Shoulder Surfing: the act of reading over the shoulder of another person (typically, in a crowded situation such as train, airplane, or public seating area) who is using a laptop computer. A solution: 3M's Privacy Filter, among others.
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3/29/06: I was invited to take part in a class action suit (Cox et al. v. Microsoft Corporation, Case No 105193/00) brought by the State of New York against Microsoft. The complainant says that anyone who purchased certain Microsoft products between May 18, 1994 and December 31, 2004, (under certain conditions) may participate in this suit and any resulting penalties.
What did Microsoft supposedly do? "New York claims that Microsoft violated New York's antitrust and consumer fraud laws and thereby overcharged consumers for certain of its operating systems, word processing and spreadsheet software."
Microsoft, for its part, responds that "it did (not do) anything wrong and contends that it developed and sold high quality and innovative software at fair and reasonable prices."
Ok, so some people think that Microsoft charges too much for its software, given that many users have no real choice in the marketplace. (A subject for another column!)
But here's the silly part: both sides agreed, so there was no judgement (that is to say, Microsoft was not found guilty). Instead, Microsoft agreed to pay a settlement (in other words, pay a "tax"
to the state of New York and its attorneys).
Your part in this settlement, if you choose to name yourself as a member of the "class" in the class action, is this: $12 each for any purchase of Windows 95, 98, 98SE, or Windows ME. $5 eachfor any purchase of MS-DOS, Windows 1.0-3.11, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows XP Professional. $5 each for any purchase of Office, Word, or Excel.
You, as a class member, must prove your purchase (should be no problem to dig out a receipt for that copy of Windows 3.11 you purchased in 1995...). And oh, wait, one more thing: you don't get money, you get a voucher that you can use to buy computer-related software and hardware!
Yes, it's true that businesses can submit more multiple instances of product, which might add up to, oh, maybe $1000 or so!
The final provision isthat "If less than $225 million provided by the settlement is claimed by consumers, one-half of the difference between $225 million and the amount actually claimed by Class Members will be distributed as vouchers to New York's public schools that serve students from low-income households."
So, thanks, Microsoft, for paying this year's school tax increase for us, the citizens of New York.
Time Waste Alert! Visit www.albinoblacksheep.com
3/29/06: I was invited to take part in a class action suit (Cox et al. v. Microsoft Corporation, Case No 105193/00) brought by the State of New York against Microsoft. The complainant says that anyone who purchased certain Microsoft products between May 18, 1994 and December 31, 2004, (under certain conditions) may participate in this suit and any resulting penalties.
What did Microsoft supposedly do? "New York claims that Microsoft violated New York's antitrust and consumer fraud laws and thereby overcharged consumers for certain of its operating systems, word processing and spreadsheet software."
Microsoft, for its part, responds that "it did (not do) anything wrong and contends that it developed and sold high quality and innovative software at fair and reasonable prices."
Ok, so some people think that Microsoft charges too much for its software, given that many users have no real choice in the marketplace. (A subject for another column!)
But here's the silly part: both sides agreed, so there was no judgement (that is to say, Microsoft was not found guilty). Instead, Microsoft agreed to pay a settlement (in other words, pay a "tax"
to the state of New York and its attorneys).
Your part in this settlement, if you choose to name yourself as a member of the "class" in the class action, is this: $12 each for any purchase of Windows 95, 98, 98SE, or Windows ME. $5 eachfor any purchase of MS-DOS, Windows 1.0-3.11, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows XP Professional. $5 each for any purchase of Office, Word, or Excel.
You, as a class member, must prove your purchase (should be no problem to dig out a receipt for that copy of Windows 3.11 you purchased in 1995...). And oh, wait, one more thing: you don't get money, you get a voucher that you can use to buy computer-related software and hardware!
Yes, it's true that businesses can submit more multiple instances of product, which might add up to, oh, maybe $1000 or so!
The final provision isthat "If less than $225 million provided by the settlement is claimed by consumers, one-half of the difference between $225 million and the amount actually claimed by Class Members will be distributed as vouchers to New York's public schools that serve students from low-income households."
So, thanks, Microsoft, for paying this year's school tax increase for us, the citizens of New York.
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