June 8, 2000

2:34 PM

Microsoft fires the final bullet into it's head.As of April 1st, OEMs may no longer ship a CD-ROM containing a full-installable copy of Windows with the machines they build. They can ship a "recovery CD", or just a "recovery partition". So, what did you get for your $90?

You got to rent Windows until you upgraded your machine.
posted by baylink (15 comments total)

If there was anyone left who needed proof of the asshole quotient in Redmond, I hope this will serve...
posted by baylink at 2:35 PM on June 8, 2000

Let's see if MS sends cease-and-desists to the people who offer website instructions on burning Windows ISOs.
posted by holgate at 3:28 PM on June 8, 2000

I wonder if piracy would be so widespread if software and entertainment companies hadn't been showing such complete and utter contempt for their customers for years.
posted by harmful at 3:36 PM on June 8, 2000

Holy crap! You're kidding, right?

I managed a computer store for four years, and I can not tell you how many times MS was adamant about reinstalling/repairing Windows from the user's copy of the CD and not from the store's "master" disc. This is some kind of about-face. A recovery partition isn't a desirable option (what if the HD has physical damage?) and a recovery CD isn't the same as a full-on Windows CD, of course.

Unreal. Simply unreal. "We'll license Windows to you as always, but screw getting it on a CD."


posted by hijinx at 4:42 PM on June 8, 2000

Is this not what most OEM's were already doing anyway? At least the crappy ones? Regretfully, I worked at a retail store selling computers a few months ago, and I would say that every computer/junker we sold came with a restore/recovery CD. Sure, it does effect some of the companies that make good computers, but I would venture to say that most Americans already bought junkers that came with a recovery CD.
posted by howa2396 at 5:46 PM on June 8, 2000

Next up...Evil Genius Gates Drops Windows 98 Into NYC Water Supply.

Yeah, I know it's outdated, but it's looking more and more probable and less and less like satire, isn't it?
posted by Ezrael at 6:04 PM on June 8, 2000

I'll admit that it torques me when all I can get with my computer (this new laptop for instance) is the recovery CD.

On the other hand, when you're buying a computer, what's another 80 bucks for the in-a-box full windows package? I don't imagine they'll stop selling that.

posted by flestrin at 6:57 PM on June 8, 2000

"On the other hand, when you're buying a computer, what's another 80 bucks for the in-a-box full windows package?"

It's another eighty bucks that Bill Gates is screwing you for, that's what. No thanks!
posted by wiremommy at 7:06 PM on June 8, 2000

And the *retail* version *isn't* $80. It's closer to $150.
posted by baylink at 5:48 AM on June 9, 2000

Of course, my Windows recovery CD contains a Linux distribution, but that might be a bit cold turkey (or penguin?) for some.
posted by holgate at 7:43 AM on June 9, 2000

Linux is free. And it runs just fine on Intel boxes.
posted by camworld at 7:56 AM on June 9, 2000

Back in August '98, a lot of my friends and I bought Dell OptiPlexs from our campus computer store, we used them for a month, and started experiencing various problems with the them, we went back to the service center and were advised to reinstall, as the factory install was crappy. So we all reinstalled, and the computers were working much better after that.

if MS decides that OEM won't have the complete OS, I can see a lot of people suffering. If the user is in college you can be sure that they'll be grabbing friends full versions, and install it on their PC. It's not like they don't it right now. But not having your own copy can be irritatiing.
posted by riffola at 10:19 AM on June 9, 2000

Riffola: I don't think it matters whether or not the users are in college, so long as they know someone with a full copy, or are friendly to the in-house geeks.

I mean, really. Who here doesn't have a friend of a friend who has a CD burner? Anybody out there I know with a CD burner would be happy to do so, especially if you take them out for a beer.

Minor person-to-person piracy is rampant, and if MS isn't going to provide the actual software, I don't know many people who wouldn't be able to rationalize said privacy.

Actually, I don't know any, but everyone I know is poor and full of Anti-MS Vitriol. I really gotta stop hanging out with Linux geeks. :-)
posted by cCranium at 11:16 AM on June 9, 2000

I avoided mentioning Linux (which I use) on purpose. Just to see if I could. :)
posted by flestrin at 4:19 PM on June 9, 2000

Um yeah I know that, but while writing that post I somehow manged to stick with that sample, of course anyone and everyone would go and find someone who has a full copy if they needed it. I just wish that someone would go knock some sense into the MS staff, don't they know by now that the customer comes first? Oh wait it's Microsoft forget I said that. :)
posted by riffola at 8:43 AM on June 10, 2000