HP's Windows Bundle Trouble

narramissic writes "A French consumer group has filed 3 lawsuits against HP, saying the company's practice of selling consumer PCs with Windows pre-installed violates a French law that 'prohibits linking the functionality of a product to another product' — not to mention that consumers wind up paying for an unwanted OS. For its part, HP contends that it is not in violation of the law because the OS is integral to the PC. 'The PC without an OS is not a product because it doesn't work,' said Alain Spitzmuller, legal affairs director for HP France. 'We believe the market is for products that work.'"

Foot, may I introduce...

[Loco Moped]

He's pretty much shot himself in the foot, 'cause now he's got to prove that Windows works.

We believe the market is for products that work

[Taagehornet]

'The PC without an OS is not a product because it doesn't work,' said Alain Spitzmuller, legal affairs director for HP France. 'We believe the market is for products that work.'

That would be like selling printers without including the paper... Oh, never mind...

The honest truth about France

[Anonymous Coward]

During the riots and car burnings last year, Disneyland France cancelled the nightly fireworks displays because every night, French soldiers would surrender to Czech tourists.

Obligatory

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

"A French consumer group has filed 3 lawsuits against HP [CC], saying the company's practice of selling consumer PCs with Windows pre-installed violates a French law that 'prohibits linking the functionality of a product to another product'

  FRENCH GUARD:
        Allo! Who is eet?
ARTHUR:
        It is HP, and these are my Knights of the Round Table. Whose computer is this?
FRENCH GUARD:
        This is the computer of my master, Guy de Loimbard.
ARTHUR:
        Go and tell your master that we have been charged by God with a sacred quest. If he will give us his computer for the night, he can join us in our quest for the Holy Installation of Windows.
FRENCH GUARD:
        Well, I'll ask him, but I don't think he'll be very keen. Uh, he's already got Linux, you see.
ARTHUR:
        What?
GALAHAD:
        He says they've already got Linux!
ARTHUR:
        Are you sure he's got it?
FRENCH GUARD:
        Oh, yes. It's very nice-a. (I told him we already got Leenooks.)
FRENCH GUARDS:
        [chuckling]
ARTHUR:
        Well, u-- um, can we come up and have a look?
FRENCH GUARD:
        Of course not! You are English types-a!
ARTHUR:
        Well, what are you, then?
FRENCH GUARD:
        I'm French! Why do think I have this outrageous accent, you silly king-a?!
GALAHAD:
        What are you doing in with computers?
FRENCH GUARD:
        Mind your own business!

Re:Foot, may I introduce...

[rrohbeck]

He's pretty much shot himself in the foot, 'cause now he's got to prove that Windows works.

Unfortunately, it works very well. As a host for botnets, for example.

Re:Foot, may I introduce...

[megaditto]

WTF are you smoking? Who would use a window as a doorstop... Especially on Slashdot, where most readers live Windows-Free?

(since their mothers' basements do not have any)

Re:Obligatory

[Bryansix]

ARTHUR:
Please Let us In! Please! I beg of you!
FRENCH GUARD:
Go Avay or I will fart in your general direction!

Re:He's an idiot

[TheSeer2]

I assume this was a time when computers were marketed to the nerdiest of nerds?

Hey HP heres an idea

[voss]

Inserting into purchasing process

WHICH OPERATING SYSTEM DO YOU WANT PRE-INSTALLED

( ) Windows (add $99)
( ) Red Hat Linux (add $39)
( ) Suse (add $39)
( ) NONE

I'd rather have

[WhatDoIKnow]

a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.

:wq

Re:Also, A DVD player without DVD is not a product

[andphi]

And young children will inevitably play with the box more than the toy.

Re:He's an idiot

[Waffle Iron]

Last I checked, Newegg wasn't including a copy of Windows every time I bought a computer from them.

That may explain why this French consumer group is suing HP instead of Newegg.

Re:CAR ANALOGY ALERT!

[Anonymous Coward]

I totally agree. This whole thread is like a car that has a bunch of bumper stickers containing inappropriate analogies slapped all over it.

OK, I can leave this thread now...

[punkass]

...I really just came for the pre-requisite "bad car metaphor".

Re:He's an idiot

[Moderatbastard]

We really need a -1, longwinded and knows it moderation.