Subject: Re: Another: can't *not* buy Win95 on Dell or Gateway
Ted Kircher (kircher@realtime.com)
Date: Mon, 04 May 1998 22:13:19
Message-Id: <3.0.5.16.19980504221319.0e9f0ea6@realtime.com> Date: Mon, 04 May 1998 22:13:19 To: roundtable@cni.org From: Ted Kircher <kircher@realtime.com> Subject: Re: Another: can't *not* buy Win95 on Dell or Gateway In-Reply-To: <354E73E9.6B490FA7@cptech.org> References: <9805040940.AA29580@a.cni.org> <3.0.5.16.19980504040610.4d771082@realtime.com>
On 5/4/98, Jamie Love <love@cptech.org> wrote:
>
> Ted, you are so ready to accept outrageous market outcomes, I am a
> bit disappointed. Windows is the only product I can think of that you
> are not permitted to not buy -- even when you already have bought one
> or more licenses already. When I go to the grocery store, I can leave
> without buying a box of wheaties. Why can't I buy a PC from a
> manufacturer that I have heard of, without buying Microsoft Windows?
> Why does it seem natural to you that it would be impossible to buy a
> computer without sending a check to Microsoft? Why can't people be
> allowed to just say no thanks -- I would rather not purchase that
> product -- please. Let me keep my money -- I have better things to
> do with it. Why not? How can this be considered a choice?
Jamie, I agree with you (Larry Sharp, ..) that one should be able to
*transfer* a Windows product from one system to another - as I did in my
purchase from a 'hole in the wall' (HITW) store.
This, however, does not mean that I would expect a large system
distributor (Dell, ..) to sell systems that do not have an operating
system loaded - as per my earlier comments about guarantees - even for
HITW stores.
This raises the question about how does Microsoft know that a copy of
Windows is only being used on one system (at a time). The HITW store
did not bother (care about) checking this - albeit true for me, but I
can see that this could be problem for a Dell, ... who are optimized
for large sales.
A recommendation that should be made (via Nader?) is that Microsoft
should allow a operating system to be transferred from one system to
another by issuing 'something' that could be sent to Dell, Gateway, ...
- ala what was allowed in my HITH purchase (the id/serial number of my
Windows product). I would imagine that the large system distributors
would be in favor of this proposal since it would increase their sales.
Let me add one complicating factor - as Windows 95 probably has
upgrades. I am sure that Dell, .. would only want to install the
latest version. Hence, when Microsoft allows a transfer, it might cost
something to upgrade an operating system to the latest version.
Finally, there is always the option to go to a HITW store (not Best Buy,
.... or Dell, ...) to get a naked system. In that case, I am sure a
customer could load their operating system, and if there is a problem
(within 30 days?) in the hardware, the HITW store would probably replace
that component. In my case, by transfering my Windows product, it only
cost me $29 for the HITW store to install it, test out all of my
hardware and guaranteed those components for a year - plus it allowed me
to purchase an extended warranty (which I never buy). This created a
no-brainer decision!
Btw, I think it is unfair to compare an operating system to just another
product (ala Wheaties in the grocery store). An operation system is the
'glue' that bind today all of the hardware of a system - sort of like the
blood stream in a human compared to a limb.
PS: I know we still differ on how to 'contain' Microsoft so that it is a
good corporate citizen. I (am resigned to) accept a monopoly in the
for operating system (ala the English language) as being good for
society. In that context, adding new words (compact ways for common
phrases that become commonly used, e.g. SOHO) is accepted. What we
need to do is make recommendations to the government that allow the
operating system to expand that is fairer to competition and the
public at large. I made some in the past, but they were ignored by
those incensed with stopping Microsoft functional growth - which I
feel is (should be) good for the economy and society.
Finally, I am sorry that you are disappointed in me as I feel I am
squarely on your (and Nader's) side is trying to make Microsoft the
best possible corporate citizen. I sincerely hope our views will
eventually converge.
Ted Kircher
Information Age Consulting ("Exploiting Technology for Society")
6618 Lost Horizon Drive, Austin, TX 78759-6117, USA, 512-335-1149
<kircher@realtime.com>
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