p2pnet - rss feed: Unclaimed Microsoft settlement $$
p2pnet.net News:- There’s close to $1 billion in Microsoft Money waiting to be picked up in California.
But it’ll only be available for another 11 days.
The cash represents pay-outs ordered following a settlement in a class action lawsuit brought against Microsoft claiming anti-trust and California state law violations.
Under it, if you’re in the state and you bought software including Windows, Office, MS-DOS, Word or Excel between February 18, 1995 and December 15, 2001 for use in the state, you could be up for some of the money.
But only until January 8, 2005.
Go here for the full list.
But, “As things stand at the moment, the attorneys could make more money than the claimants in the class action,” says InformationWeek.
Lawyers are scooping $101 million in fees and $11.5 million in expenses, it says, going on to quote SRC founder and ceo Howard Yellen as saying:
“Companies don’t understand what’s at stake. The Microsoft settlement is great, but it’s not well understood. We have quite a few corporate clients who will recover over a million dollars each.”
Companies that upgraded Windows and Office software between 1995 an 2001 have the best chance of collecting, the SRC said, noting that 80% of the Microsoft settlement fees are scheduled to be awarded to companies.
“Individuals don’t have to provide documentation for much of their Microsoft purchases,” adds InformationWeek. “They just need to fill out a simple form available on the Internet to claim up to five eligible purchases. For companies, the process is more complicated as they must file certain software licensing forms and other documentation.”
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See:-
some of the money - Consumers and Businesses in California May Claim Microsoft Settlement Benefits, Microsoft Settlement Site
simple form - Microsoft Antitrust Settlement Dollars Going Largely Unclaimed, InformationWeek, December 27, 2004
December 28th, 2004 at 7:50 pm
The lawyers were paid in cold, hard cash with no strings attached - over $100 million. The people they were supposed to be representing are not going to be getting a penny UNLESS they spend additional money on computer equipment bought after after July 18, 2003. I bought a new computer and lots of accessories just 3 months before that date, therefore I am S.O.L. regarding this “settlement” since these purchases were too late to fulfill the requirement that MS products had to be purchased between February 18, 1995 and December 15, 2001 - yet too early to qualify under the July 18, 2003 to January 8, 2005 period for the requirement for hardware purchases.
As always, it is the lawyers who will be feasting while throwing their “clients” a few scraps in the form of discount coupons.