Windows Refund Center Home Page

You might be entitled to a refund for Microsoft Windows and any other related OEM software that may also be included if you have installed Linux, a BSD, BeOS, OS/2, Solaris, NetWare, Windows NT, or another OS on a machine which came preloaded with MS-Windows*.

This network of pages and web sites offer a place to learn the whys and hows, and to communicate and organize with other consumers who don't like paying the "Microsoft tax" for any OEM software they don't want and have never used on their machine. This is only an issue because so many OEMs flatly refuse to sell a machine without Microsoft's OS on it, some saying that their agreements with Microsoft require them to pay Microsoft for an OS for that machine, and include one as well. Some OEMs even go so far as to say that they may not pre-load any non-MS OS. We feel this is monopolistic, strong-arm, and restrictive of consumer choice.

Following is the most common qualifying refund process:

It also appears to be the case, but remains to be legally determined whether choosing to cease accepting the license, and deleting Windows also entitles you to a refund. Certainly the EULA (available below) appears to read that if the software (Windows) does not perform (crashes) your remedy may be refund. If this is the case, we are no longer talking about only the OEM versions. Any attornies care to comment?

There is a newsletter and mailing list is being maintained on Zork.net.

Please direct any comments or ideas to the SlashDot discussion as mentioned in various locations on this page, rather than contacting various Linux Mall email addresses that have nothing to do with this effort. Thanks to Matt Jensen at thenoodle.com for getting this all rolling, and Don Marti at Electric Lichen for bringing it to Linux Mall's attention, and finally Rick Moen at LinuxMafia where the much of the visible activity is taking place.

There are a many web sites working together on this project, including Zork, Slashdot, Niestu, Linuxmafia, Netcraft, Deirdre, Electric Lichen, and Netscape's Open Directory project at dmoz.org. More are being added all the time (links below). Together we'll be adding features for coordinating and tracking people's progress as they fight for their refunds with various vendors. February 15th, 1999 was Windows Refund day, and the event went well. Microsoft chose to reward demonstrators in the bay area with this letter . "Valued Customers?" who do they think they are kidding? This was the expected reponse, so Rick Moen already had these reasonable questions, which as yet have gone unanswered. Here is a news report. You may also see pictures taken at the rally by Hironori Sato & Kimiko Shimizu. Finally, here are two more news stories from Associated Press , BBC , National Post . For news from other Locations, see the Orange County Register and The New York Times

For even more information see the various links below.

• David Chun's survey of manufacturers, June 1998. (Thanks, Clem)

• If you ask to buy a machine without Windows and they refuse, or they refuse a refund, make sure you register an FTC (Federal Trade Commission) complaint using this form.

• If you want to register a complaint with a particular company or enter a poll about freedom of choice, register it here with the Freedom of Choice Poll The messages will be tallied and compiled and then sent to the appropriate contacts within various companies. Octopia.com is offering to do the same thing but even more refund specific at their Windows Refund Resource Please give both the feedback they need to be effective!

• Geoffrey Bennett's how-I-did-it refund saga. There is also a discussion on slashdot of Geoffrey's story.

• Donna's experience.

• Chris' story.

• Igor's $5 refund experience.

• Leo Schwab's comments on shrinkwrap licenses, with a link to his well-regarded editorial on them.

• Jim Gleason's "Can't view the license you are agreeing to till after you buy the software" New York experience

• The Bay Area refund effort has been organized, and they even have a FAQ!

• An Orange County group is also coordinating for Feb. 15th.

• There are additional comments on the Refund for Windows action on slashdot, and story which describes this web site.

• Full Press Coverage, and further links generated by the "Windows Refund effort" are available at both Mozilla.org's Open Directory, and at Rick Moen's Timeline & Refund Press Coverage page so go take a look!.

• News items of major importance will also be reported on Linux Mall's home page news as soon as we hear about them.

• LinuxWorld has a good piece entitled Windows license opens door for Linux refund.

• Waiting for Windows Refund Day? Class Action, Hmmm... If you're having problems with your OEM, show them this article. It's sure to please.

• Conversation with Dell customer service Indicates Dell may now be refund friendly? $199?.

• A list of further resources including news, refund efforts and sites around the world is also available.