[EdLUG] Buying a laptop without Windows

Mon Jun 6 11:11:12 UTC 2016

Well I recently bought a new laptop with Windows 10 installed.   For the
first time there was no apparent need to accept anything to start using
Windows 10.   I'm very happy with it (and I must confess I haven't thrown
away the Windows ... call me a traitor if you wish ... )

However, I think we are still trying to fight a battle that has effectively
been won on most fronts, and the one which hasn't been (the desktop) is
becoming more and more irrelevant every day with the movement to mobile
devices and the development of browser based applications to accommodate
that.    There are other targets for our ire, and perhaps more dangerous
since in many ways they have "spun" themselves as being open source
friendly but meanwhile keeping our personal information that they have
gathered about us behind a wall of secrecy.

We also aren't dealing with the same Microsoft as before, according to my
observations.   In my particular areas of interest (database technology and
application development tools) we've seen Microsoft announce or release
Linux based products recently, which suggest that the world is changing.  I
recall a (joking) conversation about 5 years ago with some people from
Microsoft, when I suggested that I wanted SQL Server on Linux ... and yet
in 2017 we should have exactly that.  And I don't think this is an attempt
at "embrace and extend" like in the past, but simply a realization that if
they want to compete in the Data Centre they need to offer their key
infrastructure components on the Data Centre platforms of choice.

Just my tuppenceworth ...

BTW, my new laptop is an Asus X555L, which I got "loaded" for a very decent
price.   Apart from the fact it doesn't have SSD (that was above the price
wanted to pay) I'm very happy with it.   The i5 processor and the 8 gig of
RAM were more important to me than the fast bootup time.

On 6 June 2016 at 11:59, Edinburgh Linux Users Group <
edlug at lists.edlug.org.uk> wrote:

> I have heard good things from system76 computers, pre-installed with
> Ubuntu I think, although shipping costs may elevate the total price.
>
> Regards,
> Alejandro
>
> On 6 Jun 2016, at 11:52, Edinburgh Linux Users Group <
> edlug at lists.edlug.org.uk> wrote:
>
> It's actually more expensive to buy a windows-free laptop. The licence
> cost is subsidised by the companies that post Microsoft to install all
> their junk programmes by default.
> On 6 Jun 2016 11:39, "Edinburgh Linux Users Group" <
> edlug at lists.edlug.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> Dear LUG members,
>>
>> I'm considering to by a new laptop (macbook died and I'm a bit fed up
>> with all the proprietary stuff) and of course I'm going to use Linux only
>> on this laptop. The problem is that all laptops currently come with windows
>> pre-installed. Even if they charge a very small tax for windows, it's my
>> principle - I don't agree to pay any single penny to microsoft as soon as
>> I'm not going to use their product.
>>
>> The question is: do you by any chance know if it's possible to decline
>> their license and get a discount/refund for the windows license? If so,
>> what are the best shops/brands who make this process easier?
>>
>> Today I tried to call Curry's, but the lady in their call centre had no
>> idea about the subject. She also tried to convince me that "Windows 10
>> doesn't offer any license. You just buy a laptop and start using it.
>> There's nothing to accept or decline"
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>> Best Regards,
>> Maxim
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>> EdLUG at lists.edlug.org.uk
>> https://lists.edlug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/edlug
>>
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