3 ms·

Linux.com: How to get a Windows tax refund

23 points by brk 17y ago

TallGuyShort 17y ago
>> "You can't return the operating system because the computer can't work without it." That is a very annoying misconception. I tried Windows Vista, and in attempt to be fair and be sure I gave it a fair chance, I even called support to see if there was a way around the things that annoyed me. When it became clear that instead of helping me fix the problem they wanted to explain that I didn't want what I thought I wanted, I said, "if there really is now way around this, I just won't use Windows". And the response was basically, "you can't run a computer without Windows!" It's sad that the employees answering the phone don't even realize they have competitors. If more users realized there was an alternative, MS would certainly have to try harder to make a decent prdocut.
- herval 17y ago
  I guess they know they have a competitor. Which doesn't allow their OS to be installed on any hardware without a bitten apple on it...
  - Retric 17y ago
    Desktop Linux is still a competitor that you can instill on windows HW.
    - herval 17y ago
      Given the market share, I'd say Linux is as much as a competitor as OS/2, right now...
      - herval 17y ago
        looks like Linux fanboys hate to know the truth - that all desktop Linux distros combine eat up less than 4% of the market! Or am I missing something here? Please enlighten me before downvoting, thanks!
        Retric 17y ago
        In most open markets 4% is a fairly large market share. Depending on where you define the edges of PC market, windows has a 70 - 90% of the market share, but it's far from the only game in town. Windows market share is also steady shrinking and has been for several years. However, OS/2 is such a tiny fraction that it's hard to estimate accurately. So comparing Linux to OS/2 is vary trollish behavior. PS: Windows market share is being consumed both at the high and low end. As an investor that's a major reason to become concerned and has nothing to do with being a fain boy. Companies that simply ignore their competition tend to be eaten over time. Feel free to look at other sectors of the computer market over time to see how fast this transition can happen.
        parenthesis 17y ago
        And, of course, the PC market is so enormous, that 4% means millions of machines.
        TallGuyShort 17y ago
        Another thing we often forget to consider is that for Linux to remain as powerful as it is, it really can't be popular. Before most people would start using it, it needs to be a lot simpler and a lot stabler. That's a hard thing to achieve without sacrificing some of the freedom it currently gives an experienced user.
mitjak 17y ago
I don't know if I'll want to get a Windows refund but it sure is a great guide to dealing with phone reps.
pavel_lishin 17y ago
> Getting your Windows refund may take several hours of work, after which you'll get a small amount of money. I'd rather spend the time working and get a larger amount of money.

23 points by brk 17y ago

>> "You can't return the operating system because the computer can't work without it." That is a very annoying misconception. I tried Windows Vista, and in attempt to be fair and be sure I gave it a fair chance, I even called support to see if there was a way around the things that annoyed me. When it became clear that instead of helping me fix the problem they wanted to explain that I didn't want what I thought I wanted, I said, "if there really is now way around this, I just won't use Windows". And the response was basically, "you can't run a computer without Windows!" It's sad that the employees answering the phone don't even realize they have competitors. If more users realized there was an alternative, MS would certainly have to try harder to make a decent prdocut.

herval 17y ago
I guess they know they have a competitor. Which doesn't allow their OS to be installed on any hardware without a bitten apple on it...
- Retric 17y ago
  Desktop Linux is still a competitor that you can instill on windows HW.
  - herval 17y ago
    Given the market share, I'd say Linux is as much as a competitor as OS/2, right now...
    - herval 17y ago
      looks like Linux fanboys hate to know the truth - that all desktop Linux distros combine eat up less than 4% of the market! Or am I missing something here? Please enlighten me before downvoting, thanks!
      - Retric 17y ago
        In most open markets 4% is a fairly large market share. Depending on where you define the edges of PC market, windows has a 70 - 90% of the market share, but it's far from the only game in town. Windows market share is also steady shrinking and has been for several years. However, OS/2 is such a tiny fraction that it's hard to estimate accurately. So comparing Linux to OS/2 is vary trollish behavior. PS: Windows market share is being consumed both at the high and low end. As an investor that's a major reason to become concerned and has nothing to do with being a fain boy. Companies that simply ignore their competition tend to be eaten over time. Feel free to look at other sectors of the computer market over time to see how fast this transition can happen.
        parenthesis 17y ago
        And, of course, the PC market is so enormous, that 4% means millions of machines.
      - TallGuyShort 17y ago
        Another thing we often forget to consider is that for Linux to remain as powerful as it is, it really can't be popular. Before most people would start using it, it needs to be a lot simpler and a lot stabler. That's a hard thing to achieve without sacrificing some of the freedom it currently gives an experienced user.

mitjak 17y ago

I don't know if I'll want to get a Windows refund but it sure is a great guide to dealing with phone reps.

pavel_lishin 17y ago

> Getting your Windows refund may take several hours of work, after which you'll get a small amount of money. I'd rather spend the time working and get a larger amount of money.