infernalC writes "Reuters is reporting that Samsung has agreed to plea guilty to charges of price fixing in the memory market in a $300 million settlement." From the article: " Samsung would become the third chip maker to plead guilty in the wide-ranging probe of the prices of dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, chips. The Justice Department has blamed the price-fixing conspiracy for driving up the price of chips used in products ranging from personal computers and servers to cell phones, cameras and game consoles." Samsung To Pay Out $300 Million In Anti-Trust Suit Log in/Create an Account | Top | 189 comments | Search Discussion Display Options Threshold: -1: 189 comments 0: 186 comments 1: 165 comments 2: 113 comments 3: 24 comments 4: 15 comments 5: 10 comments Flat Nested No Comments Threaded Oldest First Newest First Highest Scores First Oldest First (Ignore Threads) Newest First (Ignore Threads) The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way. So expensive (Score:1, Funny) by DingoGroton (885094) on Thursday October 13, @04:19PM (#13784725) So thats why I can never afford anything! [ Reply to ThisRe:So expensive by pilgrim23 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:06PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. And How Does This Help Me? (Score:5, Insightful) by Nom du Keyboard (633989) on Thursday October 13, @04:19PM (#13784727) Samsung has agreed to plea guilty to charges of price fixing in the memory market in a $300 million settlementThis may enrich the justice department, computer companies, and/or their shareholders, but how does it help me? [ Reply to ThisRe:And How Does This Help Me? by PacketScan (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:23PMIf you want to... by alexandreracine (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:23PMRe:If you want to... by sanx (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @08:50PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by ChocoBean (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:29PM Re:And How Does This Help Me? (Score:5, Insightful) by nurb432 (527695) on Thursday October 13, @04:31PM (#13784887) (http://slashdot.org/~nurb432/ | Last Journal: Friday August 27, @04:24PM) IT wasnt designed to help you, dear consumer. You have been screwed, and you must learn to accept that.The government gets the extra cash, and of course the lawyers.We the consumers, almost never get a break after its proven we overpaid.I bet prices wont even drop after this, 'due to inflation'. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:And How Does This Help Me? by ZachPruckowski (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:01PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by Chris Burke (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:27PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by ZachPruckowski (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:44PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by Chris Burke (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:05PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by alc6379 (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @10:36PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by Gaurang (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @11:09PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by alc6379 (Score:1) Friday October 14, @12:19AMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by HardCase (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:23PM'due to inflation' by nurb432 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:56PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by pete6677 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:03PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by barum87 (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @06:58PM Re:And How Does This Help Me? (Score:4, Informative) by kilgortrout (674919) on Thursday October 13, @08:33PM (#13786991) I know this is slashdot and no one reads the article but really. This was a criminal prosecution for price fixing brought by the US Dept of Justice and I can assure you those government attorneys will be getting their usual monthly slalary. The $300 million metioned in the article is a criminal fine to be paid to the government.And for the other legal retards out there, criminal fines are not normally divied up among members of the community; it goes into the treasury. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:And How Does This Help Me? by KillShill (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:43PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by NormalVisual (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:21PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by rob_squared (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:41PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by evilviper (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:18PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by NanoGator (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:31PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @06:03PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by NanoGator (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:06PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by Moofie (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:13PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by NanoGator (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:58PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @07:13PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by bdcrazy (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @05:54PMRe:And How Does This Help Me? by utnow (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @10:27PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Holy moley... (Score:2, Funny) by Sinryc (834433) on Thursday October 13, @04:19PM (#13784728) (http://ss4matt.xepher.net/) Yay! Some GOOD Tech news for a change! [ Reply to This $300M? (Score:5, Insightful) by geomon (78680) on Thursday October 13, @04:20PM (#13784740) (http://www.cato.org/ | Last Journal: Sunday April 17, @02:12AM) I always wonder how much these fines really hurt mega-corps. If they were able to control prices so effectively that they were accused of price-fixing, then the potential profits from that enterprise would be in the billions.Seems like these fines are just the cost of doing business. I'm sure that $300M is a lot less than their manufacturing charges, or even their advertising expenses. [ Reply to This Fines and Penalties (Score:5, Informative) by SeanDuggan (732224) on Thursday October 13, @04:23PM (#13784791) (http://www.xanga.com/duggan/ | Last Journal: Tuesday April 12, @07:18AM) Well, in theory, it's supposed to discourage them because fines will continue and increase if they continue such a practice. However, the companies are always able to switch to the next shady business practice. [ Reply to This | Parent Re:Fines and Penalties (Score:5, Insightful) by geomon (78680) on Thursday October 13, @04:30PM (#13784870) (http://www.cato.org/ | Last Journal: Sunday April 17, @02:12AM) However, the companies are always able to switch to the next shady business practice.And they do so without admitting guilt.I wish I could break laws and not admit guilt.I guess we should all become corporations. That way we could just disincorporate and reincorporate under a different name.Beats going to jail. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Fines and Penalties by ergo98 (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:40PMRe:Fines and Penalties by geomon (Score:3) Thursday October 13, @04:45PMRe:Fines and Penalties by StikyPad (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @09:00PMRe:Fines and Penalties by geomon (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:09PMRe:Fines and Penalties by uncqual (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @05:30PMRe:Fines and Penalties by geomon (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:50PMRe:Fines and Penalties by Slow Smurf (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @07:12PMRe:Fines and Penalties by uncqual (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @07:18PMRe:Fines and Penalties by ergo98 (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @05:55PMRe:Fines and Penalties by geomon (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:18PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Fines and Penalties by RingDev (Score:3) Thursday October 13, @05:57PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:$300M? by ergo98 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:33PMRe:$300M? by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:42PMRe:$300M? by NormalVisual (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:25PMRe:$300M? by corngrower (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:38PMRe:$300M? by mikael (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:45PMRe:$300M? by geomon (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:49PMRe:$300M? by mikael (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:21PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Do we get any of our money back? (Score:4, Interesting) by SeanDuggan (732224) on Thursday October 13, @04:20PM (#13784748) (http://www.xanga.com/duggan/ | Last Journal: Tuesday April 12, @07:18AM) I guess the question is, do those of us who have bought memory during this time get money back? My first impression would be no, as this is a criminal suit, not a civil suit. *shrug* If that's the case, I'm sure there will be some opportunistic^K altruistic lawyer who will file one on our behalf for a substantial legal fee^K^K^K^K^K pro bono. [ Reply to ThisThat would be a class action suit by Presence1 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @11:40PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. So... (Score:3, Interesting) by steveo777 (183629) on Thursday October 13, @04:21PM (#13784753) (http://slashdot.org/) Does this mean Apple is off the hook in Korea [slashdot.org]? Or are they twice as screwed because they got "fair" prices? [ Reply to This1 reply beneath your current threshold. Doesn't matter..... (Score:5, Funny) by 8127972 (73495) on Thursday October 13, @04:21PM (#13784757) ...... cause I can't afford the price of gas so that I can drive to the computer store to buy that "affordable" RAM. [ Reply to ThisRe:Doesn't matter..... by bcat24 (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:23PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Clod9 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:55PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:34PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Bob McCown (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:47PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:54PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by aaronl (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:08PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by KilobyteKnight (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:22PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:37PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by KilobyteKnight (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:49PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @06:10PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:58PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:41PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @06:52PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:01PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @07:17PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:24PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @07:30PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:48PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @07:54PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NaruVonWilkins (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:56PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by Moofie (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @08:11PMRe:Doesn't matter..... by NoGuffCheck (Score:1) Friday October 14, @12:32AMRe:Doesn't matter..... by bcat24 (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:33PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.1 reply beneath your current threshold. What this translates to... (Score:2, Interesting) by mpath (555000) on Thursday October 13, @04:22PM (#13784771) is the lawyers are getting $275mil and then everyone else gets a buck. ;) [ Reply to ThisRe:What this translates to... by Kainaw (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:25PMRe:What this translates to... by ChocoBean (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:32PMRe:What this translates to... by m00j (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @10:47PM what about (Score:3, Interesting) by Rac3r5 (804639) on Thursday October 13, @04:22PM (#13784772) what about those oil and medical companies that drive the prices on the smallest pretext [ Reply to ThisRe:what about by raoul666 (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @09:17PM $300M? Who gets paid? (Score:1) by wedding (618458) on Thursday October 13, @04:22PM (#13784774) And I'm sure the consumers will reap the vast portion of that 300M, right? We lost money due to Samsung's fixing, right?Oh, the Justice department FINED them. Guess it'll be going to prosecute 12-year olds for mp3 swapping or some such good use. Whew, I don't know what I would have done with my $0.12 after the lawyers got paid.I guess the fines are nice, but I much prefer a nice class action lawsuit when gouged. [ Reply to ThisSettlement will finance the War on Porn by kylef (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @05:53PMRe:Settlement will finance the War on Porn by Y0tsuya (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @08:08PMRe:Settlement will finance the War on Porn by bani (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @08:33PMRe:Settlement will finance the War on Porn by amalcon (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @09:43PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. The Real Question... (Score:5, Insightful) by caenorhabditas (914198) on Thursday October 13, @04:23PM (#13784782) The real question here seems to be, "Will Samsung actually change their practices?" In many high-profile anti-trust cases, it seems that the government will fine the company involved, but then the company goes back to the same old tactics of price fixing and other monopolistic behavior. How does the DOJ propose to prevent Samsung from illegal tactics in the future? [ Reply to ThisRe:The Real Question... by bani (Score:3) Thursday October 13, @04:29PMRe:The Real Question... by gregbains (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:31PMRe:The Real Question... by jafac (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:47PMRe:The Real Question... by kansas1051 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:01PMRe:The Real Question... by GreyWolf3000 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:33PMRe:The Real Question... by M. Baranczak (Score:3) Thursday October 13, @06:52PMRe:The Real Question... by the.Ceph (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @10:44PMRe:The Real Question... by jzeejunk (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @05:16PMRe:The Real Question... by HardCase (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:59PM1 reply beneath your current threshold. Hah! My life is about to get 10x more difficult. (Score:1) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 13, @04:23PM (#13784793) Being in the unique position of actually working Samsung customer service, I say Mo' Power to Da Peeps. While the company does produce some great products, they are about the most inept, poorly ran company on the face of the planet, at least on the customer service side.Of course, I'm sure this means my call load will be slammed by people wanting free memory or some crap for this. The nice thing is, I work on the Consumer Electronics section, and not the Semiconducters. Mwahahah. [ Reply to ThisRe:Hah! My life is about to get 10x more difficult by kyouteki (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:51PM Cue the libertarian economists (Score:5, Insightful) by Marxist Hacker 42 (638312) * <seebert@seeberfamily.org> on Thursday October 13, @04:24PM (#13784804) (http://www.informationr.us/ | Last Journal: Thursday October 13, @08:28AM) Who will tell us all how regulation will never solve anything [slashdot.org] and how the government is evil for trying to break up this scam based on their own outlandish economic theories. Of course, from my way of thinking, $300 million, or even $485 million if you count the fine against the other chip manufacturer fined so far, is probably just a drop in the bucket compared to the money earned by this scheme. We're lucky to have a regulated economy where the government can do *something* about this at least- but if you think this is going to make those who like money more than people stop trying to destroy the free market, then I've got a bridge or six in Portland to sell you.... [ Reply to ThisRe:Cue the libertarian economists by JasonKChapman (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @05:22PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:41PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by GreyWolf3000 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:39PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:53PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:00PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by dada21 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:17PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:33PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by dada21 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:54PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:01PM1 reply beneath your current threshold.Re:Cue the libertarian economists by iminplaya (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @05:03PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by servognome (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:14PM Re:Cue the libertarian economists (Score:5, Interesting) by dada21 (163177) * <{dada} {at} {dnginc.com}> on Thursday October 13, @05:04PM (#13785275) There isn't easy empirical evidence or equations to be had.The Austrians (Mises, Hayek, Rothbard, Rockwell) point to the fact that money is a commodity affected by supply and demand and that prices are as well.When you involve a million regulations, tariffs, taxes and fees, it is very difficult to scientifically attribute prices to reality. Fox example, gas. The price of gas is affected by too many government mandates to set an equation to. Mandated blends, refinery monopoly, distribution restrictions, price controls, etc. Did you know we sell our oil to Iraq for pennies a gallon? Government gas needs also raise prices by reducing supply.In a free and unregulated market, the best quality and best price occur from billions of consumers making unique choices.Economics to me is philosophical today. How else can you account for nearly every American putting faith in legal counterfeiting (inflation) and legal bubble-building (artificially low interest rates and artificially high loan acceptance due to FNMA)?Don't read Mises for junk science, read Mises to better understand those you put in public office. [ Reply to This | ParentRe:Cue the libertarian economists by servognome (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:58PMRe:Cue the libertarian economists by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:07PM3 replies beneath your current threshold. Micron Tech organized the price fixing, then ... (Score:4, Interesting) by rlglende (70123) on Thursday October 13, @04:27PM (#13784830) I believe the story here is that Micron Technology organized the price fixing ring, then informed the government(s), thereby obtaining immunity.This is an interesting strategy for handling competition, but dont' fool yourselves that it means lower prices for anyone.Lew [ Reply to This1 reply beneath your current threshold. So what does the fine help? (Score:2) by Z00L00K (682162) on Thursday October 13, @04:30PM (#13784876) Require them to deliver a large bunch of memory packages (with a 10 year guarantee) for free to anybody that can claim that they have been suffering from the price. [ Reply to This increased RAM prices to help Rambus out? (Score:3, Interesting) by dueydotnet (805472) on Thursday October 13, @04:32PM (#13784894) Just did a little bit of searching when I read the article. According to wikipedia, the first motherboards with Rambus were in 1999, and Intel had an agreement with Rambus to use their RAM until 2002. These are the same years quoted in the article. I wonder if there are other players in this game other than Samsung? [ Reply to ThisRe:increased RAM prices to help Rambus out? by Toveling (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @06:10PM How much! (Score:4, Interesting) by squoozer (730327) on Thursday October 13, @04:34PM (#13784919) (http://www.shallowsea.com/index.html) What I would like to know is how much money it is estimated they made from price fixing. While $300 million is a lot of money I can't help feeling that they made a lot more than that and therefore over all they have still made a profit. Personally, I think these companies should be fined to the point where they are all but bankrupt. After all it's not like they did it by accident. Perhaps makign the directors personally liable would be another route to take. The threat of a couple of year behind bars would probably make them care about shady practices. [ Reply to ThisRe:How much! by HardCase (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:04PM Greasy Wheels of Justice (Score:2) by Doc Ruby (173196) on Thursday October 13, @04:35PM (#13784929) (http://slashdot.org/~Doc%20Ruby/journal | Last Journal: Thursday March 31, @02:48PM) Every time I notice a stall in falling memory prices, I shortly afterwards hear about some massive anticompetitive corporate behavior. The penalties and other inhibitors clearly aren't working: they're accounted as just another cost of doing business, another risk. We need to see actual justice being done, not just cranking up the admission fees to the market exploiters' club.And when are we going to find out why LCD prices haven't fallen? [ Reply to ThisRe:Greasy Wheels of Justice by KillShill (Score:3) Thursday October 13, @04:52PMRe:Greasy Wheels of Justice by Doc Ruby (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:06PM Wonderful! (Score:5, Insightful) by medeii (472309) <medeiiNO@SPAMhotmail.com> on Thursday October 13, @04:36PM (#13784939) (http://www.sociallytangent.com/) Now, can we do something about the other [riaa.com] industry [microsoft.com] cartels [wal-mart.com]? [ Reply to ThisRe:Wonderful! by The Bungi (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:43PMRe:Wonderful! by KillShill (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:54PMRe:Wonderful! by ediron2 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:09PM Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time (Score:2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 13, @04:41PM (#13784993) http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/200 4/206631.htm [usdoj.gov]Four Infineon executives were sent to prison (albeit briefly) as part of their plea bargain, also in SF Superior Court. [ Reply to ThisRe:Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:49PMRe:Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time by DNS-and-BIND (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:28PMRe:Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:45PMRe:Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time by HardCase (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:09PMRe:Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @06:39PMRe:Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time by DNS-and-BIND (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @07:57PMRe:Jail Time As Well? Infineon Execs Serving Time by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @08:08PM Clas-action time? (Score:2) by saskboy (600063) on Thursday October 13, @04:42PM (#13784999) (http://www.abandonedstuff.com/ | Last Journal: Thursday October 13, @03:34PM) Does this open the door to a class action lawsuit against Samsun or other chip manufacturers, so that we can recover some of the lost money we paid out in an agreement we though was fair at the time [or at least fair enough to bother buying?].How is the consumer going to see any of this fine money otherwise? [ Reply to ThisRe:Clas-action time? by jac0b84 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:48PMRe:Clas-action time? by saskboy (Score:1) Thursday October 13, @04:53PMRe:Clas-action time? by jac0b84 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @05:40PMRe:Clas-action time? by Marxist Hacker 42 (Score:2) Thursday October 13, @04:56PM I'll be the voice of dissent, then (Score:1) by biznes2biznes (922590) on Thursday October 13, @04:55PM (#13785154) (http://www.experienced-people.co.uk/)