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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.

3 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. and here's the math... by martin-boundary · · Score: 4, Funny
    Cost of 17.9 million x $10 dollar rebate vouchers on future Microsoft software purchases for Iowa citizens: $179 million

    Cost of 7.5 million x $10 dollar rebate vouchers for a team of attorneys: $75 million

    Look on the senior partner's face when 25 trailer trucks full of printed rebate vouchers enters the parking lot: priceless.

    There are some jokes money can't buy. For everything else, there's Slashdot.

  2. $75 million! by drspliff · · Score: 4, Interesting

    And the attorneys will get $75 million, $8 million of which covers expenses.

    I call bullshit, why are they getting this when their expenses are significantly lower and it isn't part of the money given out to everybody who bought Windows?

    I'd be seriously pissed if I found out lawyers were skimming massive amounts from public settlements on behalf of my state or county. Where's it going eh?

  3. 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.