OpenBSD Journal

Buying OpenBSD CDs on Microsofts Dime!

Contributed by jose on from the project-funding dept.

gwen hastings writes: "I think all the OpenBSD supporting folk should check out http://www.fsf.org/voucher.html. At the end of that particular article a suggestion is made to purchase FSF software and then send the receipt to Microsoft with your voucher for a refund. What would keep all of us from doing exactly the same to help support Theo and crowd? I am gathering all my coupons and purchasing cds to start this myself (I always make my customers buy the CDs :)

What do the rest of you think?"

That is one way to help find the project ...

(Comments are closed)


Comments
  1. By Anonymous Coward () on

    Too bad it only works in California.

    Comments
    1. By Anonymous Coward () on

      I think the link to the voucher doesn't work.

      Comments
      1. By Anonymous Coward () on

        remove the trailing '.' from the link and it works

  2. By clvrmnky () clvrmnky@coldmail.com.invalid on http://clevermonkey.org/

    The FSF has an open call for those vouchers to help fund free software.

    Actually, spending that Microsoft tax rebate on anything *other* than Microsoft products is probably a good thing.

    Comments
    1. By mirabile () on http://mirbsd.de/

      Well, I think your attitude sucks.

      We BSD people usually don't compete with either
      Microsoft nor GNU for world domination.
      We use the tool which fits its job best - which
      can mean Windows® for some specific jobs as well.

      Comments
      1. By clvrmnky () on

        Well, I think your attitude sucks more.

        No competition? Bullshit. Every free OS competes directly with Microsoft, by Microsoft's own admission.

        The fact is they lied, cheated and stole from their own customers, and got caught doing so. And now they have to pay back a tiny amount of those illegal monies. Big deal. My heart bleeds cold borscht for them.

        I fully understand that Windows has it's place. Hell, I'm using Windows right now , and not under (serious) duress. In this case it is about Microsoft wanting that place to be everywhere (regardless of best fit) and how they achieved those desires.

        Microsoft has enough money. They have enough customers, many of which may be buying the wrong tool for the job. If you really want to use the best tool for the job then investing in something else, like free software, is a fine idea.

        I thought this was pretty obvious from my posting.

    2. By Anonymous Hero () on

      One possible usage is to boycot Microsoft. Depends on your view about Microsoft. Simple as that. It can be argued OpenBSD supports Microsoft with their license (hi BSD zealot! Note that i write _can_; it's not exactly my own opinion).

      Now, there are other companies to leave aside. One can decide to boycot any Trusted Computing soft- or hardware and company involed with such.

      Then there's also these companies which have agreements with Microsoft or Random Company X which one doesn't like.

      What it comes down to, is the following: criticism and research.

      Criticism in a way in which you look critical to what you'd like to buy. Who owns the company, what are their efforts, with whom do they work together. For example. Which implies research.

      Ah well. This can also be done regarding ie. food. There's quite a few garbage out there, imo. Therefore [...].

      Or you chose not to do so and just buy what you like. Your choice.

  3. By Anonymous Coward () on

    What happened to being responsible for our own actions? No one FORCED you to purchase any over-priced Microsoft product at the time in question. Yet, now you're willing to accept Microsoft's money at the expense of showing you have no integrity? Real nice. You make poor decisions, now you want to be paid for them.

    Comments
    1. By RC () on

      > No one FORCED you to purchase any over-priced
      > Microsoft product at the time in question.

      Completely untrue. All of my Microsoft software was forced on me because it was bundled with the systems I've bought.

      In some cases there is the alternative of buying the system it parts, but that can be more expensive, give you less of a warranty, etc. Still, in some cases, getting your hardware without Windows is practically impossible, such is the case with laptops.

      Personally, if there was some way that I could sell the software back to Microsoft, I'd do so glady. Since I cannot, this is the next best thing available.

      Comments
      1. By Anonymous Coward () on

        I know this is somewhat off topic...

        Speaking of this though, what I don't get is that when you buy say a PC with windows, or better yet, say you buy MS Windows... If you don't agree to the EULA, how can you return it if most places won't refund you for open and used software?

        Who's responsible for refunding your money after you've opened it in order to read the EULA? Same goes with any software with licensing terms that you can normally only see if you go to install the software 'after' you've paid for it.

        Just a thought... But I'm curious as to who would legally be responsible for the refund otherwise the end use who buys the software product either has to agree to the terms or if they don't agree, too bad, their money is gone. I don't think that's fair game!

        Just curious on what people have to say about this.

        Comments
        1. By Anonymous Coward () on

          > "If you don't agree to the EULA, how can you return it if most places won't refund you for open and used software?"

          Ask for a copy of the EULA before you make the purchase.

          > "Who's responsible for refunding your money after you've opened it in order to read the EULA?"

          You're responsible. By purchasing the software you've agreed to the conditions put on you by the store.

          Comments
          1. By Anonymous Coward () on

            Hmmm, thanks! I didn't think of it that way...

            Muchos gracias, or something to that effect.

          2. By Anonymous Coward () on

            You're responsible. By purchasing the software you've agreed to the conditions put on you by the store.

            You probably mean "vendor" and not "store", correct? A software retailer or VAR has as much right to present you with an EULA as a bookstore does having you agree with them to copyright terms on the titles they sell you.

            An EULA is a special agreement between a software publisher and a licensee.

      2. By Anonymous Coward () on

        > "All of my Microsoft software was forced on me because it was bundled with the systems I've bought."

        You weren't forced to buy those systems, you forced the systems upon yourself out of convenience.

        > "In some cases there is the alternative of buying the system it parts, but that can be more expensive, give you less of a warranty, etc."

        Yes, quality costs more and requires an effort by the individual. Sole parts have warranties. You just don't have a company supporting your problems. If you can build systems from scratch, you have yourself to depend on. For those that can't, learn to read.

        >"Still, in some cases, getting your hardware without Windows is practically impossible, such is the case with laptops."

        Sure, if you buy from companies that use slave labor. They'll do anything to make the sale. Even agree with Microsoft to sell every system with Windows, and make no other option available.

        You don't support those companies. Simple as that. Now, if your principals can be bought with money, you'll gladly accept Microsoft's contribution to the state of California. You'll be accepting money Microsoft has robbed from people in other States; Hell, you'll be accepting dirty money from the rest of the people of Earth. Does that make you feel better? It's no pinch on Microsoft.

        > "Personally, if there was some way that I could sell the software back to Microsoft, I'd do so glady."

        Alas, that is not reality. Learn from your mistakes and don't burden the state with your irresponsibility.

        > "Since I cannot, this is the next best thing available."

        You're compromising again.

        Comments
        1. By RC () on

          > You weren't forced to buy those systems, you
          > forced the systems upon yourself out of convenience.
          Not true.

          > Sole parts have warranties.
          No. Sole parts have incredibly limited warranties, shorter than any reputable system manufacturer will provide. There's also the issue of compatibility (the situation has improved, but nowhere near perfection) and too many issues to discuss in detail here.

          > Sure, if you buy from companies that use slave labor.

          Name one notebook manufacturer that sells their systems without Windows. I'd love to know about them.

          > Learn from your mistakes
          I've made no mistakes on this issue, I can assure you.

          > You're compromising again.
          Compromising is illegal? No, and that's not what I'm doing anyhow. I was perfectly willing to accept the small loss of paying for useless software. What I am doing is cutting my losses, when the opportunity arises.

          Don't bother attempting to troll here.

          Comments
          1. Comments
            1. By RC () on

              Sadly, the notebook I bought some time ago is just slightly slower than their offerings, and cost half as much, including the Windows license...

              If the only Notebook manufacturer that allows you to purchase without Windows are far more expensive, I think it's more than fair to say you are forced to get Windows.

              Comments
              1. By Anonymous Coward () on

                Again, you are not being forced. You simply have an economic choice to make. You chose Windows. Expecting that YOUR ideal configuration should always be the cheapest is unreasonable.

          2. By Anonymous Coward () on

            > Name one notebook manufacturer that sells their
            > systems without Windows. I'd love to know about
            > them.

            Apple. They're really good notebooks too.

            Back on topic, CA called MS on its illegal behaviour, forcing customers to pay for Windows even if they did not want it. They did this to protect customers. Blaming the customers who were forced into a "computers = Windows" market is not helping.

            And, believe it or not, in the corporate world, a lot of us want to use Linux, OpenBSD, and FreeBSD, but don't have the time to build our own systems. I have built computer systems from parts in the past; it was more expensive (I don't get the volume discounts of Dell), and tracking down failures was a great show of vendor finger pointing. So, I gotta buy pre-built, and refuse to pay if the systems don't work and the vendor won't back them up. Which brings us back to that damned Windows installation, which according to some versions of the license, I am not permitted to destroy in favor of my company's custom Windows image! If I were in CA, I would use the vouchers to buy only free software.

            Comments
            1. By Anonymous Coward () on

              > Apple. They're really good notebooks too.

              Yes, they are. And they work beautifully with OpenBSD :-)

            2. By RC () on

              > Apple. They're really good notebooks too.

              No thanks. I'm not impressed by their track record, such as including seriously limited haldware (such as their DVD-Recorder) and giving consumers only the options Apple wants them to have.

              My experience with OpenBSD on Alpha hasn't been encouraging... I hope there is a much better PPC version.

            3. By Anthony () on

              eh-- my experiences with Apple laptops in the last few years have been pretty dismal.

      3. By Anonymous Coward () on

        oh just build your own damn systems you lazy wingy bastard.

        Comments
        1. By RC () on

          99% of the time I do. Thank you. Bring on the next troll.

    2. By clvrmnky () clvmnky@coldmailcom.invalid on http://www.clevermonkey.org/

      Uh, dude.

      Microsoft lied and cheated , and worse, was caught lying and cheating.

      They broke the law, and were compelled by a judge to pay some of the money they made lying and cheating back to those whom they cheated.

      You might want to do a little research.

    3. By Dom De Vitto () on

      The vendors *were* forced to sell MS software with those systems, and that's what the case was about. That wasn't fair, that's why they ruled against MS.

      Check your facts or at least read the settlement before you make unfounded statements.

  4. By Clint () on

    Jose: I think you meant "That is one way to help fund the project ... " eh?

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