Lindows muscles in on Microsoft $1 billion settlement

Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
edited September 2003 in Science & Tech
The Inq: <a href="http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=11585&quot; target=_blank>Lindows muscles in on Microsoft $1 billion settlement</a>

The company announced the "MSfreePC" program (www.MSfreePC.com), described as "a web service designed to help Microsoft customers process their settlement claims from the $1.1 billion settlement Microsoft has agreed to pay." The deal sounds enticing on the face of it. "You may be eligible for a FREE PC and allowed to purchase up to $100 worth of software paid for by Microsoft!", it reads.

That refers to a settlement reached earlier this year, after a California court ordered the Vole to pay up to $1100 millon greenbacks to consumers, over a five-year period, due to Microsoft's practice of overcharging for Windows, as we reported <a href="http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=7150&quot; target=_blank>here</a>.

In reality, the "free pc" and "free money" that the site talks about seem to be actually some credit to buy a LindowsOS PC, in order to trade with Lindows Inc. the right to collect the settlement money from Microsoft on your behalf. A disclaimer on the site reads: "Your "Instant Settlement" is the credit that Lindows.com will give to you to immediately purchase products using the MSfreePC program in exchange for the right to process your settlement claim on your behalf"

<a href="http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=11585&quot; target=_blank>more here</a>

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Overcharging for Windows?

    Apparently capitalism is illegal now.
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited September 2003
    Capitalism isn't illegal, but Monopolistic practices (such as when you charge a fee for every PC whether your software is loaded or not) are

    Mercury News: <a href="http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/business/columnists/gmsv/4943139.htm&quot; target=_blank>Microsoft, California Reach $1.1 Billion Settlement</a>

    <i>article excerpts</i>

    It helped that Townsend and Townsend was first off the mark. It started when a Los Gatos hospital maintenance engineer, Charles Lingo, got fed up when he tried to buy a laptop without Microsoft's pre-installed operating system. <b>He tried to get a refund for an undesired copy of Windows 95, but met a brick wall.</b>

    "We proved, and Microsoft has admitted. . . that our consumers are entitled to nearly 30 percent refund of every dollar that Microsoft took from them for spreadsheet and word processing software over a seven-year period,'' said Crew's partner, Grossman.
  • kanezfankanezfan sunny south florida Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    don't bother arguing with a republican about big business, money is GOd@!
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited September 2003
    Actually Thrax has some Liberal Leanings... ;D;D;D

    World's Smallest Poilitical Quiz
    Thrax said
    It says I'm left liberal.

    The test must be malfunctioning.

    To this day I wonder what his answers on the test were :D
  • kanezfankanezfan sunny south florida Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    it says I'm a libertarian. i guess i'll have to support the green party now? nader has no chance, that's a wasted vote. actually i think wesley clark is finally a worthy democratic candidate.
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited September 2003
    We're getting Off topic

    I started this Libertarian thread here
  • CammanCamman NEW! England Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Lindows sucks, they're just trying to take advantage of the situation and rip people off
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