“Our way or you won’t matter”
As many people know, I loathe microsoft windows. I hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it! So, of course, in my search for a notebook computer (my first, it would have been) I would ask manufacturers if I could get my system without the /root/ of all evil, M$ Whine-Dows XP. Dell said no, and terminated the online chat right then and there. So I figured “allright… if this is how they want to treat a potential customer…” and closed the tab in Konqueror.
Next up: Gateway.
I started the online chat, and was connected with “Gem”. Gem was extremely nice and wanted to answer my questions. Direct from the Javascript window, here’s the transcript:
02 Mar 2006 09:23:22 PM Jim logged in.
02 Mar 2006 09:23:32 PM Connected to the server via Web Chat
02 Mar 2006 09:23:32 PM Jim has been assigned to the Consumer Sales queue.
02 Mar 2006 09:23:34 PM Jim was added to the incident named Jim by Gem
02 Mar 2006 09:23:34 PM Gem created an incident named Jim.
02 Mar 2006 09:23:55 PM Gem says: Hi Jim, thank you for choosing Gateway.com. My name is Gem and I will be your eSales advisor today. My direct email address is gem.holland@gateway.com. May I get your first and last name, as well as your phone number?
02 Mar 2006 09:24:54 PM Jim says: Jim —–
02 Mar 2006 09:25:47 PM Gem says: Great! How can I help you?
02 Mar 2006 09:25:49 PM Gem says: And just in case we get disconnected, my number is 800-846-2042
02 Mar 2006 09:26:08 PM Jim says: ok
02 Mar 2006 09:27:18 PM Jim says: I’ve been looking at laptops recently, and I think I like the NX200X, but I have 1 question… Can I get it without Windows installed?
02 Mar 2006 09:27:54 PM Gem says: sorry no
02 Mar 2006 09:28:20 PM Jim says: ok, thanks anyway.
02 Mar 2006 09:29:12 PM Jim says: This isnt the first Time Iv’e gotten this answer from a manufacturer… can you not sell systems without windows because of somesort of clause in your OEM agreement with Microsoft?
02 Mar 2006 09:30:56 PM Gem says: yes
02 Mar 2006 09:32:57 PM Jim says: ok… thanks very much… I think I’ll make a call to the Better Buisness Beureu and file a complaint against microsoft. Anti-competition, etc.
02 Mar 2006 09:34:19 PM Gem says: ok
02 Mar 2006 09:34:29 PM Gem says: sorry I couldn’t be more help
02 Mar 2006 09:34:31 PM Jim says: I’ll receive a copy of this transcript in Email form, correct?
02 Mar 2006 09:34:31 PM Gem says: Thank you for chatting with Gateway and have a great day!
02 Mar 2006 09:34:42 PM Jim says: thanks, you too!
02 Mar 2006 09:34:56 PM Execution of Chat complete.
02 Mar 2006 09:34:56 PM Jim left the incident named Jim.
02 Mar 2006 09:34:57 PM Jim logged out.
I never received the E-mail form, but that’s ok.
This sounds like antitrust material to me, and so I release this confession, straight from the OEM’s mouth, to the blogosphere.
Whine, complain, send black faxes of doom, etc., and we might just see Dell offering a $299 PC with Ubuntu on it someday.
-jX
PS. If you Look at “XP” and Turn your head 90 degrees, it sorta looks like the face you make when your computer crashes at the most inconvenient time.
PPS. I don’t condone Black faxes of Doom.
PPPS. However fun they are.
PPPPS. I’m waiting for confirmation form HP.
UPDATE: “Jim , I understand you want to purchase a notebook without an operating system. I am sorry but all of our systems come with Windows operating system due to a licensing agreement.” -HP