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El Reg reports
Jesse Worley said he'd received a cheque for $650 from Microsoft--seen by The Register--which he told us he'd received after threatening the giant with court action over an unwanted Windows 10 upgrade.
Tech consultant Worley sought payment from the vendor for the 10 hours it took to rebuild his grandfather's custom-build PC, re-installing Windows 7 to resemble Windows XP, in order to banish Windows 10.
[...] "Had Microsoft not gone out of their way to be deceptive, my grandfather pretty clearly wouldn't have been updated to Windows 10", he said.
"They interrupted the basic functions of their own software--the X button--in an attempt to fool people into updating, so any affirmative consent he or anyone else may have given for the update can't be considered valid during that period."
[...] Worley had built the PC 10 years ago when his grandfather was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The build was designed to resemble Windows XP, which his relative had used while at work and was therefore familiar with.
[...] Worley was seeking $650 for the 10 hours he'd had to spend rebuilding the PC. He had tried a rollback but that failed, and he was forced to rebuild the installation with a boot drive, as the system lacked a CD.
[...] Worley has now encouraged other customers to take action through the small claims system if they, too, got Windows 10 without wanting it.
Previous: Upset with Automated Windows 10 Upgrade, Californian Takes Microsoft to Court... and Wins
(Score: 5, Insightful) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Wednesday September 28 2016, @10:14AM
This really needs to go viral. Here in the UK we have seen an entire industry pop up to support claims against banks for mis-selling PPI. Banks have handed out billions in cash to millions of customers, and all sorts of businesses (both legit and shady) have popped up to support them. While I hate spam, it would warm my heart to receive a spam call that starts with "Did your PC install Windows 10 without your permission? You could be entitled to compensation."
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 28 2016, @10:21AM
You're entitled to shut the fuck up, ambulance chasing scum. Oh no am I libeling you, motherfucker?
(Score: 4, Informative) by TheLink on Wednesday September 28 2016, @10:58AM
Actually if you or I did a similar thing wouldn't we be breaking computer crime laws in some countries?
Or is it now legal everywhere to install/"upgrade" people's computers just because they clicked OK by mistake or even "X" on a dialog box instead of cancel? ( http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/229040-microsofts-latest-trick-clicking-x-to-dismiss-windows-10-upgrade-doesnt-stop-upgrade-process [extremetech.com] ).
I'm sure lots of adware or malware people would be very interested. e.g. they can now legally install bitcoin mining software on many more people's computers - click OK or "X"(close) to get the "upgrade". Instead of clicking "here" and doing other steps to actually cancel it.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday September 28 2016, @04:12PM
When I saw it was from the disreputable Register I googled. The only thing I found that didn't reference the Register article was one that looked to be a Microsoft site [windows10update.com] but possibly is a phishing site.
What it reported matched the summary, but I'd like to see a real news outlet like the BBC or NYT's coverage before I swallow the story whole. At any rate, if it is true, note that the computer in question was a special rig that had been set up to look like Windows 98 so an Alzheimer's patient could play Minesweeper.
I put W10 on this laptop and took it off right away; it was butt-ugly, slow, and removed MS Office, which is essential to me.
At any rate, rolling it back to W7 returned the machine nearly exactly as it was before. It didn't even remove the Linux partition (I wouldn't have minded, I hate what they did to KDE and am shopping around for another distro) and restored MS Office. The computer was unusable for a day while it rolled itself back, but starting the process took maybe five minutes.
The bottom line is, there are very few who could successfully sue Microsoft for it, only people with special setups like his guy's. Hell, if it would have taken ten hours of my work to get that shitty W10 off I might have sued, too.
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 28 2016, @05:37PM
I'd like to see a real news outlet like the BBC or NYT's coverage
Don't hold your breath waiting for that.
Both of those are notorious M$ shills.
set up to look like Windows 98
You claim to be a writer but your reading isn't so good.
It was set up to look like eXPee.
there are very few who could successfully sue Microsoft for it
More poor reading skills in evidence.
Find " X " in the article.
M$'s methods were deceptive--even criminal.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]