Hi,
We have started an online petition for a uniform refund policy of unused OEM software in the EU.
At this moment some people in some member countries of the EU get refunds of OEM software, after having purchased a new computer – laptop – netbook and in some countries you can buy hardware without an OS.
To make matters more complicated, in some countries and with certain firms you can get a refund, in other countries there are no refunds possible.
To ask the European Commission to make these matters more transparent and fair for the computer buyer we have started a petition on : www.softwarepushers.com .
Any help in spreading the word will be greatly appreciated. We guarantee that names and email-addresses will only be used for the petition and to keep you informed.
We’d like to hand over the petition by the end of October 2009.
Thanks a lot in advance.
Regards,
Michel and Patrick
Just a reminder, you can sign the petition at :
The text of the petition :
To :
European Commission
1049 Brussels/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
To :
Directorate-General Competition
Rue Joseph II/Jozef II straat 70
1000 Brussels/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
To :
Commissioner Kroes
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200
1049 Brussels/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
Dear Sir or Madam,
REF: Unclear refunds of OEM Licenses in Europe
Legally one could assume that a customer chooses what he/she wants to buy. However it is still impossible today to buy a laptop / computer without a Microsoft license or to have a refund of said Microsoft software, if you do not agree to the Microsoft Licensing policies in which is clearly stated :
“By using the software, you accept these terms. If you do not accept them, do not
use the software. Instead, contact the manufacturer or installer to determine their
return policy for a refund or credit.”
Windows Vista_Home Premium_English_b6fbe7e6-f312-4692-8aee-f5b3d60987b4.pdf
However this clearly stated OEM License Policy cannot be executed by said customer.
For a fact, you can only see the license when you are using the software, in most cases the license is not included on paper with the software and in most cases not even in the language of the said customer.
For a fact the manufacturer or installer refuses to refund or even refers to Microsoft to obtain a refund, which clearly is in violation of the said OEM License Policy. We’d like to urge the European Commission to take action and to make it possible to apply the License Policy of Microsoft and the law in favor of the consumer.
We have studied the Licenses of the majority of Microsoft Operating Systems and have discovered that they all apply.
