Message-ID: <001901c2ba19$6628e4e0$0d21fea9@JamesColannino> From: "James Colannino" <email2jamez@covad.net> Subject: OEM lawsuit Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:00:39 -0600
Hey everyone. I can't remember if it was this LUG or another that I heard this topic from, but I find it targeting the wrong people and I have to speak my mind on this. In case it wasn't this LUG that I heard this from, there is a lawsuit against OEM companies from users who were charged for a windows operating system that they didn't use.
This lawsuit is targeting the wrong people. I did some research into this, and I found out that Microsoft charges OEM's (by having a right to use their software) royalties on every PC manufactured, whether it be installed with Windows or not. So, even if windows were not installed, you would have to cover the same royalty costs. This is not the OEM's fault. What would you do in their position?
You have to cover the majority userbase by using their operating system which means that this royalty is basically forced on them unwillingly by the greater evil Microsoft. So, it is Microsoft that should be targeted for the refund on the operating system, not the OEM's. My two cents.
James