April 19, 2007
Microsoft plays “get out of jail cheap” card
Posted Apr. 19, ’07, 8:04 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Legal
As we mentioned back in February, the penultimate antitrust case against Microsoft in Iowa was settled out of court. Yesterday, the terms of that settlement (pending final approval from the court) were revealed. So listen up Iowans; if you or your business purchased Microsoft software between the dates of May 18, 1994 and June 30, 2006, you may already have won be eligible to collect.
Here’s how the breakdown goes: if you purchased any OS, either MS-DOS or Windows, you’re entitled to $16. If you bought a copy of Office, you can get $29; Excel will net you $25; and Word will grab you a ten spot. Volume purchasers will get vouchers, while individuals will get cold hard cash.
Wow. Lamest antitrust settlement ever. I mean, yes, if your huge company bought a thousand copies of Windows, it adds up, but Joe Iowa (of Des Moines) probably isn’t even going to bother filling out the paperwork for a measly $16 check. It’s lip service.
At least have the punishment fit the crime. Like, maybe Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer should spend the next twenty years in one long game of Monopoly against my grandmother. Then maybe they’d express some regret for what they’ve done…
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did you really mean "second to last" when you used the word "penultimate"?
Dude.
These lawsuits have nothing to do with consumers. They are all about those other suits-the plaintiff attorney. Why not amend your article and tell us how much the law firm made?
[note to TK: 'penultimate' means 'next to last'.]