PDA

View Full Version : SOLD.....errrr......Taken---Can anyone use this software?



Mark Rios
07-19-2006, 3:02 AM
Okay....please bear with me.......

I own a Western Digital external hardrive. Apparently, there was a lawsuit regarding my (and others) particular model. This lawsuit was settled. The owners of the affected drives were awarded some back-up software. I know nothing about this software except that it is apparently back-up software and that this lawsuit dealy thing is absolutely legitimate.

This is the software:

http://www.emcinsignia.com/

This is just the company page to tell you about and show you the software.
Click on the "New EMC Retrospect 7.5" button for home and home office.

This tells you a little bit more about the software. Maybe you will understand it a little more than I do.

I have no use for this software. If anyone would like my copy, PM me. I will give you my email address and the serial number of my hardrive. You will need these to download the software.

Here is the page you will go to for the software download. If you click on the FAQ's, you will find one that deals with assigning this software to someone else. This is allowed apparently, I assume in case an owner has sold or given his hardrive to someone else.

http://www.wdc.com/settlement/login.asp

It is software for a PC or a Mac (I have a Mac). It's yours if you want it.


Ernie got this last night. Thanks to all for reading and for better explanations than my sorry ones.

Art Mulder
07-19-2006, 6:51 AM
Hey, Mark,

Just as extra info for people... There used to be a small-ish company that made backup software. The software was named "Retrospect Remote". My company used to use it about 4 years ago. It is a pretty good package for workgroup backup software.

Then the company was bought out by storage giant EMC.

I've never heard of this lawsuit and I'm rather mystified as to why someone would sue WDC to force them to provide backup software. Weird. (maybe something about misleading advertising?)

best,
...art

Joe Pelonio
07-19-2006, 7:20 AM
I'm somewhat familiar with that one. Western Digital, like many hard drive manufacturers, quotes its capacities in metric Gigabytes - where 1 GB is 1000 Megabytes. In reality, computers actually work in binary GB, where 1 GB is 1024 MB. WD's 120GB drive actually only shows 111 GB in Windows.
So people sued and as a buyer of that product you were part of the lawsuit unless you opted out by returning a letter that would have been sent to you by the attorneys at some point. In this case the settlement was $30, and WD opted to provide the software rather than a check. I recently received a settlement on a suit against my business credit card processing company, and they sent out checks ($35).

Mark Rios
07-19-2006, 8:42 AM
Thanks Joe, you are exactly right. Thanks for explaining it much more concisely than I could. :D

Art, if I've read and understood correctly, this software is a later version of th software that you mention. The company has something to do with Dantz. I think that EMC has bought them or they've bought the software or something like that.

Anyway, thanks to both of you for providing the extra info.


Anybody want the software?

Mark Rios
07-29-2006, 1:21 PM
Just a bump to bring this thread around again.

This is a free giveaway. BTW. I'll wait to hear from someone for another week and then I'll delete the post and delete my email with the offer.

Thanks for looking.

Marty Walsh
07-30-2006, 9:31 AM
Just a bump to bring this thread around again.

This is a free giveaway. BTW. I'll wait to hear from someone for another week and then I'll delete the post and delete my email with the offer.

Thanks for looking.

Mark,

If I haven't missed the window of opportunity, I'll be more than happy to give your 'winnings' a try. With the multiple computer household we have, I'm currently backing stuff up manually onto an external HD. If this software is any good, it might make the task a little easier and automagic.

Thanks in advance...
- Marty -

Mark Rios
07-30-2006, 10:12 AM
Very sorry Marty, someone got it last night. Thanks very much for your interest though.

Marty Walsh
07-30-2006, 10:57 AM
Very sorry Marty, someone got it last night. Thanks very much for your interest though.

Timing's everything...thanks anyway Mark...

- Marty -

Russ Filtz
08-03-2006, 7:31 AM
I think they got hosed and it was a trash lawsuit. Pretty much all HD makers rated their sizes that way, it was common knowledge to anyone working with hardware.

Kind of like when people complain (or sued, I don't remember) about cereal boxes not being "full". That's cause it's sold by weight, not volume.

Not sure how they rate size now, haven't had to upgrade in awhile! Maybe now all brands have changed to keep from getting sued.