A place to share information on how to reclaim your "Apple Tax"
Please notice that the information given here is not a legal advice !
The "Apple Tax" has artificially increased hardware prices for users of GNU/Linux by a mandatory payment to Apple even though no Apple software is being used on these machines. The reason: Every Apple's computer and laptop is bundled with a Apple Mac OS X licence. Almost all Apple vendors will not sell computers without it because apparently their terms with Apple, inc. do not allow it.
The only way to counteract that "Apple Tax" on PCs and laptops is to ask for a refund, but details on this process are not easy to find, and there is no central repository to allow people gather and share their information with the process.
Changing that is the purpose of this section in our Fellowship wiki.
Please feel free to add your own experience or links to information about attempts by others!
- The situation here is a different to that of windows , because Apple controls the production process of its hardware AND its software. However (or maybe thanks to that) It seems to be easier to reclaim an "Apple Tax" than a "Windows Tax".
You can find some useful information on the "Apple software License Agreement" for a single use.
The preamble announces :
'''IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE, RETURN THE APPLE SOFTWARE TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU OBTAINED IT FOR A REFUND OR, IF THE SOFTWARE WAS ACCESSED ELECTRONICALLY, CLICK "DISAGREE/DECLINE"'''
Then, the third paragraph says :
'''3. Transfer.''' You may not rent, lease, lend or sublicense the Apple Software. You may, however, make a one-time permanent transfer of all of your license rights to the Apple Software to another party, provided that: (a) the transfer must include all of the Apple Software, including all its component parts, original media, printed materials and this License; (b) you do not retain any copies of the Apple Software, full or partial, including copies stored on a computer or other storage device; and (c) the party receiving the Apple Software reads and agrees to accept the terms and conditions of this License. NFR (Not for Resale)
- So, please, use these licence terms to "stand up for your rights" and ask Apple for a refund.
- However, notice that this refund isn't the price of a just-purchased Mac OS X box (129 EUR), but unfortunately rather 40 or 50 EUR.
With Lion the situation is even worse. The preamble says there is no refund:
IF YOU ACQUIRED THE APPLE SOFTWARE AS PART OF AN APPLE HARDWARE PURCHASE AND IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS LICENSE, YOU MAY RETURN THE ENTIRE APPLE HARDWARE/SOFTWARE PACKAGE WITHIN THE RETURN PERIOD TO THE APPLE STORE OR AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR WHERE YOU OBTAINED IT FOR A REFUND, SUBJECT TO APPLE’S RETURN POLICY FOUND AT http://www.apple.com/legal/ sales_policies/. YOU MUST RETURN THE ENTIRE HARDWARE/SOFTWARE PACKAGE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A REFUND.
We are currently gathering more information. Please add information here or write an e-mail to Team of FSFE <team AT fsfeurope DOT org> or German list of FSFE <germany AT fsfeurope DOT org>.