FOLLOWUP: Linux IS NOT ready for the laptop
Just to ensure, because it seems some people don’t understand English, but I never said people would sue Dell or IBM for non-functional software (arguably, the crap that comes from Microsoft, isn’t functional). But you can sue your hardware provider for non-functional hardware. Big difference there – software usually comes with indemnification and some explicitly come with no warranty.
Indemnification is such that if Microsoft Office eats up your data, the best you can ask for a “warranty” claim might be USD$5 or something absurd like that.
However, buying a piece of hardware, and then finding out say, it can’t drive the external display, or the SD card reader that comes with your laptop doesn’t work – that my friends, are hardware faults. Arguably, caused by software that lacks support for it, but still, not your problem.
The ACCC has a good guide on refunds, and on warranties and claims, and so on. Its not like I’m unhappy – I’m just saying someone might be, and then the real blow will come. Remember, refunds come via faulty, unfit for purpose, defective equipment. IANAL.
BTW, Dell responds, so kudos to Marco. They offer remastered ISOs which fix known issues, and assure me Gutsy Gibbon fixes all these issues.
Technorati Tags: linux, dell, ubuntu, laptop, suspend, resume, wireless, display
Yes, I was really surprised that Dell really responded to your issues. Hope you can get your laptop working good again!
Remember the guy who demanded a refund for the Windows purchase price from a laptop vendor and ended up with a refund on the laptop purchase (after he had owned it for over a year)?
It didn’t hurt the vendor. They EXPECT to have some items returned without a good reason and budget for it.
I know of someone who returned a laptop as faulty after spilling coffee in it. He got a full refund even though it was still wet! Of course the fact that he was in a senior position in a company that purchased a lot of hardware was related to this. But it’s an example of an undeserved refund that did not affect the business model.