Punch Cards.

[max bianco]

On Mon, Apr 7, 2008 at 1:43 PM, Bill Davidsen <davidsen at tmr.com> wrote:
> Tim wrote:
>
> > On Fri, 2008-04-04 at 13:28 -0700, David L. Gehrt wrote:
> >
> > > The disk drive were pretty good EXCEPT the spindle bearings were made of
> > > some space age material prone  to disintegration after a short period of
> > > use.  I knew DEC  was going to be in trouble when  the repair guy stated
> > > that the problem we had with  those bearings was because we were running
> > > UNIX not DEC's VMS OS.
> > >
> >
> > I've heard similar bulldust about using Linux being the cause of some
> > problem that it couldn't possibly be.  It makes you wonder whether these
> > people believe their own rubbish, are incompetent, or think that you're
> > stupid.
> >
> >
>  Or just want to get out of warranty... there was an article (Slashdot IIRC)
> about HP voiding warranty on laptops converted to Linux, even though they
> sell similar models with Linux installed. Never checked it out, don't care,
> but I assume it's true.
>

I have heard similar stories. Recently I bought my better half a new
laptop. I went around to the usual stores and point blank told them
that Windows would last long enough for one boot just to make sure the
thing was working before I wiped the harddrive and flashed the bios.
They told me they wouldn't honor any warranty on the hardware if the
original OS was not there. Needless to say they didn't get the sale. I
called Dell and told them that since their Linux offerings were so
weak I was going to get an XP laptop and wipe it off to install Linux.
They told me they would honor the hardware warranty regardless of the
OS. Sold. Now she's happy and so am I.

Max