French politicians want to tax tablets for not running Windows

[Doug Pollard]

On 01/03/2011 05:53 PM, Nathan Bahn wrote:
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 3, 2011 at 4:29 PM, Doug Pollard <dougpol1 at verizon.net 
> <mailto:dougpol1 at verizon.net>> wrote:
>
>     On 01/03/2011 02:38 PM, Avi Greenbury wrote:
>
>         Nathan Bahn wrote:
>
>             Attention all--
>
>             I can't help but get the impression that French
>             legislators and M$
>             lobbyists are joined at the hip.  I could be wrong, of
>             course.....
>
>         I'm reminded of the advice to not ascribe to malice that which may
>         explained by incompetence.
>
>         It's worth noting, too, that the distinction is between mobile
>         operating system and 'PC' operating system. That is, Windows 7
>         is as
>         taxable as OSX or, say, Ubuntu. It's Windows Mobile 7 that's
>         not deemed
>         taxable (being a mobile system) and I'd imagine iOS is similarly
>         excluded.
>
>         The distinction is, obviously, harder to draw with Linux which
>         is so
>         portable by design, and has no need for a distinction between
>         'mobile'
>         and 'PC' editions.
>
>         I've not yet seen anything that refrains from sensationalism
>         by enough
>         to really understand what's going on here, though. Just a lot of
>         exclamation that the French government is out to destroy Linux or
>         something.
>
>
>      I am skeptical of the whole thing.  Most of the time Governments
>     pick out the underdog and take from the wealthy for the poor to
>     garner votes.  Why would they side with big bad Microsoft,  there
>     is no glory in that.  Sounds like one more Internet cry of wolf at
>     the door.                   Doug
>
>
>
>
> D.P.--
> Please tell me that you're joking; irony doesn't translate very well 
> to the written word.
> --N.B.
> -- 
> Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments.
> See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
>
I am absolutely serious.  It may be ironic but it is what fascism is 
about. They might be able to get millions from MS but they can get 
billions from the lower and middle class by appearing to champion them. 
The middle class is where all the money is.  You only have to leave him 
enough to eat, 25% of his income. Take more and he leaves for another 
country. You can only take a business mans profit and that is only 15 to 
30% of his income. Take more and he also leaves.   Why would any liberal 
politician get close to big buisness it's the kiss of death in a 
socialist/fascist country like France, and it's where the least money 
is. With millions working in governemnt do you think a deal with MS 
could be kept quiet??  It would be out on wiki leaks in a heart beat.   
                      Doug
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