The Microsoft Tax Doesn't Really Exist
 

A recent article:

http://goinglinux.com/articles/TheMi...otExist_en.htm

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/general-10/because-shiny-things-are-fun-the-new-new-windows-v-linux-thread-848145/
 

They tax my nerves. ($o does most frivolous spending these days!.www)

Linux may tax average users more on m$'s behave, once they wreck their "repair partition" then what?

$119.99 for m$10 Home( like anyone here would want "home" edition! :rolleyes:)

Mine also.

If you build your own, or buy from a firm that assembles to order it certainly does exist. I'd never buy a mass-market computer, because the real tax is the cost of components included for people who use the computer for things that I never do. Graphics card for video games, massive HD for music and video collections? No, thank you!

They article linked to seems to miss (or I missed it in the article) that OEMs tend to get paid a few dollars to install crapware like "free trial" software and the like which can offset the cost of installing Windows. That and testing and supporting Linux installs costs them a bundle too.
That's why when I bought cheap laptops I bough with Windows installed as there's a lot more choice.
For desktops, as DavidMcCann suggests out, I built my own.

I torched my recovery partition, but, you can download windows 10 as a trial which I did to see what goes. The newer pc's seem to hold the keys in BIOS or somewhere as it set up and activated without an issue. It is all gone again for good, but I had to see :)

This upgraded (8g ram, i5) refurbished T420 ($250 online) came with m$ 7 Ultimain't DVD it upgraded to 10 (PRO for some reason not "ultimate" :scratch:,) backed up the drive (if reselling(\or giving) it I would set dual boot and self updates &c) also installed in a VM with VirtualBox. Keep that drive.vdi on a Blu-ray if I ever need it? :doh: (Was surprised they let me activate it, unless like Jkirchner put it holds it as it does have good hardware virtualization?) http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ml#post5554355

When I worked at big computer place, they paid almost nothing for the OS. And the OEM has to provide support this way.

Moderator response
 

Moved: This thread is more suitable in <General> and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

If I were going to buy new pre-built boxes I'd only buy Mac's