Lenovo demands vow of silence from Windows wantaway

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 29 Aug 2008 at 16:11

Lenovo has allegedly asked a Linux fan to sign a non-disclosure agreement before giving him a refund on his unwanted Windows licence.

Czech user Kamil Páral decided to exercise his rights in the Windows Vista Business OEM EULA to return the licence to Microsoft, having decided to install Linux on his Lenovo laptop instead.

After negotiation, Lenovo duly decided to offer Mr Paral a 78 Euro (£63) refund - on condition that he signed a non-disclosure agreement that covered his negotiations with the company and the fee they settled upon.

Lenovo presumably wanted to keep the terms under wraps to prevent a flood of refund requests from Linux lovers.

Paral refused to sign the gagging order, and instead sold his story to Czech Linux portal AbcLinuxu, who sportingly agreed to compensate Paral with the £63 he would have got for his Windows licence.

Lenovo was unable to comment at the time of publication on whether it forces all Windows wantaways to sign a non-disclosure agreement.