Microsoft Settles More Lawsuits

Ridgelift writes "Microsoft has settled with the state of Tennessee to the tune of $64 million dollars. This comes on the heels of more settlements with North and South Dakota, and will likely be similar to the settlement with North Carolina in issuing vouchers. Hopefully there will be more websites to help customers receive their refunds, or help donate their vouchers to help the Free Software Foundation."

Welcome to the land of the free

[BlackCobra43]

Where you'll never be "bad" or "a criminal" if you have money.

Re:Welcome to the land of the free

[zison]

Tell MJ that.

$64M is chump change.

[zurkog]

...For Microsoft, that is. A quick google search indicates they have roughly $40 Billion in cash and short-term investments to draw upon if needed. That's analogous to your average person having $4,000 in their savings account, and getting hit with a $6.40 fine.

Monty Burns: "Smithers, get my checkbook."

That being said, maybe Microsoft will eventually die the death of a thousand paper cuts...

yes, small potatoes for M$, big win for FSF

[ciaran_o_riordan]

> $65M is chump change for microsoft

Certainly, but people only have to channel 1% of that to the FSF and we can almost double FSF's annual revenues. Microsoft may not do much with $65M, but FSF could rock their monopoly with it.

Re:yes, small potatoes for M$, big win for FSF

[zurkog]

> people only have to channel 1% of that to the FSF and we can almost double FSF's annual revenues

Good point, admittedly one I hadn't thought of. Now if we can only convince Tennesseeans to "purchase" free software from FSF with their vouchers.

Re:yes, small potatoes for M$, big win for FSF

[tiger99]

Better to use half the money to set up a competitor to the FSF, so they don't get accused of being a monopoly! If some major application, not necessarily a kernel, "controlled" by the FSF was to gain dominance in the market, Bill would be very quick to complain. They already on numerous occasions eg in South America have made the spurious claim that the use of free software is anti-competitive. If two benevolent bodies each control a sizeable part of the market, I doubt that a monopoly could be alleged to e

How 'bout EFF?

[siskbc]

If the goal is really fighting rights abuses, EFF sounds like the better recipient.

Where...

[Pig Hogger]

Where do you want to go to court today???

Metric of State AG Effectiveness

[4of12]

Between Microsoft and the tobacco company settlements, residents of states ought to evaluate the effectiveness of their government appointed watchdogs by dividing the settlement size by the number of residents in the state.

Impoverished states like New Mexico caved [usatoday.com] early as Microsoft offered settlement terms that include attorney's fees.

Enough Settlements. Let's Convict

[Confessed Geek]

It's probably just selfish on my part, but I wish the states would stop setteling and go for the throat and get a conviction so we can start setting up some precedents here. Wouldn't puntative damages come to more than these settlements?

others?

[Uma Thurman]

What other states might be getting vouchers in the future? I could use some new equipment.

Re:others?

[traulevelu]

just trying

does anyone know how to file a claim?

[eljasbo]

I live in Tennessee and would love to take advantage of this for myself and my company. However, i see nowhere in the article about how to see if I am elegible or the procedure to file a claim. Does anyone have more information?

Re:does anyone know how to file a claim?

[welshsocialist]

I couldn't find anything on Google on the settlement. Try contacting the Tennessee AG [state.tn.us].

Microsoft's Lesson #2

[Zw5]

Hopefully the next round of lawsuits will come, esp. since Microsoft is still a bully and needs another lesson.

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