Apple, Microsoft, or Linux?

[Beachchairs]

2. OS Tax? If anything MS gives money to vendors for NOT supplying alternative OS's

Dell (I don't know about the others) is charged $20 to install Windows on a PC buy MS. This is what they give for a refund when you reject the EULA of Windows, with the official reason being its what you actually pay for Windows. Dell makes more than $20 installing all the useless bloatware that comes with every Dell.

Since that is phenomenally less than what they sell it for, I'll classify that as giving money. If it doesn't cost dell $199.95 USD just to have the software per machine, they are giving them money.

Though, to be more honest... $20.00 sounds like a much more reasonable price for Windows than what they do charge for it... I mean, Red Hat Enterprise Desktop would only cost me $80.00, and at least with that I get 1 year of unlimited support... If I run out and buy Vista Home Premium, it'll cost me about $260 USD, and that includes nothing which I would classify as "support"...

Check your facts.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6832116485
I'm pretty sure theres a way to get a legal copy of Business for $32, and of course you could always pirate it :/

That is also an OEM version of Windows. If you look at the spec tab on the right side, it says it is for sale with the purchase of a new system, and support is provided by the OEM and not Microsoft.

[Hairless Kitten II]

2. OS Tax? If anything MS gives money to vendors for NOT supplying alternative OS's

Dell (I don't know about the others) is charged $20 to install Windows on a PC buy MS. This is what they give for a refund when you reject the EULA of Windows, with the official reason being its what you actually pay for Windows. Dell makes more than $20 installing all the useless bloatware that comes with every Dell.

Since that is phenomenally less than what they sell it for, I'll classify that as giving money. If it doesn't cost dell $199.95 USD just to have the software per machine, they are giving them money.

Though, to be more honest... $20.00 sounds like a much more reasonable price for Windows than what they do charge for it... I mean, Red Hat Enterprise Desktop would only cost me $80.00, and at least with that I get 1 year of unlimited support... If I run out and buy Vista Home Premium, it'll cost me about $260 USD, and that includes nothing which I would classify as "support"...

Check your facts.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6832116485
I'm pretty sure theres a way to get a legal copy of Business for $32, and of course you could always pirate it :/

That is also an OEM version of Windows. If you look at the spec tab on the right side, it says it is for sale with the purchase of a new system, and support is provided by the OEM and not Microsoft.

Every computer shop in my town sells OEM's without the PC. Maybe MS can say it's not allowed, the law tells different. Tying is in many countries (like in Belgium) forbidden. And the shopkeepers defend their action by stating that not all their PC's are sold with an OEM Windows. Many machines are blank, mostly due the client already have a license or want to install another OS. So the shopkeepers have some 'spare' OEM's on the shelves.

How will MS check if their OEM is sold together with a PC anyway? They can do a lot, but not this.

[NotnotgnimmiJymmiJ]

2. OS Tax? If anything MS gives money to vendors for NOT supplying alternative OS's

Dell (I don't know about the others) is charged $20 to install Windows on a PC buy MS. This is what they give for a refund when you reject the EULA of Windows, with the official reason being its what you actually pay for Windows. Dell makes more than $20 installing all the useless bloatware that comes with every Dell.

Since that is phenomenally less than what they sell it for, I'll classify that as giving money. If it doesn't cost dell $199.95 USD just to have the software per machine, they are giving them money.

Though, to be more honest... $20.00 sounds like a much more reasonable price for Windows than what they do charge for it... I mean, Red Hat Enterprise Desktop would only cost me $80.00, and at least with that I get 1 year of unlimited support... If I run out and buy Vista Home Premium, it'll cost me about $260 USD, and that includes nothing which I would classify as "support"...

Check your facts.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6832116485
I'm pretty sure theres a way to get a legal copy of Business for $32, and of course you could always pirate it :/

That is also an OEM version of Windows. If you look at the spec tab on the right side, it says it is for sale with the purchase of a new system, and support is provided by the OEM and not Microsoft.

That's correct, it comes without tech support, but you don't actually need to purchase a new system to buy the OEM copy. Tekania said himself that Microsoft tech support was useless, so it can't possibly be worth the extra $125 (not $160) for the retail copy.

[Hairless Kitten II]

And there are other 'solutions' to get cheap MS stuff:

Student versions. Maybe you are not a school, university or college anymore but I'm sure you know somebody. I know a student who's making money with this little gap (he told me that he sold over 1000 copies). The supplier of the student version demand proof that you are a student, but they don't mind if you order n copies.

I paid my Windows and not an OEM, 40 Euro and my MS Office 45 Euro.

[NotnotgnimmiJymmiJ]

http://www.ieee.org/web/membership/stud ... dents.html

[Hairless Kitten II]

http://www.ieee.org/web/membership/students/branchresources/microsoftofferstudents.html

Belgians can use this site:

http://www.digikids.be/dk_NL/index.html

Vista Business + Office Enterprise 2007: 109,90 Euro! :)

[NotnotgnimmiJymmiJ]

http://www.microsoft.com/student/discou ... fault.aspx