ille_pugil42
10-16-2000, 12:12 PM
Well, I've been shopping around and contacting companies regarding either getting linux preloaded on a laptop or getting a rebate for not getting windows.
****************************************
Here is what I got back from Gateway:
Thank you for your interest in Gateway!
Unfortunately, we can not delete the Microsoft operating system or
standard application software for a credit. They come standard with the
systems and do not have separate costs attached to them. You can delete
them from your Gateway system when you receive it, but we do not offer
this option at our production facilities at this time. If there is
anything else that we can do for you, let us know and we'll be happy to
help.
--
Kent Seaton
Gateway.com Specialist
*******************************************
Here's Dell's response:
Thank you for contacting Dell US eSupport Services,
This first response to your request will be conducted by an artificial intelligence
tool designed to provide you with the fastest possible quality support. If
the Automated Response does not answer your question, please look at the bottom of
this email for further instructions on how to contact us about this issue,
((SRMACSR software:linux06142000 SRMACSR))
((SRCATSR G_Linux SRCATSR))
--- Dell Automated Technical Assistant response ---
Dell has partnered with Linuxcare to provide you with the best support experience possible. If you purchased your Dell computer with Red Hat Linux 6.x installed, and have questions regarding installation and configuration, please go to the following URL:
http://dell.linuxcare.com
If you did not purchase your Dell computer with Linux factory installed, but have questions about using the Linux Operating System on your existing computer, try these informative links:
Hardware compatibility lists for RedHat:
http://www.redhat.com/support/hardware/
XFree86 (free Unix/Linux windowing system): http://www.xfree86.org/
Window managers: http://www.windowmaker.org/
http://www.gnome.org/
http://www.kde.org/
http://www.plig.net/xwinman/index.html
Open Sound System (commercial package for sound drivers; beta support for A3D cards like the Montego I/II): http://www.opensound.com/
The Gimp (graphics editing package): http://www.gimp.org/
Basic introduction to Unix commands: http://www.geek-girl.com/Unixhelp/
FTP sites:
ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/welcome.html
ftp://tsx-11.mit.edu/pub/linux
ftp://ftp.kernel.org (especially good for kernel updates)
The Linux Documentation Project: http://metalab.unc.edu/mdw/linux.html
--- End Dell Automated Technical Assistant response ---
*************************************************
If this automated response did not fully answer your
question, please use the Reply feature of your email
program to send us the information below:
(VERY IMPORTANT- USING THE REPLY FEATURE WILL ALLOW YOUR
TECHNICIAN TO VIEW ALL OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT
D.A.T.A HAS HAD WITH YOU AND SPEED THE RESOLUTION OF YOUR REQUEST.)
Your reply will go directly to one of our E-Support Service technicians
who will reply to you as soon as possible. Please see the guidelines
at the bottom of this response to help us insure that your issue
is resolved quickly.
************************************************** *********************
**ATTENTION AOL USERS**** To decrease the delay in our response, you will need
to include all previous correspondence in your reply; in AOL the default setting
deletes this content. To correspond with e-support at Dell you will need to
select "Include original text in Reply." prior to clicking the [Reply] button.
It is especially important to include the tracking number line in all replies:
It looks like this: Tracking number: ATOOOOOOOO_OOOOOOOOOO
************************************************** *********************
If you do reply to us, if your original message does not
contain it please make sure that your reply contains the
following information:
for technical questions and hardware support:
* Service Tag #-This is a five or seven digit alphanumeric
code that will appear on a barcode label located on the back or bottom of
the computer (ex. ABC12 or A1B2C3D). The service tag will tell us exactly
what system you have and what components were factory installed.
* System type (from the system label):
* Your Name or a Contact Name.
* Physical Address and phone number where system is located.
* Description of the technical problem - specific symptoms,
when it started, specific error messages, etc.
* Were any changes made to the original system
configuration? (i.e. new software, hardware, download, etc)
* Anything you have done to troubleshoot your issue
including results of steps suggested in this automated response.
for Customer Care emails:
* Service Tag #(If you have already received your
system)-This is a five or seven digit alphanumeric code that will appear on
a barcode label located on the back or bottom of the computer (ex. ABC12 or
A1B2C3D). The service tag will tell us exactly what system you have and what
components were factory installed
* Order/Invoice number or Customer/Account number (not
required if you have given us the service tag)
* Your Name or a Contact Name
* Full Name, address and phone number on the account
* Description of your request or inquiry. Please include
applicable information (i.e. reference numbers, order numbers, tracking
numbers, names, etc.)
*********
NOTE: For best results from the Dell Automated Technical
Assistant ask only one question per email - with multiple questions you may
not receive an automated answer to all of them.
In addition to the information that D.A.T.A. has provided,
the following web sites may be able to help you resolve your issues:
*********
Visit our DellTalk Support Forum!
http://support.dell.com/us/en/delltalk.asp
Find answers to your questions! Talk to other Dell Owners!
**********
Visit the Dell Knowledge Base for more
information on this and other subjects.
The Dell Knowledge Base is located at:
http://support.dell.com/us/en/kb/
**********
Visit our Service and Support center at:
http://support.dell.com/
This site contains full specifications on all current and
past Dell systems. This is the exact same database that
the Dell technicians use to answer your questions about
your system.
**********
To contact us directly, use these addresses:
For online purchasing or quotes browse to: http://www.dell.com
or http://gigabuys.us.dell.com/store/index.asp
For non-technical support such as billing, shipping or
returns send e-mail to:
customer_service@dell.com
For help with mobile systems (notebooks, portables) send
e-mail to:
mobile_support@dell.com
For help with all other systems and technical issues send
e-mail to:
support@dell.com or visit the Communications Center at:
http://support.dell.com/us/en/emaildell/
*********
©2000 Dell. All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER
The information in this document has been reviewed and is
believed to be accurate. However, neither Dell nor its affiliates assume
any responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions that may be
contained herein. In no event will Dell or its affiliates be liable
for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages
resulting from any defect or omission in this document, even if
advised of the possibility of such damages.
Dell reserves the right to make improvements or changes to this
document and the products and services described at any time,
without notice or obligation. This information applies to the
continental United States and Canada only, unless specifically
stated otherwise.
TRADEMARKS: Dell is a registered trademark of Dell Computer
Corporation. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document
to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their
products. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and
names of others.
---- (SRMACSR SRMACSR) ----
---- (SRCATSR G_Linux SRCATSR) ----
*******************************
and finally here's Sony's:
Thank you for contacting SONY.
Sony has optimized its VAIO computers for use with Microsoft
Windows 95 or 98 (depending on model), therefore Sony does not
offer partial refunds for the purchase price of the operating
system only.
If you have purchased your system through Sony VAIO Direct and
are within the 30-day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee period, you may
return the system for a full refund of the purchase price. An
RMA number may be obtained from Sony VAIO Direct Customer Support
at (800)236-1877.
Other customers may return their system to the point of purchase
for a full refund based on the return policy of the retailer.
The SONY Internet Group
Customer Information Services Center
CCV9
**************************
I haven't gotten any responses from the other companies yet, and I am anxious to hear from them. While surfing today, I did find <A HREF="http://www.tuxtops.com/">this really cool website (http://www.tuxtops.com/)</A>. They're definitly my prime choice. Just thought this might help someone who may be in my position.
****************************************
Here is what I got back from Gateway:
Thank you for your interest in Gateway!
Unfortunately, we can not delete the Microsoft operating system or
standard application software for a credit. They come standard with the
systems and do not have separate costs attached to them. You can delete
them from your Gateway system when you receive it, but we do not offer
this option at our production facilities at this time. If there is
anything else that we can do for you, let us know and we'll be happy to
help.
--
Kent Seaton
Gateway.com Specialist
*******************************************
Here's Dell's response:
Thank you for contacting Dell US eSupport Services,
This first response to your request will be conducted by an artificial intelligence
tool designed to provide you with the fastest possible quality support. If
the Automated Response does not answer your question, please look at the bottom of
this email for further instructions on how to contact us about this issue,
((SRMACSR software:linux06142000 SRMACSR))
((SRCATSR G_Linux SRCATSR))
--- Dell Automated Technical Assistant response ---
Dell has partnered with Linuxcare to provide you with the best support experience possible. If you purchased your Dell computer with Red Hat Linux 6.x installed, and have questions regarding installation and configuration, please go to the following URL:
http://dell.linuxcare.com
If you did not purchase your Dell computer with Linux factory installed, but have questions about using the Linux Operating System on your existing computer, try these informative links:
Hardware compatibility lists for RedHat:
http://www.redhat.com/support/hardware/
XFree86 (free Unix/Linux windowing system): http://www.xfree86.org/
Window managers: http://www.windowmaker.org/
http://www.gnome.org/
http://www.kde.org/
http://www.plig.net/xwinman/index.html
Open Sound System (commercial package for sound drivers; beta support for A3D cards like the Montego I/II): http://www.opensound.com/
The Gimp (graphics editing package): http://www.gimp.org/
Basic introduction to Unix commands: http://www.geek-girl.com/Unixhelp/
FTP sites:
ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/welcome.html
ftp://tsx-11.mit.edu/pub/linux
ftp://ftp.kernel.org (especially good for kernel updates)
The Linux Documentation Project: http://metalab.unc.edu/mdw/linux.html
--- End Dell Automated Technical Assistant response ---
*************************************************
If this automated response did not fully answer your
question, please use the Reply feature of your email
program to send us the information below:
(VERY IMPORTANT- USING THE REPLY FEATURE WILL ALLOW YOUR
TECHNICIAN TO VIEW ALL OF THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT
D.A.T.A HAS HAD WITH YOU AND SPEED THE RESOLUTION OF YOUR REQUEST.)
Your reply will go directly to one of our E-Support Service technicians
who will reply to you as soon as possible. Please see the guidelines
at the bottom of this response to help us insure that your issue
is resolved quickly.
************************************************** *********************
**ATTENTION AOL USERS**** To decrease the delay in our response, you will need
to include all previous correspondence in your reply; in AOL the default setting
deletes this content. To correspond with e-support at Dell you will need to
select "Include original text in Reply." prior to clicking the [Reply] button.
It is especially important to include the tracking number line in all replies:
It looks like this: Tracking number: ATOOOOOOOO_OOOOOOOOOO
************************************************** *********************
If you do reply to us, if your original message does not
contain it please make sure that your reply contains the
following information:
for technical questions and hardware support:
* Service Tag #-This is a five or seven digit alphanumeric
code that will appear on a barcode label located on the back or bottom of
the computer (ex. ABC12 or A1B2C3D). The service tag will tell us exactly
what system you have and what components were factory installed.
* System type (from the system label):
* Your Name or a Contact Name.
* Physical Address and phone number where system is located.
* Description of the technical problem - specific symptoms,
when it started, specific error messages, etc.
* Were any changes made to the original system
configuration? (i.e. new software, hardware, download, etc)
* Anything you have done to troubleshoot your issue
including results of steps suggested in this automated response.
for Customer Care emails:
* Service Tag #(If you have already received your
system)-This is a five or seven digit alphanumeric code that will appear on
a barcode label located on the back or bottom of the computer (ex. ABC12 or
A1B2C3D). The service tag will tell us exactly what system you have and what
components were factory installed
* Order/Invoice number or Customer/Account number (not
required if you have given us the service tag)
* Your Name or a Contact Name
* Full Name, address and phone number on the account
* Description of your request or inquiry. Please include
applicable information (i.e. reference numbers, order numbers, tracking
numbers, names, etc.)
*********
NOTE: For best results from the Dell Automated Technical
Assistant ask only one question per email - with multiple questions you may
not receive an automated answer to all of them.
In addition to the information that D.A.T.A. has provided,
the following web sites may be able to help you resolve your issues:
*********
Visit our DellTalk Support Forum!
http://support.dell.com/us/en/delltalk.asp
Find answers to your questions! Talk to other Dell Owners!
**********
Visit the Dell Knowledge Base for more
information on this and other subjects.
The Dell Knowledge Base is located at:
http://support.dell.com/us/en/kb/
**********
Visit our Service and Support center at:
http://support.dell.com/
This site contains full specifications on all current and
past Dell systems. This is the exact same database that
the Dell technicians use to answer your questions about
your system.
**********
To contact us directly, use these addresses:
For online purchasing or quotes browse to: http://www.dell.com
or http://gigabuys.us.dell.com/store/index.asp
For non-technical support such as billing, shipping or
returns send e-mail to:
customer_service@dell.com
For help with mobile systems (notebooks, portables) send
e-mail to:
mobile_support@dell.com
For help with all other systems and technical issues send
e-mail to:
support@dell.com or visit the Communications Center at:
http://support.dell.com/us/en/emaildell/
*********
©2000 Dell. All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER
The information in this document has been reviewed and is
believed to be accurate. However, neither Dell nor its affiliates assume
any responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions that may be
contained herein. In no event will Dell or its affiliates be liable
for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages
resulting from any defect or omission in this document, even if
advised of the possibility of such damages.
Dell reserves the right to make improvements or changes to this
document and the products and services described at any time,
without notice or obligation. This information applies to the
continental United States and Canada only, unless specifically
stated otherwise.
TRADEMARKS: Dell is a registered trademark of Dell Computer
Corporation. Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document
to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their
products. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and
names of others.
---- (SRMACSR SRMACSR) ----
---- (SRCATSR G_Linux SRCATSR) ----
*******************************
and finally here's Sony's:
Thank you for contacting SONY.
Sony has optimized its VAIO computers for use with Microsoft
Windows 95 or 98 (depending on model), therefore Sony does not
offer partial refunds for the purchase price of the operating
system only.
If you have purchased your system through Sony VAIO Direct and
are within the 30-day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee period, you may
return the system for a full refund of the purchase price. An
RMA number may be obtained from Sony VAIO Direct Customer Support
at (800)236-1877.
Other customers may return their system to the point of purchase
for a full refund based on the return policy of the retailer.
The SONY Internet Group
Customer Information Services Center
CCV9
**************************
I haven't gotten any responses from the other companies yet, and I am anxious to hear from them. While surfing today, I did find <A HREF="http://www.tuxtops.com/">this really cool website (http://www.tuxtops.com/)</A>. They're definitly my prime choice. Just thought this might help someone who may be in my position.