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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.
Well, I really have no interest in Lindows, but this is a great idea! RedHat should be doing this!
From the MSfreePC.com FAQ page:
Q: Is there a deadline for me to make my claim using MSfreePC.com?
A: Yes. The MSfreePC program is scheduled to end at the latest March 15, 2004. However, depending on demand levels, the ability to use MSfreePC.com to get an Instant Settlement* could end at ANY time [emphasis theirs], so you'll want to make your claim today! Also, keep in mind that the FREE PC offer is only valid for the first 10,000 claimants who acquire $100 worth of products through the MSfreePC program.
Depending on the robustness of the MSfreePC.com server, "depending on demand levels" may mean that "the ability to use MSfreePC.com" could end about 10 seconds after the story shows up on Slashdot...
If it does get Slashdotted, though, I've still got the FAQ in cache and would be happy to post it.
Stressed? Me? Of course not. Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
Now *that's* some good creative thinking there. Who ever said that all marketing folk are good for nothen eh? ;-)
Seriously, I'm looking forward to seeing how this initiative pans out - getting it mentioned on Slashdot is a good step towards getting the viral marketing concept going though!
A little planning goes a long way...
That this 1.1 billion dollars won't even come close to bankrupting Microsoft.
But at least it's more the slap on the wrist that the Feds gave them.
These PCs... are they distributed under the GPL, or aren't they truly free?
I am getting a copy of Lindows, a two button mouse, and a 486DX33mhz!
i think i'd much rather have the money than a crippled copy of debian. Is there no provision to get cash back instead of an operating system you don't want?
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}
used the "Instant Settlement* Wizard" yet to see how much they can get?
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?
Whoever came up with that should be promoted. Just think, you can get someone else to screw over Microsoft on your behalf.
God Bless the USA!
R-
Hard loop..... huh?
Dynamic Designs
Note that participating in this involves signing over your claim to Lindows. This is probably a good thing. Lindows are a major pain in the ass for the boys from Redmond, and they deserve our general support for this.
It's hard to understand the hostility some people demonstrate towards Lindows, which is a good package, well-made and well-supported. It's not ideal for pioneer Linux users, but you do have a large choice of alternatives. What Lindows has done is to demonstrate the possibility of a migration path from Windows to Linux, and for we should be grateful.
Incidentally, to those who say Lindows is "crippleware" it's very hard to cripple Debian, which classically bootstraps from a diskette. You do need to know what a shell prompt is, and how to use apt-get, but that's about it.
Ceci n'est pas une signature
while i'm all about microsoft taking it in the shorts, who cares about a free copy of lindows? it's a proprietary piece of software (not that being proprietary is necessarily a bad thing), and, um, linux is free?
it's almost like buying fake dog shit when i've got a perfectly healthy dog producing the real thing every day before lunch...
well, it's nothing one behind the ear wouldn't cure
It's really an advantage to them, when it is supposed to punish them. In exchange for giving away some free CD's that cost them about 1.4 cents each to press, they get a huge foothold in the CA schools, which are a main cash-cow for Apple. Bureaucracy as it is, once you get the momentum going with free crap from MS, you become beholden to it in the long term. In a few years when the vouchers run out but the computers are still around, you better believe they will be shelling out cash for Windows XYZ or whatever pourous OS comes down the pike. Remember, this is a company sitting on a savings account of $100 billion! They could give the stuff away and still make money just by charging for upgrades...
(With homage to Please, we all understand that you can build a "Most Excellent" PC with glowing neon lights and water
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
I'm sure that the lawyers are very happy with this case against Microsoft because for every dollar that Microsoft is fined the lawyers will get a dime. It's the case of the lesser of the two evils - whilst Microsoft may have a few questionable business practices, it's the lawyers that are bleeding this country dry.
And as you've pointed out, it's very hypocritical for Slashdot to cheer on this lawsuit whilst criticizing SCO.
Isn't this kind of a form of scare tactics? "Get it now, from us, or you may never be able to get it"
Yes, it is. Did you have a point to make?
Those who would give up liberty in exchange for security and DRM should switch to Microsoft Palladium!
...if someone sues IBM? Do we get a free copy of SCO?
[[ the only 15 letter word that is spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable: it may soon be, however. ]]
Allowing courts and governments to determine pricing is bad precedent.
Californian's wonder why businesses are leaving in droves will soon see other effects. You cannot have predatory governments and courts and expect your economy to thrive.
Right now the cost of doing business is not high enough to force everyone out, but inch by inch they leave. (iow, we know Ms will never leave, but there are smaller companies who other effects of the abuse of government and courts there)
Don't cheer crap like this.
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
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.
Stupid.
Avoid giving in to the temptation to just list things you haven't purchased. You are declaring, under penalty of perjury, that you really did buy them. And unless you're the president of the US, perjury is a serious offense.
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--
I had an XT when we lived in California in 88 (I think) Do I still apply? :)
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.
to learn more information, you need to click on a flash presentation, which requires a plugin. hmmm...
My problem? I was perfectly gruntled, until some numbnuts came by and dissed me.
Part of this program allows you to get StarOffice 6.0 for either Microsoft Windows or LindowsOS which would cost $69 from Amazon.
You can immediately download a fully functioning digital copy. So even if you're not interested in LindowsOS (which it seems dumb not to at least check it out) there is something else of real value.
The whole tab is on Microsoft. This seems like a win-win.
ummmm
except this lawsuit has merit
SCOs doesn't
and...bitch all you want about lawyers...it's more work than it seems.
For every dollar of lease or loan for Wintel machine, they keep a dime. Even when a refund from the MS occurs, they still get to keep thier dime.
Who cares if the bankers provide a service. Who cares if the bankers have evey right to try to make a profit just like everyone else. Who cares if nothing large gets bought or sold without such services.
No, lets just complain that they are making profits while doing nothing. That is the mature, educated, and informed thing to do.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
...Redhat should be smart and aggressive?
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
Am I a member of the class if I stole MS software from a location in California sometime during the period in question?
Businesses will not just leave CA; there are just way too many customers here.
If you mean "service industry businesses" then you're right, if you mean all businesses in general then you're wrong and late besides. Manufacturing is gone. Intellectual is moving as I type this. Only in the service industry does the physical location of the business mean diddly to the customers.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from a rigged demo.
Manufacturing and Services are not the only two businesses. Retail will not move. Agriculture will not move. Government will not move (ha, ha, okay not quite a business, but they do mean jobs). Intellectual is moving mostly only on the customer service side (to India, which is due to labor market, not any rules CA government may come up with). Other areas of intellectual are just plain dying on the vine due to the flailing US and world economy. There are still lots of jobs in engineering in California.
Boeing has so many job openings that they are hiring almost anybody who can breathe (in Anaheim). It has been my experience that people who cry about loss of jobs are too lazy to get one or not as good as they think - ie they overprice themselves.
They are deciding through a court what you or a corporation is permitted to charge.
Only if you or the corporation is a convicted monopolist.
The normal assumption is that market forces will ensure a reasonable degree of equity. In the case of a monopoly, those market forces do not exist and some other form of relief is necessary.