[consumerist] Newegg: Installing Linux On Your Computer Is Basically The Same As Breaking It - Page 16  

Actually, if I received a laptop that was sold as having windows on it, I would be quite outraged that it didn't have windows on it.

I have ubuntu 12.04 installed on most of my devices but, it is free. I can install it myself easily without a problem.

Windows 7 would cost over 100$+ and that would be a major issue.

Even if there was a CD Key somewhere on the laptop, not every customer is as savvy as most of us here. Even if they were it is still their time/energy they would have to use reinstalling what was suppose to be on their device in the first place.

Calling something a warranty doesn't make it a warranty unless it's on the official document. An employee erroneously typing "warranty" instead of "return policy" does not suddenly change the latter into a warranty.

I've used Newegg a few times, but dealing with them is like dealing with a bunch of retarded clowns. I'll stick to my tried and true method of purchasing parts in store. I pay the same price as Newegg or less. No biggie.

Linux is nearly the safest and lightest use of hardware I have seen. I prefer it for my lower-activity usage of hardware and love it. Now given I also use OS X for my photo/video editing and other usages, and Windows for my gaming rig. Each has best fine-tuned uses and I've never seen an operating system cause a hardware failure directly.

One thing is for sure, bad publicity sure changes the tune of a company response, especially with their managers when they see that and want to keep out of trouble. Make a public article over it and that usually helps.

"Good customer service is cheaper than bad customer service."

Shake your head to this Vidia-King:

I hope that if you ever have a business of your own, that you will realise that customer satisfaction and being reasonable go hand in hand. Companies that decide to cling on to grey areas in their RMA rules to deny a customer to return faulty equipment just because they exercised the freedom to install software, are doing bad business and shooting themselves in the foot. That is what I said in my post, and I reiterate it.


Common sense is an overused term in this thread. In this entire forum, actually. Where do you draw the line ? Do you have to uninstall OS Service Packs ? The computer didn't come with them. Uninstall your Internet Security Package and install the one that came with the PC even if it has nothing to do with the fact it's a hardware fault ? Revert to an earlier BIOS (sometimes this is actually impossible) ? And what if you can't do it ? What if the PC won't boot or the keyboard doesn't work or the screen doesn't work or the battery doesn't work ? Are you supposed to have a laptop just like that one so you can reinstall the bundled software on the HDD ? Or have a spare monitor, keyboard, etc ? Don't forget, it can't be just any computer like someone suggested, it has to be the same model, otherwise the bundle won't install properly because all the drivers are specific and won't install on a different motherboard. You would end up giving Newegg room to claim the same thing. What if it's the HDD that is faulty ?

Are you going to discriminate cases where the PC is faulty but you can still reinstall the original bundled software and cases where the PC won't allow you to do it ?

Imagine she had installed Linux on a virtual machine. Can she do it ? Just because Windows is still there, does it mean Linux can't harm the system ? What about a dual boot configuration that brings up a boot menu ? Windows is still there, perhaps even with all the bundled software; how is this different from having Firefox and an Office package installed ? Where do you draw the line to say that she can't install specific software ?

Not worth my time. It is obvious you lack Windows installation experience and failed to understand the HD can be image without the PC it came with!

It is her fault and not Newegg's! Hope they make her eat the cost!!!
Edited by Horse Head - 6/12/12 at 6:47pm

Actually, it does because power management may not be as robust as Windows is and as a result, certain parts of the computer might be stressed more, causing it to age faster. I don't see a problem with Newegg doing this.

Newegg has a valid point here. You modified it.

So what? If I bought a laptop with no OS installed and install Windows in it, then it broke, they would deny it too?

I bet she was not the one that install Linux. Someone else properly did and realize they did not like, but then realized they erased the restore partition and never made backup disc.