Comments on: Microsoft settles IBM antitrust claims

Settlement will give Big Blue $775 million plus a $75 million credit toward Microsoft software.

[hion2000]

These lawsuits need to actually hurt.

$850 million can be shrugged off by Microsoft, especially considering the company is estimated to be worth 40 billion dollars. It would be great if a sizeable chunk were taken out (1/3 or higher at least), especially considering that a huge portion of Microsoft's wealth probably came from monopolizing tactics itself.

One slashdotter mentioned it would be like convicting a bank robber to give back 50% of what he/she stole!

[Mekayla_98]

Moreover

Not only does the money need to be proportional to the damage, but the money needs to go back to the CONSUMERS who MS ripped off and was able to build the empire off of. If MS just keeps doling out dough to the next monopoly, the cycle of exploitation and usurption will never cease.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

$75 Million Credit???!

How generous!!! Reminds me of Microsoft's
generous offer to 9/11 victims of free software!
There is a distinctivly strange sense of value
these days. Perhaps $75 million worth of insurance
for software failure due to inept architecture
or design. That would be of value providing ofcourse
you actually use MS software.

[Thunder Johny]

software failure

http://www.analogstereo.com/vacuum/miele_s4780_vacuum.htm

[Earl Benser]

Once more,

MS cash soothes the legal waters. And I'd say that they got off
cheap with IBM. Hopefully, the EU penalties will be more significant.
But actually, anything less than a $10B fine is meaningless. After
all, the payments are deductable.