"People everywhere love Windows."

--Bill Gates

Summary: Tesco is very frank about the reasons for its (paid-for) 'advice'

TESCO is no enemy of GNU/Linux. In fact, amid serious problems with Windows [1], Tesco is still offering GNU/Linux PCs [2-4] and not so long ago it put the kibosh on DRM [5]. But like many other businesses, Tesco got wooed by Microsoft's campaign of deceit, for which is pays handsomely (bribes for mindshare).

Last year we leaked the "vendor recommends" scam. Microsoft pays companies to pretend that they recommend Windows/Vista. It is now that we find that Tesco participates in similar schemes [credit goes to our contributor ThistleWeb for investigating this]. This is the full query and response from Tesco (response to the question appearing at the bottom because they top-post just like Microsoft software insists):

Dear [Anon],

Firstly, I sincerely apologise for the delay in responding to your email. We always aim to reply in a timely manner and I'm sorry I've let you down on this occasion.

I'm concerned to learn that you feel the information in our Spring/Summer Tesco Direct catalogue regarding the Windows Vista is there due to endorsement money paid to Tesco from Microsoft.

I've passed your comments regarding this on to our Tesco direct Team and I will be back in touch as soon as I receive a response.

Thank you for your patience while I look in to this for you.

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me at tescodirect@tesco.co.uk quoting TES6562453X.

Kind Regards

[Anon] Customer Service Manager Tesco Direct

----- Original Message ----- From: [Anon] Date: 06 June 2009 Subject: A few questions on your PC advice to customers

Hi,

I have a few questions on the buying advice you give to your customers on PCs.

In your Spring / Summer 2009 catalogue the advice on operating systems has a Windows logo along with the wording "the newest and most popular operating system today is Microsoft Windows Vista." Incidentally, the website still lists the latest as XP. Windows is NOT the only operating system which works on generic hardware, it's not even close to being "best in class" either.

Why do you not tell the customer this is a paid endorsement from Microsoft instead of pretending it's Tesco's opinion? Since Tesco only sell PCs pre-installed with Windows, it's like having the baked beans shelf packed with ONLY Heinz products then claiming "the most popular is Heinz". How can it not be the "most popular" if that's all you offer? This is worse than the usual Microsoft paid endorsements of "it's better with Windows" because many retailers at least give the consumer the option on a few models.

It would be nice if Tesco would stand up for it's customers and give them an option of a cheaper PC without the Windows tax which would see them immune from all the malware issues that plague Windows.

[Anon]

See this for reference (the FAQ page mentioned in the E-mail to Tesco). So how much does Microsoft pay ASUS for the same type of stunt [1, 2]? These companies put business partners before customers and they have no reluctance in lying, as long as it's profitable. ⬆ _______ [1] Tesco tills go titsup

According to PA, about 100 stores are affected, and the problems are being rectified by rebooting the checkouts.

[2] Dell & Tesco bringing Linux to the masses - launching €£299 Inspiron Z530 "Web Browser" in October

The Z530 is described by Tesco as a "Web Browser" rather than a Laptop, PC, portable computer or any of the more usual terms, so presumably Dell and Tesco are aiming it at the Eee PC end of the market, where people don't give a toss about the OS and just want something cheap to leave on the sofa for checking instant messages during the boring bits of TV.

[3] Tesco reveals unannounced Dell 12in netbook

Now, we did wonder if Tesco's spec is a garbled reference not to a netbook but to an upcoming Dell MID. But the spec also mentions 1GB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive, "Ubunto Linux" (sic), dimensions extending to 30 x 30 x 17cm and a weight of 1.2kg, all of which are rather large for an MID.

[4] Tesco sell computers with Ubuntu pre-installed - Linux on the up?

Tesco is the world's third largest grocery retailer, and also sells everything from clothes to electrical equipment.

[5] Tesco breaks free of WMA chains

TESCO DIGITAL will soon be launched in the UK. The partly DRM-free music download concern will now offer 1.6 million Ipod-friendly MP3 files alongside the current roster 1.7-million Windows-hamstringed tunes.