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shifty_ben · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:37 pm Post subject: Anyone else read this?

http://news.com.com/Microsoft+pitches+pay-as-you-go+PCs/2100-1003_3-6074589.html

When I first saw this I had horrible visions of a pay and go system similar to a mobile phone, i.e. you buy a PC and then pay MS and hourly/minutely charge to use it. Having read it a bit further I can't decide if its a good idea, the basic theory is sound but this is MS and I don't trust them as far as I can throw them (is it possible to throw an 800lb gorilla?). What happens for instance if you want to wipe XP and put Linux on instead? Or if the computer gets stolen?
I can just see a clause in the terms and conditions stating that Microsoft may change the terms and conditions of this contract at any time without notice.
The fee MS charge may well be extortionate as well I fear, at least in terms of the overall cost versus buying the PC outright.
It appears to be aimed at less developed nations, so assuming the person buying it doesn't have the internet how will the computer know they have been keeping up payments? A coin slot in the case maybe? Wink

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alloydog · LXF regular Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:32 pm Posts: 600

lol!!!

GMorgan · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:12 pm Post subject: RE: Anyone else read this?

Sounds a bit of a rip off to me. Pay as you go always means paying more than you would to pay upfront. Anyway will any of them have the phone lines to be able to go through the Activate Windows Malarky.

alloydog · LXF regular Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:32 pm Posts: 600

Sounds like the old "hire purchase" schemes.

towy71 · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:11 pm Post subject: RE: Anyone else read this?

Sounds more like snake oil to me, why pay for crap when you can have a Rolls Royce (Linux) for free?
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Steogede · LXF regular Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 6:39 pm Posts: 146

Hello · LXF regular Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:51 pm Posts: 249

Instead of doing that they could buy the pc for half the price as said in the article but instead of spending the other half on a windows licence just install Linux Razz

Never tried the windows starter presume it has a lot of limitations

alloydog · LXF regular Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:32 pm Posts: 600

Hello · LXF regular Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:51 pm Posts: 249

alloydog · LXF regular Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:32 pm Posts: 600

shifty_ben · Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 1:29 am Post subject:

I do miss battling with Clippy to make him go away and stay away! I know there is an option to turn him off but he always seemed to 'forget' that I had set it.
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jjmac · Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 8:17 am Post subject:

I think the motive is to create, or rather, encourage a future customer resource base ... as MS sometimes like to put it. Creating the familiarity. Unfortunately the first introduction can often dominates the later choices.

jm
Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed !
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GMorgan · Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 5:12 pm Post subject: