Check the fine print on your next computer purchase...

[TWPonKubuntu]

I found this report of a UK computer store that treated a customer very badly when that customer installed Linux...

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Huge-...x-463177.shtml

Read the fine print, ask about policy and be prepared to sue for your right to use the OS of your choice...

[Silent Observer]

Does the UK not have a version of our FTC? Should be a simple matter for a consumer protection agency to step in and force the retailer to honor their warranty as required by (UK) law.

[TWPonKubuntu]

I haven't a clue. Perhaps someone who lives in the UK can respond?

[Guest]

In the UK, the local council will have a trading standards department who can enforce or advise, you can also contact the Citizens Advice Bureau.

[Goeroeboeroe]

A Dutch lawyer specialized in itc-things said this is simply forbidden in the whole European Union. But somebody has to take the trouble to go to a judge.

[NickStone]

Taken from the web site today

Update:
The company that deals with customer support for Currys has contacted us and they say that installing Linux on your machines will no invalidate the warranty.


@thesilviu Hi Silviu, I can confirm that the warranty of machines purchased from PCWorld is still valid if Linux is used. Many thanks. MB
— KNOWHOW support (@knowhowtohelp) October 29, 2014

[TWPonKubuntu]

It's good to see this kind of thing resolved quickly, and in favor of the customer...
It doesn't matter where you live, keep an eye open for this kind of silliness and call them on it every time.

[verndog]

I found this report of a UK computer store that treated a customer very badly when that customer installed Linux...

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Huge-...x-463177.shtml

Read the fine print, ask about policy and be prepared to sue for your right to use the OS of your choice...

Maybe Curry employees have little to no knowledge of Linux.
I know my ISP can't handle it. So I always say I'm using Windows7, even thourgh I'm running Linux. I use equivalent commands. They don't know the difference.

[TWPonKubuntu]

In the OP article, the computer purchaser had asked for HARDWARE warranty support after the purchase. I have to assume that the support staff saw the Linux install and balked, but I don't know for certain that this was the actual case. The point was that they refused to support the HARDWARE warranty agreement because of the Linux software install. Whether their employees were familiar with the OS was not and should not be a factor in that HARDWARE warranty support.

Note that this would have been a different situation if the warranty being invoked were for the OS software itself...