First thing: Use Libre Office, not Open Office. http://www.documentfoundation.org. It's the same program, but more frequently updated with better stuff. And still open source, of course!
Second, I don't hate Microsoft. Or Apple. Or Adobe. Or any company. There's no more point in hating a faceless corporation than there is in loving one. If someone develops something, it is their right to do with it what they want. If that means sell it, fine. If that means give it away for free, great! If that means never show it to anyone ever, that's sad, but also their right. The right doesn't go away because something was created by a group of people and not just one person.
Now, if the OP was in fact entitled to a full, non-demo copy of Student Edition and did not receive it, he should absolutely pursue this. Websites like The Consumerist [http://www.consumerist.com] have company contact directories and other ways of helping you get the attention of those who can help you pursue your grievance; you might also want to take it up with your PC's manufacturer. However, there's no point in hating the company or the software just because tech support screwed up. Office is still an excellent software suite. And if you weren't owed the full edition, why are you mad you didn't get it?
I'm on Windows 7, and I love it. I think it's incredibly smooth and efficient, it looks great, and it's dead reliable (in fairness, OS X and Linux are also very reliable when stably configured on stable hardware; in 2011, we should expect as much). I have absolutely no problem with paying someone to do something good for me, even if I am opposed to some of Microsoft's more draconian licensing arrangements (though they are still Microsoft's right, for the most part). And yes, I purchased (and use) Office. If I didn't have the money for Office, I would use Libre Office, but since I did at the time and Office was the superior program, I purchased it.
TL;Dr version - Open Source is great, but so are some big companies, contact Dell and ask them for help.