Microsoft and the state of Mississippi said on Thursday they have settled over the price of Office and Windows. Microsoft will pay the state $40 million and provide $60 million in vouchers to consumers and local governments.
Products eligible for the $12 vouchers include three older Windows versions–Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME. Among those that qualify for the $5 vouchers are Office, MS-DOS, Windows 1.xx-3.xx Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT Workstation, Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
Bryant said that since the settlement provides one-time money, the funds should be used for one-time expenses such as upgrading equipment that the State Tax Commission uses to track tax payments and receipts.
“There are a lot of one-time uses we can use that money for,” Bryant said.
Hood said Mississippi schools, businesses, local governments and others will get about $60 million in vouchers to buy software and computers with Microsoft products as part of the deal.
Hood said he hoped the settlement would allow state lawmakers to put money in a fund that subsidizes and reduces drivers’ annual costs to renew car tags.
In the next few days, you can visit the Attorney General’s website to learn how to obtain the vouchers.