
Linux.com: How to get a Windows tax refund - brk
http://www.linux.com/archive/articles/59381
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TallGuyShort
>> "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.

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herval
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...

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Retric
Desktop Linux is still a competitor that you can instill on windows HW.

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herval
Given the market share, I'd say Linux is as much as a competitor as OS/2,
right now...

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herval
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!

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Retric
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
And, of course, the PC market is so enormous, that 4% means millions of
machines.

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pavel_lishin
> 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.

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mitjak
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.

