Tuesday, November 28, 2000

M$: Naked PCs = Illegal? -- 11:05 am CST, Update by A.T. Hun

The Register managed to save some pages on the Microsoft website before they were (coincidentally, no doubt) removed as their court case is heating up again. Basically it was a thinly veiled threat against PC manufacturers selling "naked" (with no operating system) PCs to customers. This passage troubles me no end, but sadly doesn't surprise me:

Warn customers that acquiring the PC "naked" and subsequently pirating the software is never a good option. Explain the risks: technical troubles, upgrade problems, viruses and the law. Politely decline to expose your buyers or their businesses to such troubles.

Point out the benefits of a legally licensed, preinstalled operating system. Customers have the original CD so they can reload the software. They also have a manual for everyday troubleshooting, and a Certificate of Authenticity that proves the software is legal. In short, protect your customer and your good name. Sell your PCs fully equipped with legally licensed operating systems preinstalled. Otherwise, who knows what you're leaving your customers - and yourself - open to?

So basically, if your customer wants to buy a computer without an OS, they are automatically going to pirate M$'s OS. They wouldn't run Linux or anything, would they? The last paragraph includes a blatant lie because most OEMs don't give out CDs due to M$'s "restructuring" of the way their OEM OSs are distributed (once again, because you are all a bunch of pirates). The threat at the end is particularly disturbing. Aren't they basically hinting that selling PCs naked could result in M$ suing them? Thanks Linux Today.

News for 11/28/2000

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