OT: Microsoft Settlement, Class Action Options

[d7n7master]

Hi All (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wavey.gif)
If you haven't heard, us Cal folks have some microsoft money coming our way.
Wouldn't want any of us 2 miss-out. Hurry quick. 1/8/05 is the last postmark accepted.
Quick!!! Go to:
www.microsoftcalsettlement.com (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)

[mohnliting]

O.K. - Maybe it's not worth wasting my time, but I'll try to make sense without using vulgarities or demeaning others.

Back in 1982 I bought a 1981 Chevy Citation. I owned it for 9 months. During that period of time I went through 3 transmissions, two wheel bearings and power steering pump. It was a huge lemon. Needless to say, I learned my lesson. I didn't buy another Chevy until 1998 when I bought a 1996 Chevy S-10. I hated the Citation and wasn't going to let Chevy sell me another lemon. I had alternatives and I used them.

So, you hated Win 3.1. Then why buy 95, 98, ME or XP? Especially if you hated each one in succession? There are alternatives.

Yes, I have reformatted my harddrives and re-installed windows many times over the last 13 years or so. I just reformatted my daughter's and wife's computer harddrives within the last month. However, I enjoy the benefits that Windows provides and I am willing to put up with the inconveniences. I like the fact that I can easily build my own PC, replace parts that die and use powerful software that is available for the Windows operating system.

Has Microsoft practiced tactics that are probably unfair to their competitors? Undoubtedly. However, the consumer has enabled them to do so by continuing to purchase their products. And, I am sure that the competitors would have done the same had they been able to do so.

There is an old saying that goes like this - Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me. If you don't like the product that Microsoft provides then pay more money and buy a Mac or remove Windows from your PC and go with Linux (a fairly viable alternative these days.) However, if you continue to purchase products that you feel are inferior then you enable the manufacturer to continue providing inferior products.

You say, Microsoft is too big to take on. Well, IBM used to think the same thing. So did Novell. I remember when Word Perfect was the "king" of the word processor. Apple had the corner on the market for educational institutions not so many years ago. Microsoft only "rules and reigns" as long as the consumer permits them to do so.