Comments on: Microsoft "Blameless" in House Fire Death

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:30:09 +0000

I am disgusted by this: IF ANY? They are totally being apathetic! I hate Microsoft even more now. Maybe it was the family’s fault but what Microsoft just said was atrocious. The least Microsoft could do would be to apologize. I like what Sony did in the stupid Resistance case, they apologized inn a public announcment, then in a letter, then in the newspaper. Microsoft would never do something like that.

By: Shawn Sines

Shawn Sines — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:29:01 +0000

Fenris: Valid points. No less troublesome.. there was a loss of life here, the timing looks coincidental to the recall.. and no we don’t have all the facts. Should the facts bear out that MS is in the clear and the family was at fault I’m sure those trying the case will make that clear. I’m not declaring guilt – merely that it seems a callous statement.

By: Fenris

Fenris — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:10:16 +0000

“I donâ€™t know about anyone else but Iâ€™m personally outraged by this response, particularly the â€œlosses and damages if any,â€ statement. The family lost their home and their child, there should be no question that they did suffer a loss and the mental and emotional damage will last a lifetime. Also that fact that they warned consumers of the potential fire hazard two months after the incident is in my eyes an acknowledgment of the problem at the very least. Until that recall it was not widely known that there were fire concerns with the wiring so how could the family have â€œknowingly, willingly, intentionally, and voluntarily exposed themselves to said danger and assumed the risk of incident, injuries, losses, and damages.â€”

It pretty dumb to blame MS for the way legal statements have to be worded. This is a legal action. Additionally, IF MS is correct and the short was caused by the family (maybe a gigantic tangle of wires and outlets and who knows what else), then their action and point is correct. The most annoying part of your ‘outrage’ is that you simply don’t know (as I don’t) the facts of the case and who was at fault. Innocent until PROVEN guilty. Please get a grip.

By: somewhat

somewhat — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:12:08 +0000

I’m curious as to all of the facts in this case. Maybe there’s some details we are unaware of. I.E. was the XBox modded? Were the owners aware of previous overheating of the unit and decided to continue use instead of replacing the unit? I could see a few reasons like this that would be in favour of a Microsoft decision, but also wonder if the family was just an innocent victim ?

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:58:48 +0000

Thats just bull. I’m glad they sued them. My Xbox sparked inside to and started a fire, I had to get the fire extinguisher and put it out. What happened to the company that cared? I guess it never did…

By: Shawn Sines

Shawn Sines — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:47:46 +0000

Now one thing I didn’t mention in the opinion section of this piece is I don’t see Walmart as a legitimate defendant. They did sell the unit but ultimately they are not at fault for a manufacturing issue.

There are other, better reasons to dislike Walmart. This however is not one of them.