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Microsoft Iowa Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Verdict

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I grew up in Iowa. In fact, I spent most of my life there. Today, I received in the mail a claim form for the Iowa vs. Microsoft law suit that was settled. Let’s take a closer look at this, shall we?

Apparently, as long as I kept good records and still have my original CD keys from wayyyyy back then, I can receive money! This applies to people who lived in Iowa and bought these products from May, 1994 up until June of 2006. I could get $16.00 for Windows or DOS, $29.00 for Office, another $25.00 for Excel itself and $10.00 for Word and HomeEssentials. Wow. I can submit up to 29 claims. However, I have to provide not only the cd keys, but also date purchased, place of purchase, and more.

This is what I think of this settlement. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiip. That’s right. I ripped up my claim form. I feel that this whole lawsuit was ludicrous from the get-go, and should never have been filed. Those are just my personal feelings. Microsoft is a good company. Their practices… well, some people don’t like them, but others do. I just don’t think it’s right for any state to go after Microsoft the way they did. The market itself will ultimately decide what way things should go.

What do you think? Do you agree with me? Do you disagree? Leave me a follow up comment to this video, or shoot me an email to chris@pirillo.com.

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37 Comments

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I live in Iowa, i dont sound like that, im not a moron like most people in this town lol. Im glad you got out man, it got crazy in the Dubuque area with a bunch of racist bullshit. Im moving out of Iowa too lol. I got this letter though too, i didnt get anything in cash yet and i sent my in along time ago.

All Iowans! Caucus for Barack Obama in January!

Oh and I suppose you do because you’re putting comments on everyone’s video to get a life? How ironic…

I think this is bullshit.
Go ahead Iowa and try to get things done on a computer without Microsoft software.
Most of you rely on Microsoft to do anything on a PC.

well, besides the fact I think the alternatives are way better, I dislike the fact microsoft has a near monopoly on the desktop market. thus having less competense and having less drive to improve their products.

If the people of Iowa went after Microsoft, they might come after you for mocking them, regardless of whether or not you come from there. Whether your depiction of them being rustic and ignorant is true, and in despite of you saying that you don’t intend to offend them, they likely will be offended if they see this video.

I think its BS that companies/states/organizations go after microsoft just because they happen to be most widely used. I could see if microsoft took illegal means to FORCE people to use their software and made it IMPOSSIBLE for any software to be used besides their own.

I made a post about my feelings regarding the latest fiasco with Opera vs microsoft at my blog http://www.scottklarr.com/topic/31/deja-vu—microsoft-under-monopoly-attack-again/ if you care to read. I will never use opera browser or anything by that company again as a result of them doing this because its not right for a small company to leach off a larger company’s success. (FYI, im not a microsoft fan, and dont like windows so my opinions are not biased)

I live in Iowa.. I ripped up the claim form as well. I should have kept it.. and then sent the money right back to MS.

I dislike Tom Miller (Iowa Attorney Gen.) quite a bit. I believe that he is a fool.

These YouTube ads are annoying!

It may be a BS lawsuit, but I’m not passing up my $100 that I can put back into my computer. I don’t expect to see it any time soon though…

While I was once a strong supporter of Microsoft and more recently think that they did abuse their Monopoly power, I have a much stronger contempt for class action lawyers.

Too many times, their interest seems to be more focused on getting big fees as part of a no-fault settlement, rather then on what would really be best for the settlement class.

In the past I’ve blogged about such cases, mostly involving my cell phone provider Sprint.

yeah i cant go fullscreen either

Thats bullshit, exporting people isnt funny.

I can’t even comment. You are a funny fucking super geek!! I work for Intel and I think you ger half you blog from Circuit.

Microsoft software is like….mandatory nowadays. Unless you use mac but i like to game not create movies so ill use windows.

Since the legal aspects of Microsoft’s corporate moves are almost always in a persistent gray area, then the real issue, for many people, would be the intent and motive behind the moves, and such motives are mostly not legally actionable. I remember when Windows 95 was released and Mr. Gates’ public comment was, “So no one would ever need a Mac.” This is terrible. No one else can live? There is not plenty for all? Only I can have success and prosperity? Give me everything and deprive everyone else? No, no, this is miserable selfishness disguised behind the aggressive facade of big-boy corporate competition and dominance. (I could add that there might be some personal vengeance in the mix too, which is never a pretty sight). The larger picture, from the standpoint of human development, is hopeful. The human race seems to be learning, ever so slowly, that sharing and generosity, arising out of genuine compassion for others and genuine concern for everybody’s well-being, is the real fundamental basis of life — NOT the sordid smash-and-grab selfishness of past centuries and ages. We admire Bill for his dramatic achievements and for his vision that looks to the future all the time without letup. What is the point then of allowing this corrosive residue of greedy selfishness, this relic from the past, this aggrandizement of self to the exclusion of all other life, to persist? It’s a mistake, Bill, to look backward in that way. Be the best flower in the garden if you must, but at the same time encourage all the other flowers to grow, then the garden will be really nice.

I currently live in Iowa and i have gotten letters, claims forms, and emails about this. I agree with you that Iowa shouldn’t have gone after Microsoft. Although getting the forms and the letters have given me something useful to start our wood stove with.

Did you realize how much cash you just turn down Chris. There a time and a place to make a statement but when you get handed a blank check cash it in! You must have enough MS CD keys to fill up that form 3 or 4 times.

I wonder what program the state of Iowa used to wirte that claim form.. :)

Essentially, if you are too big, then you will get sued and pay out quickly so as not to lose business.

The market will utlimately decide? Not when a behemoth like Microsoft can “game” the market to its advantage. I have always kept receipts and other documentation for all hardware and software I have bought since 1993. I don’t live in Iowa, but where I live, some time ago, there was a class action settlement for purchasers of Windows 95 and Microsoft Office 97. I think I got about $100. Without discussing the merits of lack thereof, of the class action suit, I used my $100 to buy more software, and Microsoft was able to write off the cost of the settlement as a business expense. While there are many class action lawyers who are greedheads, there are many who perform valiant service for those who could not afford to go forward with a legitimate suit by themselves.

Oh, like Microsoft will really care about this after all.
And yes, they certainly abused their monopoly power several times.

Nvm, I don’t feel like arguing about it anymore… I’m just gonna unsubscribe from your feed.

What was the reason for this lawsuit?

You are a cock! Get a life and stop stressing the wrong part of the sentence.

At this point, Microsoft is not a company that is at the slightest whims of the market. They have essentially no competition on the desktop. Ever read into why that is? I don’t think being a “good company” quite explains it. In any case, ripping up that claim form was even more futile than what this settlement sought to accomplish. And it’s certainly not something worth waiting years for if you ask me.

I also wonder what program the state of Iowa used to write that claim form

There was a comment about attorneys getting fees in all this.

I am not an attorney, nor do I especially care about most of them, I
think some of the lawyer jokes are closer to the truth than many of them
would like to believe.

We all need attorney’s unless we posess the legal expertiese to handle all
of our legal affairs, necessary evil even though not all of them are evil.
99 out of 100 give the one that’s not a bad wrap.

I’m not a big fan of Microsoft but use it almost exclusively at work since
that’s what my employer said we have to use. Use it at home until I can
afford a $3,000. MAC. Don’t want the learning curve of Linus Thankyou.

Microsoft has a monopoly and probably always will, like the Electric and
the Waste Water and regular water companies, what are we going to do
about those, freeze or scorch to death while refusing to pay for water to
drrink or holding our sphincters so we won’t have to use the WWTP’s
because they are monopolies, I think not. Get Real.

i did find that hallarious

Just so you know when you cut down the area you grew up in you are essentially cutting yourself down due to the fact that you are a product of your environment. I have lived in many states as an adult and if I had a choice at this time I would move back to IA in a heart beat.

Saying you’re a product of your environment assumes that where someone lived had a lifetime influence in creating some kind of static personality — nothing is static.

He’s not cutting himself down by making fun of a completely frivolous lawsuit fueled by some state populated by plebeians. If anything, he’s asserting pride for what he perceives as a positive shift in his life’s direction over what he COULD have become if he stayed in Iowa longer than he had.

That would be the whole point of why he tore it up on video.. He stands in opposition to there having been this lawsuit, and as such, isn’t claiming monies not owed to him. He’s told us something about his integrity, just as you have done.

Your sarcasm is demeaning. You show how little you really know about the suit. You did prove however, how people use sarcasm just to cover up their ignorance. Your comments show immaturity and the need for a public speaking class! For being from IA, you sure don’t seem to know that they don’t have southern or hillbilly accents. Time to grow up!

What Do You Think?