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

[John J. Urbaniak]

Mitch Stone wrote:

> Be that as it may, the OEM in this instance is Microtel, not Wal-Mart. We
> can already see that Microsoft's license with Microtel prohibits them from
> offering the same box both with and without Windows. I'm wondering if
> their contract with Dell isn't very similar, and only looks different
> because Dell allows customers to configure their boxes and Microtel does
> not.
>
> I've come to believe that at least one of the bottom lines for Microsoft
> is keeping the actual cost of the OS from the ultimate consumer.
>

Yep.  Keeping the true cost from the consumer and keeping the true corporate
income (sans accurate stock options accounting) from the investor.

But these things can not be buried forever.  They will come out into the
sunlight some day.

Like vampires who suck life from their victims, Microsoft abhors the sunlight.

John