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Microsoft Will Pay If Its Bugs Damage Your Data

Posted by Zonk on from the microsoft's-two-cents dept.

RMX writes "CNet is reporting on a new Microsoft policy where they will pay if their software damages your data . There's a pretty low limit on what they will cover and "it also applies even if Microsoft knew or should have known about the possibility of the damages" but at least it's nice that they're specifying exactly to what length they'll go to cover their customers. Is this the "support" from proprietary vendors that corporations like so much?"

21 of 330 comments (clear)

  1. 5 Bucks??? by lecithin · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Microsoft will reimburse direct damages up to $5 for problems associated with the new downloadable tool that wards off spyware, adware and any other "potentially unwanted software."

    That is a very low price for data.

    I don't think that corporations would care about this.

    --
    It could be worse, it could be Monday.
    1. Re:5 Bucks??? by Quasar1999 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I once had Visual Studio crash, and take out my filesystem completely while I was working on a network driver at work... it blew away close to 2 days worth of work... I had to come in and work on the weekend instead of going on a roadtrip with my friends as I had planned... What if that would have been the one time I'd have met a woman drunk enough to have sex with me? There isn't enough money in the world to cover that... although... I think $5 will tide me over... do you think I meet their criteria?

      --

      ---
      Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
    2. Re:5 Bucks??? by ron_ivi · · Score: 5, Informative
      I don't think that corporations would care about this.

      Well. Then what is it they pay for?

      • Bug fixes? Not a chance - when I called Oracle or Microsoft about bugs / crashes in their databases the best answer I get is "Wait for our next release" and the worst answer I get is "ok, i've logged your report". When I ask the same to Postgresql's mailinglist, I get a patch the next day.
      • Risk of end of life software? Not a chance - when a commercial software vendor does poorly (HP) support for much of their software is killed, when a commmercial software vendor does well (peoplesoft) many of their product lines are killed. When a product is open source, regardless of if it does well (Ximian) or poorly (Blender) it's products survive.
      If it's not for this generous monitary guarantee, what is the appeal?
    3. Re:5 Bucks??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      What if that would have been the one time I'd have met a woman drunk enough to have sex with me? There isn't enough money in the world to cover that.

      There isn't enough alcohol in the world to make a woman want to have sex with you either.

    4. Re:5 Bucks??? by bleckywelcky · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Seriously, calling Microsoft for $5 is the last thing on your mind after working on a project for a whole day and having Windows magically lose it. I was building a data parser for the raw outputs from a lab machine one time. The code was fairly simple and straight-forward, but it still took a day to build and ensure that it handled everything properly. After compiling at the end of the day, I went back to the source code to add a few more comments and it was gone. Just up and gone, no evidence of what had happened or anything. This was on my own personal computer that no one else uses, so no one else had messed with it. Immediately after it disapppeared I used some recovery tools, assuming a program had deleted it somehow. But nothing, not a single trace. It really baffled me for a while and I never did find it or figure out what had happened.

    5. Re:5 Bucks??? by r0ckflite · · Score: 4, Informative

      Bullshit on oracle. we have support, yes we pay for it. When our data was corrupted we spent 8 hours on the phone with oracle support and they got it back for us. When we find a bug, we get a patch quickly or a work around.

      Yes, MS provide no support. Oracle actually does.

      --

      Push the button Max!!!!

  2. WOW!!!!! by kikta · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Five whole dollars???

    Why would anyone migrate away from Microsoft products now?

    P.S. On a serious note, doesn't this potentially open them up to being sued for damages? I know they're claiming otherwise in the EULA, but once the door is open...

    1. Re:WOW!!!!! by Auckerman · · Score: 4, Funny

      Let me tell you a secret. People have simple and short memories. Structured sound bites is the way things are remembered. If you pay close enough attention, you can see it at work all around you.

      Boss: "Why should I go with Apple, Microsoft will pay me for my lost data?"

      Peon: "Sir, they will give you $5"

      Boss: "Shutup boy, that's so wrong as to be stupid."

      Remember, the "absurd" is ignored, the "favorable" is repeated.

      --

      Burn Hollywood Burn
  3. About time by Lisandro · · Score: 5, Funny

    I swear, if i had a buck for each time a Microsoft product damaged my dat...

    Oh... wait...

    1. Re:About time by unitron · · Score: 4, Funny
      " I swear, if i had a buck for each time a Microsoft product damaged my dat..."

      You don't, but Bill does.

      --

      I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.

  4. Stefanie Olsen: Sarcasm Queen? by bigtallmofo · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Microsoft offers $5 windfall for errant software"

    Did anyone else find it extremely funny to see such flagrant sarcasm in this news.com.com headline?

    --
    I'm a big tall mofo.
  5. Anyone know WHY they are doing this? by rokzy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    $5 is nothing, probably doesn't even cover cost of applying for it. so why bother?

    advertising scam about "financially backing" their software as opposed to OSS?

    tax scam?

    stock scam?

    come on, it's got to be some sort of scam.

    1. Re:Anyone know WHY they are doing this? by Software · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Scam is a little harsh. They are doing this for the PR and FUD value, pure and simple. "Microsoft stands behind its products. We'll even pay you if we damage your data. Do you other vendors offer this?" Of course, this offer applies only to their spyware tool, but they'll still make the claim, and it will be true. Nobody will bother to make the claim (who wants to spend an hour filling out forms, etc. for $5 ?), and they'll use THAT as evidence of their software's reliability.

  6. Fine print... by LoverOfJoy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Please send in your request along with $4.99 for shipping/handling...

  7. linux admins may scoff by matthewg42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's easy for all you Linux admins who cost so much to scoff at 5 bucks, but for the average windows professional, it's a lot of money!

  8. It's not Microsoft products in general... by norminator · · Score: 5, Informative

    According to the AntiSpyware Beta end-user license agreement (EULA), Microsoft will reimburse direct damages up to $5 for problems associated with the new downloadable tool that wards off spyware, adware and any other "potentially unwanted software."

    They are talking only about the Beta for the MS Anti-Spyware. Everything in this /. post seems to make it look like it's MS software in general. Sorry, you only get money if the Anit-Spyware program screws up your stuff.

  9. Microsoft Will Pay If Its Bugs Damage Your Data by frovingslosh · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Rather than Microsoft Will Pay If Its Bugs Damage Your Data, the headline should have read Microsoft Says Your Data Is Only Worth $5 .

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  10. Seen it before in MS EULAs by DaveM753 · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've seen that $5 liability limit before in other Microsoft EULAs. It's nothing new -- been there for years. I wonder why CNet is only now mentioning it???

  11. Re:Value of data by BandwidthHog · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can only pray that Monsanto doesn't prove you wrong some day.

    --

    Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
  12. Re:Legality by kikta · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Which I think is fair. However, Microsoft is now admitting responsibility for the bugs and that they can cause damage sufficient to warrant monetary compensation.

    This is opposed to their previous stance of claiming that their software has no fitness for any purpose or merchantability. This new policy goes against that previous claim. That's why I think the door may have creaked open for the right lawsuit to succeed in claiming, "No, we suffered a loss that should be compensated by one million dollars, not five." And when Microsoft tries to get it tossed out on the basis of their claims in the EULA, this policy will be shoved in their face.

    Just a thought.

  13. Re:Legality by ari_j · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was going to mod you up, but I'm going to agree with you explicitly instead.

    Settlement agreements are generally contracts that say "A gives B $X and B promises not to sue A for Y."

    So if you accept the contract from Microsoft which says "Microsoft gives Joe $5 and Joe promises not to sue Microsoft for the loss of Joe's data," you can't sue them later for the loss of your data. But if you refuse the $5, you can.

    The question is, however, whether the EULA includes a term saying that "If you lose your data, your only remedy is to accept a $5 settlement from Microsoft." And, if it does, would a court rule it unconscionable, meaning that it's so apalling and unfair that they will refuse to enforce that term of the agreement.

    But yes, they are definitely apparently admitting some degree of responsibility for lost data, though, and that's step one.