[Sussex] This is appalling... Dutch Pass iPod Tax

[Gareth Ablett]

 From: Paul Turner [mailto:pturner at rentokil.com]
 Subject: Re: [Sussex] This is appalling... Dutch Pass iPod Tax
> 
> Gareth Ablett wrote:
> 
> > From: Paul Turner [mailto:pturner at rentokil.com]
> > Subject: [Sussex] This is appalling... Dutch Pass iPod Tax
> >
> >
> >>Just read this on slashdot:
> >>
> >>An anonymous reader writes /"The Register is reporting that in a few
> >>short months a proposal to tax all MP3 players in the Netherlands
will
> >>become law
> >>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/04/27/netherlands_ipod_tax/
> >>
> >>The levy taxes 3.28 euros ($4.30 US) for every gigabyte of capacity.
> >>
> >>
> >This
> >
> >
> >>means a 60GB iPod Photo will be hit for an additional 196 euros
> >>
> >>
> >($258),
> >
> >
> >>all of it going to the record industry's copyright collection
> >>
> >>
> >agencies.
> >
> >
> >>And they call file sharers thieves?"
> >>
>
>>http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/05/04/29/0537213.shtml?tid=176&tid=98/
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >I can see the reason behind it with the amount of illegal mp3
downloads
> >still going on but that would probably just stop people buying the
damn
> >things.
> >
> >Anyway isn't an iPod photo for storage of photos aswell so
technically
> >if one was not to use for music then they shouldn't charge.
> >
> >
> 
> I can see the reasoning behind it too.
> 
> But consider this.  What do they classify as an mp3 player?
> 
> I have recently purchased a new PC with a 160GB harddisk that came
> pre-installed with the software to play mp3's.  Technically from an
mp3
> playing perspective there's not much difference, a hard disk and some
> pre installed software/firmware.
> 
> Now under the proposed Dutch law I would pay 524.80 EUR, about 350.00
> GBP additional tax.  Thats more than I paid in total!
> 
> And this is already happening in Germany, there is a tax on all hard
> drives (I don't kow how much).
> 
> I appreciate that mp3 priacy is a _BIG_ problem, but we could all end
up
> paying for it indirectly in the long term if this sets a precident..
> 
> And if I people do end up paying extra hundreds of pounds in an
> anti-priacy tax, I could easily see this actually encourging piracy...
> 
> 
> 

What you may end up seeing is the introduction of a software mod on the
ipod and other mp3 plays to play formats other then mp3 as mentioned on
the site. 

But alternatively if this became a more widespread thing it could see
the introduction of mp3 players being sold separately to the storage
part.

Gareth Ablett
Systems Developer

ITP Services Ltd.
http://www.itpserve.co.uk/

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