Iowa Antitrust Case Costs Microsoft $255M

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.

Comments

Microsoft won't pay the entire amount.

[Futurepower(R)]

"Since when is a quarter of a billion dollars a slap on the wrist? Sure, it's not earth-shattering, but come on, man!"

Slashdot readers are millionaires who read Slashdot while sitting on the decks of their yachts or flying in their personal jets.

The point people are making is that the fine is far too small to encourage Microsoft to stop being adversarial toward its customers. Anyhow, I'm guessing that Bill Gates would rather be poor than be good towards customers. Sometimes the adversarial behavior seems to me to be the real purpose behind his management philosophy.

Actually, most people won't do the paperwork, or won't have their receipts. The actual money paid by Microsoft will be less than the maximum amount. From the article:

"Similar cases against Microsoft in other states have resulted in huge unclaimed portions of the settlement and that is expected to happen in Iowa, too, said Microsoft lawyer Rich Wallis.

"As a result, Microsoft agreed in the settlement to provide half of any unclaimed amount to Iowa public schools in the form of vouchers that can be used to buy computer equipment."

Other news: Twitter wrote a front-page Slashdot story!

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