Microsoft Products

* Paul Dwan (letter, June 16) did not, in fact, get Windows 98 free with his computer. Rather, it came bundled as a “mandatory option” for which the computer maker passed on the approximately $50 that Microsoft charged it. Even if he never intended on using Windows 98 and was going to immediately delete it and install Linux or BeOS, he would have no way of getting a refund. Furthermore, one can send e-mail without ever using a Microsoft product or standard.

STAN SIEGER

Pasadena