Microsoft Class Action Suit Outcome: Indifference

Ec|ipse writes points out that only about 7 percent of eligible Californians have decided to take Microsoft up on their settlement claims resulting from a class action suit in that state, writing "Microsoft contends that it's because the software giant is so popular with consumers." Eclipse excerpts from the press release on Yahoo! (from Settlement Recovery Center, a company that "helps businesses participate in class action settlements"): "With only two weeks remaining until the January 8 deadline, fewer than one million claims have been filed, out of some fourteen million eligible, for a share of the $1.1 billion fund arising out of the Microsoft class action settlement in California."

Comments

MS is bad, so here is a cupon for MS software.

[Maul]

This settlement is a joke, and it is no wonder why most people aren't bothering. As far as I can discern, in exchange for making a claim, I get a $15 voucher towards MS software.

So instead of $299.99, that copy of Windows XP Pro is $284.99 for Joe Consumer. Also as pennance, they give free copies of Windows and Office to schools (and probably somehow get a tax write off).

Lawyers get rich(er) and Microsoft strengthens their monopoly as a result.