Microsoft Settles Six Class-Action Suits

Bootsy Collins writes "Microsoft has reached a settlement in class-action lawsuits filed against them by five states and the District of Columbia. Two of the six settlements have already been approved by the relevant courts. The settlements would provide $200 million in vouchers to past purchasers of Microsoft software. The vouchers can be used to purchase hardware, software, or training; suprisingly (given plaintiffs' willingness to roll over on this issue in the past), vouchers used for software need not be used to purchase Microsoft products. More on this story from the Washington Post as well as many other news sources."

Comments

Wow man, you gotta love that.

[mindstrm]

I mean, it always comes down to vouchers.

They gave away some software.. OHH THE PAIN. HOW MUCH IT HURTS.

Keeps their marketshare up, doesn't really cost them any real capital, just a slight market dilution, and so on. Not like, say, 200 million in auto parts.

It should have been CASH.

That's great

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

vouchers used for software need not be used to purchase Microsoft products.

But how much do you bet they will anyway?

Like: Hey, we've got all this money we can do whatever we want with : how about we go get new computers? guess what's installed on the computers that will be paid in the machines' price tag?

Unless people massively buy non-Intel boxes and/or Unix software, I'm willing to bet this will mean more money in the bank and more market penetration for Microsoft. Even if Linux, BSD or some other non-Windows OSes are actively promoted, you'll find a lot of Microsoft keyboards or mice in the hardware.

How could it be otherwise? Microsoft has the market so well cornered that sooner or later, a lot of the settlement money will come back to them.

The Lawyer's Should be Paid in Vouchers

[Nom du Keyboard]

The lawyers who agreed to this settlement should be paid in vouchers. Let this happen a couple times and maybe some proper settlements would be reached.