Dell Judgement

Coxsoft Art's spy in the Americas informs me that computer manufacturer Dell recently came a cropper in the New York Supreme Court. "Dell has engaged in repeated misleading, deceptive and unlawful business conduct, including false and deceptive advertising of financing promotions and the terms of warranties, fraudulent, misleading and deceptive practices in credit financing and failure to provide warranty service and rebates" (Justice Joseph Teresi). Nasty! I haven't heard of similar complaints against Dell UK. My main criticism of Dell UK is that it installs Windows Vista™ on its PCs as standard and wants to charge £50 for replacing it with Windows XP™. So it's forcing Microsoft's white elephant on the mugs and charging discerning punters for a tried-and-tested old platform. Sharp practice or does Microsoft have Dell by the balls? Dell UK will sell you an expensive high-end business computer with XP installed, thanks to a loophole in its contract with Microsoft. Sorry, Dell-boy. No sale.