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Iowa Antitrust Case Costs Microsoft $255M

Posted by kdawson on from the cheap-at-half-the-price dept.

The judge in charge has approved the payout for the case, which was settled seven months ago. Iowa citizens will get up to $179 million in refunds and the attorneys will get $75 million, $8 million of which covers expenses. There's another $1 million in there for legal aid. Individual consumers pocket very little: they can file for $16 for each copy of Windows or MS-DOS purchased over a 12-year period, and $29 for Office. Such a payout would serve as a deterrent only if all 50 states had sued and won similar amounts. Alone it's a slap on the wrist.

2 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What's that sound? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The sound of MS getting stung for millions is strangely similar to the sound of Gates slapping his wallet on the desk and asking "you got change? Smallest bill I got is a billion"

  2. Re:A Slap on the Wrist? by Swampash · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Since when is a quarter of a billion dollars a slap on the wrist?

    When it's imposed upon an entity that makes 13 billion dollars every three months and records that against offshore subsidiaries that pay no tax?

    Just a thought.