You have to accept

[Akasa]

This happened while I was doing OEM support.

We had a guy call in with his brand new computer, but he had a problem.
He didn't want to accept the Windows EULA. In fact he hit decline, or no, or what ever it was for 98, and the computer of course didn't work for him.
So he called us and I got him.(Of course)
The conversation half an hour.
It was round and round with:
"I don't like Microsoft I don't accept the EULA!"
"Then you can't use Windows"
"But I paid for it I should be able to use it!"
"You have to accept Windows' EULA to use Windows. Other wise it won't work."
"But I don't want to accept!"

Eventually I just told him there was nothing else we could do for him if he refused to accept the EULA he may as well take the computer back as he couldn't use it.
(No I was not going to suggest somethign like Linux. Could you imagine the "but you told me to get it so you should support it!" issues?)

[Pedersen]

Heh. Here's more fun tidbits for you from that:

If he didn't like it, and didn't accept, and wiped Windows from him system, he could have legally demanded a refund of the purchase price of Windows. Says so right in the EULA. Plenty of people have done so.

There is also a legal school of thought which says that, even if he doesn't accept the license, he did pay for it, and therefore is entitled to use it. Not sure I agree with it, personally, but thought I'd mention that it does exist. Obviously, this guy was not aware of it, though.

But, if ever you find yourself doing OEM support in future, you could well wind up running across people who subscribe to one or both of those lines of thought. Buckle up for that joyride.

[prb]

Windows Refund Day. Look it up.

[DarkCSR]

Me being the VINDICTIVE Jerk that I am...

I would have told him that we are installing Linux... as command line only. When you've learned to appreciate the GUI... then you can have it.

[Gurndigarn]

Windows Refund Day. Look it up.

I wonder what would have happened if they had just tried a class-action lawsuit, instead.

[LionMan]

I wonder what would have happened if they had just tried a class-action lawsuit, instead.

Just like any other class action suit - Lawyers get paid a ton of money and everybody else gets a coupon for $5 off Windows Vista.

[Broomjockey]

Just like any other class action suit - Lawyers get paid a ton of money and everybody else gets a coupon for $5 off Windows Vista.

qft. Class-action lawsuits rarely change things in a substantial way.

[Akasa]

If he didn't like it, and didn't accept, and wiped Windows from him system.

This manufacturer, hell I'll name them, they're not in business anymore.
Proteva didn't send out install disks, they had the hard drive pre-loaded and had cab files on the disk that we would reinstall from. They considered any formatting of the hard drive by the customer a void of the warranty. If for some reason we decided there was just no way around formatting the drive we would instruct the customer to remove the drive and send it in.
They had a lot of questionable practices.(Like paying us on Weds when we were supposed to be paid on Mon.) I'm sure I can come up with all kinds of stories from there if I tried.

[Jack Doe]

Holy crap, I bought a Proteva back in '97 when they were still in business. That PC stuck with me for damn near a decade, just to play Doom II (until I gave it to my stepdaughter, who proceeded to break it in just under a week. Yay Kool-Aid in the PSU!)

[Akasa]

Sounds like you got a good one.
Proteva was a bad company while I was doing tech support for them. Its possible a one time they had decent machines, but I remember them releaseing a machine that had hardware conflicts, and they were aware of the conflicts before they released teh machines, but they still chose the conflicting hardware. Because it saved them, get this, $.25 on each machine.
Yes those of us doing tech support were so swamped with calls we constantly had a 2 hour cue.
And many times I'd get someone who refused to work with me cause I was a girl. So I put them back in the cue. Wait 2 hours and then be picky about who you talk to? Lets see what anohter 2 hours waiting will do for you!

[Jack Doe]

Only problem I ever had with that machine was when I bought it, the CD tray wouldn't open. Called tech support (and God yes, I remember that two hour hold...) and they had a guy out the next day who just opened the case, showed me where the power supply had come lose, and fixed it. I always did wonder why that company went under.