Linux users have always vocally encouraged major hardware vendors to unbundle the Windows operating system or offer Linux preinstallation. Although several prominent vendors are beginning to embrace this concept, they only support it on a limited subset of their hardware offerings. This means that Linux users often pay for a Windows license that they never use, and it also means that Linux users are forever attempting to recoup the "Windows tax."

The cost of the Windows license bundled with OEM computers has long been a source of ire for Linux enthusiasts who erase unused Windows installations. The controversy surrounding the so-called Windows tax flared up again this week following a report that Lenovo has agreed to reimburse a buyer for an unused Windows preinstallation license, but only if the individual would sign a nondisclosure agreement.

Czech open source site AbcLinux.cz has published the story of Kamil Paral, a Lenovo customer who attempted to obtain a reimbursement for the unused Windows Vista Business license on his new laptop.

A clause in the Windows end user license agreement (EULA) says that consumers who do not accept all the terms of the license can return the software for a full refund. When Paral brought this aspect of the license to the attention of Lenovo, the company agreed to pay him roughly $130 for terminating the license.

In order to complete the agreement, however, Lenovo insisted that Paral sign a nondisclosure agreement that would effectively bar him from talking about the deal. Paral refused, then took the story to AbcLinux.cz, which gave him an equivalent amount of money for telling his story to the world.

Although this case may not be particularly unique, it reflects the challenges that consumers face when they attempt to terminate an unused Windows license with the intention of obtaining a refund.

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