[Am-info] An excerpt from an email sent by Dell to all of its customers:

[John J. Urbaniak]

Erick Andrews wrote:

> On Tue, 13 Aug 2002 07:58:08 -0700, Mitch Stone wrote:
>
> >Wal-Mart doesn't make these computers, they just sell them on their web
> >site. The OEM is Microtel.
> >
> [...]
>
>
>
> So, what might be an interesting thought experiment,
> if a similar situation exists between Wal-Mart and
> Microtel (that Microtel sells an exclusive line of PCs
> to Wal-Mart), Wal-Mart could be (legally?) immune
> from Microsoft pressure.   Of course, I doubt that
> Wal-Mart ships the volumes that Dell, Gateway, Compaq,
> or IBM do, either, which would further distance them
> from discount licensing pressure.
>

Simple, Microsoft forbids Microtel from shipping non-OS boxes to Wal-Mart.

John