You're saying that Microsoft shouldn't allow OEM's to offer a way for
customers to get back to the way the computer was when they opened the box?
That's pretty severe! They're NOT going to give you a full CD anymore - not
at the PC prices that the public is clamoring for. People want cheap, they
get cheap! Pay $4200 for a PC from Alienware and you get a full Windows XP
CD. But NOT at $399.95.
One of the reasons that OEM's do it this way is because most of their
computers have a great amount of proprietary hardware in the computers they
sell. Therefore they MUST supply the necessary drivers. The Windows XP CD
only has generic drivers. The OEM's try to "lock you in" to their company
for hardware replacements and upgrades. Try getting a power supply at a
local PC fair for a Dell computer. You can't! Try getting a replacement M/B
that will physically mount in the Dell case. You can't - different hole
locations. Gotta go back to Dell and pay their exorbitant prices!
Another reason they do it this way is because they get their 20 cents for
every box that they deliver that has certain 3rd party crap installed on it,
such as AOL, Real Player, backdoor web etc.
This has been beaten to death here for 3+ years now. It's an old, old
discussion! You buy OEM - you get OEM supplied recovery options. If
Microsoft didn't mandate and stipulate such, you would probably get
"nothing" from Dell - Gateway - Sony - HP/Compaq (especially) etc!.
--
Regards,
Richard Urban
aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard
If you knew as much as you thought you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!