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They can't do that. Apparently Microsoft has a business process patent on that.

Interesting. (Pages 21 and 22 of the settlement apply, for those interested.) From what I read, you could use the voucher to purchase Linux or OS X, provided the version purchased wasn't considered server software.

That introduces Case 3, where someone uses their voucher to purchase non-Microsoft products. This would actually remove potential profit from Microsoft's bottom line.

$16 for each Microsoft Windows or MS-DOS license claimed; $29 for each Microsoft Office license claimed; $5 for each Microsoft Word, Home Essentials or Works Suite license claimed; and $26 for each Microsoft Excel license claimed.

$16 for each Microsoft Windows or MS-DOS license claimed; $29 for each Microsoft Office license claimed; $5 for each Microsoft Word, Home Essentials or Works Suite license claimed; and $26 for each Microsoft Excel license claimed.

according the settlement website vouchers will be sent to the consumers who file claims. According to their FAQ, though, the amount of money you recieve depends on the Microsoft product you bought. Here is a list of the products and the amount you would recieve: $16 for each Microsoft Windows or MS-DOS license claimed; $29 for each Microsoft Office license claimed; $5 for each Microsoft Word, Home Essentials or Works Suite license claimed; and $26 for each Microsoft Excel license claimed. If you got these in large quantities, then this is quite a return!

according the settlement website vouchers will be sent to the consumers who file claims. According to their FAQ, though, the amount of money you recieve depends on the Microsoft product you bought. Here is a list of the products and the amount you would recieve: $16 for each Microsoft Windows or MS-DOS license claimed; $29 for each Microsoft Office license claimed; $5 for each Microsoft Word, Home Essentials or Works Suite license claimed; and $26 for each Microsoft Excel license claimed. If you got these in large quantities, then this is quite a return!

From the FAQ on microsoftcalsettlement.com:

"Q: What benefits are available under the settlement?

A: You will receive vouchers redeemable for cash after the purchase of a wide variety of software and computer hardware products. The vouchers are worth: $16 for each Microsoft Windows or MS-DOS license claimed; $29 for each Microsoft Office license claimed; $5 for each Microsoft Word, Home Essentials or Works Suite license claimed; and $26 for each Microsoft Excel license claimed.

Q: What can the vouchers be used for?

A: You can exchange your vouchers for cash by submitting proof of purchases you made after July 18, 2003 of the following computer products: Any desktop, laptop, or tablet computer made by any manufacturer for any operating system platform, or any of the following devices: printers, scanners, monitors, keyboards, or pointing devices (e.g. mouse, trackball). Qualifying software includes any non-custom software offered by any software vendor for use on a desktop, laptop or tablet computer. The qualifying computer hardware or software does not have to be a Microsoft product. After you submit proof of purchase to the Claims Administrator (either with your claim form or your voucher) a check will be sent to you for the amount of your purchase. The Claims Administrator will keep track of any remaining value on the voucher for your use in making future purchases. The claim form instructions and the voucher will explain the redemption procedure in more detail. "

To pay for this

Things are coming to a close on this case, and the European theatre is heating up.
Microsoft meets Europe July 27

The bigger they are.........

WRONG

From the claim form instructions:
In this Part, you may make claims for up to five eligible Microsoft products you purchased between February 18, 1995 and December 15, 2001 without providing any additional proof of purchase. The total value of the claims listed in this part of the Claim Form cannot exceed $100. Voucher values for each eligible product are listed above and in Part C of the Claim Form. If your claim exceeds either five products or a $100 total voucher value, you may claim those additional products in Part D.

But I did have some of mine (no, I didn't have the PIDs for MS-DOS or Windows 3.1... they weren't using them back then, IIRC), so I got $129.

If you're a member of the class hosed by MS, i.e. any resident of CA who bought MS crap between February 18, 1995 and December 15, 2001, what are you waiting for? http://www.microsoftcalsettlement.com/

If YOU are a current or former MS customer in CA who wants MS to pay for a chunk of your next computer upgrade, go to http://www.microsoftcalsettlement.com/

You do NOT need proofs of purchase for everything,
In this Part, you may make claims for up to five eligible Microsoft products you purchased between February 18, 1995 and December 15, 2001 without providing any additional proof of purchase. The total value of the claims listed in this part of the Claim Form cannot exceed $100. Voucher values for each eligible product are listed above and in Part C of the Claim Form. If your claim exceeds either five products or a $100 total voucher value, you may claim those additional products in Part D.

Luckily, I had the license keys for my later purchases.

Two-thirds of the unclaimed money will go to California public schools in a mix of donated Microsoft software and cash grants ...

The catch, of course, is that the "cash" is really vouchers that can only be used for computer-related expenses (see pp.32-34 of the Settlement Agreement), so either:

• The school buys half Microsoft products and half non-Microsoft products, and has to deal with the attendant hassles; or
• The school buys Microsoft products and uses the vouchers for training, hardware, etc., in which case the software side is 100% Microsoft; or
• Somewhere in-between.

And in any of those cases, Microsoft ends up benefitting from student/staff exposure to Microsoft software. So the fact that the schools are allowed to purchase non-Microsoft products doesn't necessarily mitigate that Microsoft managed to craft themselves a pretty sweet deal.

If your browser doesn't, or is set not to, cache documents retrieved over an encrypted (i.e. SSL) connection, then you'll likely get an error message that appears to indicate that the form is not available on the server. In reality, the problem is that a copy of the generated claim form isn't in the cache and thus can't be opened.

Turning on caching of encrypted pages (a security issue) solves the problem (how Microsoft!) but what percentage of web surfers would know this? They would more likely say to themselves, "Bah! Microsoft probably has something to do with the form being missing."

Unfortunately, neither the FAQ nor any other page at the settlement web site address this issue. I only found out after taking the time to call the toll-free number. Incidentally, I asked the guy who answered why the info wasn't online and he said he'd make a note or something about it.

If your browser doesn't, or is set not to, cache documents retrieved over an encrypted (i.e. SSL) connection, then you'll likely get an error message that appears to indicate that the form is not available on the server. In reality, the problem is that a copy of the generated claim form isn't in the cache and thus can't be opened.

Turning on caching of encrypted pages (a security issue) solves the problem (how Microsoft!) but what percentage of web surfers would know this? They would more likely say to themselves, "Bah! Microsoft probably has something to do with the form being missing."

Unfortunately, neither the FAQ nor any other page at the settlement web site address this issue. I only found out after taking the time to call the toll-free number. Incidentally, I asked the guy who answered why the info wasn't online and he said he'd make a note or something about it.

I just tried to download the form from http://www.microsoftcalsettlement.com/ClaimPage.ht m with Mozilla 1.7b. When I push the butten "Create Printable Claim Form" it just reloads the page, whereas with IE it loads a PDF of the claim form with URL "https://webform.microsoftcalsettlement.com/PDF/St andardClaimForm.pdf".

I just tried to download the form from http://www.microsoftcalsettlement.com/ClaimPage.ht m with Mozilla 1.7b. When I push the butten "Create Printable Claim Form" it just reloads the page, whereas with IE it loads a PDF of the claim form with URL "https://webform.microsoftcalsettlement.com/PDF/St andardClaimForm.pdf".

I have been waiting for vouchers from the settlement with California for quite some time and they are still not here! The settlement was supposedly approved by the court on January 10, 2003.

It is now far from the time originally promised for the distribution of the vouchers. I have seen the deadlines and distribution times change twice at the official website.

I can not help but feel that part of their plan is to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the process out as long as possible so that people forget about the vouchers. I originally held off on a new system purchase because I wanted to use my voucher, but have since given up.

Lets hope that Minnesota's settlement will be a bit more timely.

Well, it sucks for Lindows but if any of you out there still want to file a claim, you have until March 15, 2004.

Remember, it's your money so it's better to file it through the official channels...

Note: I know some of you will never file anything with M$ so this post doesn't apply to you (you don't need to go crazy on the replies, just go to the next post).

Well, it sucks for Lindows but if any of you out there still want to file a claim, you have until March 15, 2004.

Remember, it's your money so it's better to file it through the official channels...

Note: I know some of you will never file anything with M$ so this post doesn't apply to you (you don't need to go crazy on the replies, just go to the next post).

" LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER"

When you file your claim for a voucher with the state that is required information:
http://www.microsoftcalsettlement.com/PDF/Standard Instructions.pdf

If you want Lindows to file the form for you then they need that information.

I love it. Part of the settlement administration website, managed by Rust consulting Inc., "... a class act in claims administration", located at http://microsoftcalsettlement.com/ is run on Microsoft IIS 5.0. I havn't seen the exact language of the settlement yet (does it cover Microsoft OSs more recent than Win05/98?) so it's hard to tell whether Rust Consulting Inc. will be filling out their own forms on their own website to claim their settlement coupons for their overpayment fot the OS running their website (or notifying their histing provider to do so).

-- CTH