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Californians Can Get Free MS-Settlement PCs
soliaus writes "Seeing as how Microsoft recently lost the anti-trust lawsuit in California, Lindows has taken charge and is offering people free Lindows-related goodies. Basically, Lindows files a claim on your behalf, they keep the money, and you can get a copy of Lindows; a Click-N-Run subscription; a free PC; or other Lindows goods. More information about filing a claim on your own can be found here." (Note that this only applies if you purchased a computer for use in California.) Other companies will probably come out with their own approach to trading settlement money for goods, too, so if Lindows isn't your choice, waiting is a good idea.
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.
{Emphasis added}
The free PC requires to to pay for shipping & handling and we know that can sometimes be very expensive.
Like the beaver, it's just Dam one thing after another
This gave me a splendid idea!
California is only one state, right? So why don't the rest of the 49 states in the US sue Microsoft so they have to pay up to 52.8 billion dollars in settlement instead?
That should take care of 'em! Bwhahaahhahah!
What's so bad about being lazy? What if there was a war and nobody showed up?
From what I read, they don't require the proof that the settlement requires, so how are they going to get the money? And what's stopping you from filing claims with both MS and Lindows? I doubt MS is going to share it's data with Lindows.
666-607: 6th floor apartment of the beast
Nobody can submit claims until two months from now, at which time Alvarado is expected to approve the exact wording of the public notification of the settlement.
So there will be a fairly short window of opportunity.
But this, to me, is much more interesting.
Two-thirds of the unclaimed money will go to California public schools in a mix of donated Microsoft software and cash grants. Although the maximum value of the settlement is $1.1 billion, Microsoft could end up paying as little as $367 million in cash, which is what it would owe to California public schools if no vouchers are claimed. If all vouchers are claimed, Microsoft would be required to pay the maximum, but schools would then get nothing.
Now I wonder how this part of the negotiations worked out. The more that is claimed by Californians, the more they are effectively taking away from the public schools.
So (in a fit of pure speculation and knowing bugger all about how these things work in that great state), is there a chance that educational organizations might start running radio advertisements encouraging people to voluntarily give up their claims so that the money can automatically go to the schools? And, if that were to happen, and be successful in any quantity, might it then be possible for Microsoft to turn around and say, "see, people really didn't care that much after all"?
Now, my initial reaction is to think there's no way this could happen. But then I stop to consider just how little reimbursement would actually be involved for most people, and the fact that they have to go through the whole rigmarole of filling out the paperwork and submitting it and so on (unless they take up Lindows on their offer), and it just might work out that a fair quantity of people decide it's not worth it for them and they'd just as soon have it go to the schools.
I find it interesting you are unable to learn the details of their "instant settlement" plan until steps 7 and 8... after you provide your:
(1) email address;
(2) tell them the number of covered products you purchased, where you purchased them from, and when you purchased them;
(3) tell them what Lindows package you want (sorry no returns or refunds...);
(4) provide them your name, address, phonenumber, and LAST FOUR DIGITS OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER ; and then
(5) digitally sign a verification under penalty of perjury...
After giving them that information, then they will tell you the details of the "instant settlement" plan.... I hope someone files a class-action against this site soon....Or better yet, where is the California Attorney General on this one?
--Kobayashi--
People will use Lindows for a few weeks, then sales of Windows XP will spike up as people decide to get work done instead of fighting their OS.
Disclaimer:
I am running Gentoo, RedHat, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows 2003 in the room I am in. I belive they all have their uses. I just don't like Lindows.
I think I might still have my original cd's for 95, 98, and 2000. But the problem is I don't have ANY of the paperwork that came with them. I might have the cd's on a little slip of paper with them, but I never thought i'd get anything back for them so I never bothered to keep that stuff, plus it's been oh 8 years since I bought win95 and i'm not a pack-rat. Since they ask for the "original certificate of authenticity" can I just send them my original cd's? I'm sure they'd be able to tell that they are real and not "fake" whatever that means...
any ideas suggestions?
Ave Molech Setting
If there hold is slipping then they don't have an effective monopoly. I think I will stick with the dictionary definition instead of making one up. You also can't say they are maintaining their OS monopoly using Office because Office is not a concern to most Home users and Office is available on the Mac.
Microsoft is guilty of bullying. They have a lot of companies by the balls and they use that to their advantage. They do not, however, have the home user by the balls. The home user sticks with Microsoft not because Microsoft has a monopoly but because they see no reason to switch. Most of them also see no reason to upgrade and that is why Windows 98 is still very common.
Lindows is a bit strange if you ask me. The default user is root, there's a "My Computer", there's a "My Documents" folder, and the icons are stolen from MacOS X. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen; you can't steal other people's icons!
And the fact that it's debian doesn't make me feel any better. So what if it's Linux, they took all the good stuff* out!
* Like apt, decent icons, stability, not having to pay for the Gimp (they charge you at their site!!), etc.
My other car is first.
The predator is the intelligent person who understands what it means to be an entrepreneur. They create marketing departments for the sole purpose of selling useless widgets for a profit. These marketing departments hire psychologists.
The prey on the ignorant masses that purchase things they see advertised by "cool" people on TV. They are being manipulated every day by commercialism and our use of psychologists.
interesting reference
Here's a quote:
"We are writing today about the latter prohibition. We are concerned that members of the APA are ignoring it, for monetary gain. They are not using their knowledge to mitigate the causes of human suffering. They are using it instead to promote and assist the commercial exploitation and manipulation of children. As individuals, that is their right, of course. But as a profession dedicated to human welfare, psychologists have a responsibility to the public. The APA should not condone such behavior among its members, nor should psychologists look the other way."
Looks to me like they are preying on children. If children, like the elderly, in our society are not one form of prey I don't know what is. This is truely sick, btw. This is "our way of life".