[Discuss] Fighting UEFI

[bogstad at pobox.com (Bill Bogstad)]

On Sat, Jul 28, 2012 at 2:04 PM, Mark Woodward <markw at mohawksoft.com> wrote:
> Yes, fair enough, but the point still stands. If manufacturers create a
> product that precludes our rights as owners of it, we need to fight back.
> Merely boycotting isn't enough, we have to take a bite out of there profits.
> If we boycott, our numbers don't amount to much and the "loss" would be
> negligible. If we make increase their costs and create the perception that a
> larger segment of customers find this unacceptable, they will question their
> policies. Nothing makes a point better than the bottom line.

I'm not sure that even if every single Linux desktop user (1-2%? of
all desktop users) were to do this, that
it would have the effect you desire.   I think it is more likely that
vendors would change their return policies to disallow inability to
boot non-Windows CDs as a valid reason to return a product.   This is
likely to be cheaper for them then not following Microsoft's logo
compatibility requirements (and losing the marketing money that MS
doles out when it feels a need).

 Anybody know what percentage of desktop PCs are returned by consumers
as it is?    What numbers would it take to increase the return rate
enough that anyone would notice?

Bill Bogstad