Why should the laptop/computer manufacturers force us to use some specific OS?

Windows 7  - Windows 7 is the latest public release version of Microsoft Windows, a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, net books, tablet PCs, and media center PCs.Windows 7 was released to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, and reached general retail availability on October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista.
@Wordlinx (506)
India
January 13, 2010 1:56pm CST
In the recent days every laptop and even the desktop computers are sold with some factory installed Operating Systems like Windows Vista or Windows 7. They used to disable the option of installing our familiar operating systems and if we need to install some other OS in them, we need to send the systems to the dealers to make the settings. Most of the dealers are not allowing to change the OS as per our interest and they start to threaten us as like " the warranty will not be applicable if we change the OS"..We are paying them for the products..Then why they are forcing us to use some OS which is not familiar to us? Is this the only way for them to promote their OS? Do you still work with the built in OS?
1 person likes this
7 responses
• India
14 Jan 10
Your point of view is exactly correct and i support you in this view as some of the computer manufacturers do this for their profit more than looking into what a consumer needs..even In India we have the same problem as people like me and you suffer due to this problem..one of my cousins wanted to buy a acer laptop as it was cost effective but now since they have only the bundled pack where you get the laptop along with a windows vista,he has changed his option now because he doent want to use a crap like the windows vista... Happy Mylotting...
1 person likes this
• India
16 Jan 10
You are right bro but we cant do anything than just sit and watch them raking our money into profits..its too bad that these computer manufacturers have become like this and i think that someone has to put an end to this and let them know what a customer really means...
@Wordlinx (506)
• India
16 Jan 10
The first problems raised as one of my friends bought the laptop with built in operating systems (Windows vista)from Accer as like you. While buying we thought of changing it to the other operating system and we did not care about the installation process at all. But when we tried to install the Widows Xp professional,we were not able to install it.We tried many times and finally came to know that we are not allowed to install the other operating systems.When we contacted the laptop manufacturers, they simply said that the particular model is designed only for vista.But we were not informed about this.We don't like to use vista at all and in our view this is the very worst operating systems.We installed the xp pro, after three or four months of struggle with the dealers.Even then, we are not able top get all the drivers needed for the os. The system is not working well now as a result of improper drivers.Then how to deal such manufacturers and the Microsoft? Though Xp professional is also their operating system, why are they not allowing us to change it? Till some other Operating systems is familiar, they will continue to do this, I thinlk.Thanks for your response to this discussion.
@CJscott (4187)
• Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
14 Jan 10
They have made contracts with the OS manufacturers to use that specific OS, and get deals on it and what not. It is not the only way, just the most effective way. It is easy to learn a new OS, and generally the newer ones work better. I always work with the built in OS, I know of no other way to get about it. I suggest if it bothers you that much, to have your computer built, with no OS installed. Then you can choose your own. Cheers.
1 person likes this
@CJscott (4187)
• Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
16 Jan 10
Right, I have one other suggestion. Go to the local college or university, where they are teaching people to build computers, with Blank component parts and present your problem to them. I am very confident they will provide you with a solution.
@Wordlinx (506)
• India
16 Jan 10
Though this is the way of promoting their new operating system, it is not fair to make the users to use use the operating system which is not familiar with .At least we should be given an option to install some other alternative operating systems. If we want to work with Linux for some specific software installation, we are bot able to do so as they have disabled the installation option of other operating systems. Most of the dealers are not even knowing to make the necessary changes for the installation of other OS.Even if they know, they are not accepting our needs for the installation of other OS.We are paying for the product we are purchasing.We are ready to pay even more if they allow the installation of other OS. Aslo the OS they are used install are not supporting many of the software applications.Windows may be much useful for the home users only. If we need to install some other official environment software, some other OS are only best suited. Hope the Laptop and computer manufacturers will change their attitude very soon. Else their sales may get affected .Thanks for your response to this discussion.
@smacksman (6053)
14 Jan 10
Most users of a computer would not know what to do if they bought a computer without an operating system. They would wonder why it did nothing when switched on! haha In the bad old days the computer arrived and it had a pack of floppy discs for DOS and a manual and the first thing you had to do was format the hard drive. Many manufacturers will let you buy a computer without an OS and you would expect about $50 or £50 rebate. You could then get a reverse engineered copy of MicroXP as a free download - except you would need a working PC to be able to get it! Sort of Catch22!
1 person likes this
@Wordlinx (506)
• India
16 Jan 10
The laptop manufacturers sold their systems as per the needs of customers till few years back or even till the end of 2008. They started to sell their products with built in operating systesm only after the release of windows vista only.As the vista is worst, Microsoft decided to promote the OS in any way and they started to make contracts with the laptop manufacturers.The problems started to raise only after they started to disable the option of installing the other operating systems.As we are paying for our products, we are having the full rights to decide as with which operating system we are going to work. Also if the cost of the products are little more for the operating systems, most of the customers will never mind about that. The saying of the manufactures about the increase in cost is just to justify their doings. Who is asking Microsoft or the other OS manufacturers to sponsor for our operating systems? If they want to promote their operating systems, then they should give them to the users free of cost, if the users want...Why are they forcing us to use their OS though we don't have any interest. As there is no sound manufacturers of OS as like Microsoft, they are doing as per their wish..Soon this will come to an end.Thanks for your response to this discussion.
• India
14 Jan 10
They are forcing because they want to make some additional income from these os manufacturers
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@Wordlinx (506)
• India
16 Jan 10
They may want to earn from the manufacturers of operating systems, especially from Microsoft. But we should be given first priority in that as we are the person who are going to pay for the products.Some of the Laptop dealers are saying that the price of the product will be more if Microsoft is not sponsoring the Operating systems.Who asked Microsoft to sponsor for our Operating system? Also the Operating systems they are releasing now are not compatible with many software applications.Still there are lot of dealers who are selling the laptops with windows vista even after the release of windows7.Everyone who used the vista are against it.No one is liking this OS.We are not able to install the other operating system as they have made some changes in the BIOS settings.Normal users can not do anything to change the settings. Even the technical persons of the Laptop dealers are struggling to make the changes for th installation of the other operating systems.We are paying for the products as much they are asking.Even then we don't have right to use the operating system of our own interest.This makes me to stay away from the Microsoft products and even the specific system manufacturers.Thanks for your response to this discussion.
@lazuardy (152)
• Indonesia
15 Jan 10
Actually, not the manufacturer that force us to use a particular OS. Because the use a particular OS, will increase costs and increase the selling price expensive. And of course make it difficult for competing manufacturer for selling their product. From what I wrote above, who benefited ?Manufacturer, makers of the OS or consumer ?I'm sure you know the answer.
@Wordlinx (506)
• India
16 Jan 10
Though the cost of the new operating systems is the additional expenditure, most of the customers will not consider this when they buy a new laptop or computer. They are ready to pay for the operating system also.Of course, most of the dealers are charging for the OS also. If we want to buy a laptop without the OS, will they allow? No one is deducting the cost for the OS nowadays..Here not the customers are getting benefit as the manufacturers are saying. Only Microsoft and the manufactures are getting the benefits. All the windows products are suitable for the normal users of computers only..Like home users..But if we look on the real time official working environment, Many of the companies are using the other operating systems only. Because of the security issues available with the windows products.But even after paying the amount as per their price, we don't have option to make use of the products.we have to work with what they are giving. Highly tensing us. There is no competitor to Microsoft.That's why they are doing so.If they want to do some favor to the customers, then they should sell their OS at the lowered price. But they never do that.They are not ready to lower the price..But their OS should be used by all...how is it possible..Thanks for your response.
• United States
14 Jan 10
Not relly you can download any sos and burn it in a cd and install it the only dif its that your pc have to have the minimun requeremtns..
@smacksman (6053)
14 Jan 10
Not true for a laptop or desktop. True for some PDA's and Netbooks. The difference is if the computer has a hard drive or solid state. If it has a hard drive it can be partitioned for another OS. Anyway, when you buy a PC with Windows on it you have already paid for Windows as it is built into the price. You get nothing free from Microsoft!
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@Wordlinx (506)
• India
16 Jan 10
Nowadays, all of the laptops are coming with the built in operating systems only..A year back, the OS used was windows vista..Now they are selling with Windows 7. Even now are able to see the dealers who are selling the laptops with windows vista..They never care about the buyers though we are paying as much they are asking for the products.Earlier to used to have the OS installed and charge for that separately..We had the option of buying the laptops without any OS and for that they used to reduce the price of the product itself..Now there is not talk of our wish..They are disabling the option so that we can not install some other operating system at our own interest.We must use what Microsoft is offering...If they have better competitor, it is sure, they will fade away from the market...Hope they will change their attitude soon.Thanks for your response
@kaylachan (57710)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14 Jan 10
Yes I use the factory-installed OS. I don't mind using something new and different. The people who make those compnies are interested in making money off the software needed to fit thos Os's. So its only fitting they disable the option to use a different OS then the one they provide. Though I'm happy with Vista.
@Wordlinx (506)
• India
15 Jan 10
When one of my friends bought the laptop, given with windows vista.As this Operating systems is not supporting some special application that we needed to install, we wanted to install windows xp. But even after many attempts, we were are not able to install it. On enquiring with the laptop manufacturers, we came to know that the particular model is designed for vista only..Just they lied..Again we forced to send us the necessary configuration changes to install other OS. They gave us the configuartion and they told that after changing the OS, there would not be any warranty for the laptop itself..How to deal them? They are not also giving us the drivers needed for the new operating system. If they continue to support Microsoft, their new manufacturers who are selling the products with OS as per the needs of customers will find their place in the market.Thanks for your response.