest idea and the most useless of performative actions. First, it was sponsored by a VC-backed company (that had hired a documentary crew to capture their success, the ill-fated VA Linux Systems (which eventually became known as Geeknet) and the pretty poor propaganda documen…

The event itself was whimsical, fun and shone a large spotlight on the hypocrisy of your former employer. The license agreement was clear: if you did not agree to the terms of the Windows license, you could return the software for a full refund. This was at a time where Microsoft reigned supreme in the business world and enforced the terms of its license strictly. In my country, it caused the local office a lot of embarrassment when they were forced to admit that they had no way of coping with the entirely reasonable request of someone who didn't want to pay the Windows tax.

Re: Windows Refund Day (1999)

#110

Post by fest »

npteljes wrote: post #90
Animats wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is nigh impossible to purchase computers and connect to the internet without the presence of middlemen and pre-made selections. Who are you buying from? I get computers from Central Computer, which has five stores in Silicon Valley. They charge $30 extra to install Windows 10, $64 for Windows 10 Pro, and $0 for Linux.

This would be logical, but due to some business practices, Windows bundles often costed less than the alternatives. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundling_of_Microsoft_Windows#...

I wouldn't be surprised that OEMs are actually net positive on Windows and all the trials of antiviruses and games they're bundling with PCs.
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