RE: [Fsuk-manchester] Non Windows tablet tax in France

[Luke Taylor]

> What does everyone think of this?
> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101227/18004912429/france-wants-to-extend-private-copying-levy-to-tablets-not-if-they-run-microsoft-windows.shtml
> Basically, the French government seem to be assuming that people
> buying tablets with a non-Windows OS will pirate it and install it
> anyway and so are considering charging a tax on all non-Windows
> tablets in a similar fashion to the tax on CDs. I can see this being
> the start of a slippery slope if it gets passed, does anyone know if
> this is likely to happen?
>

My understanding of the situation is that the motivation for this tax is not the assumption that windows will be pirated and installed on an iPad (impossible?) but that the iPad is a medium like a CD that can and will be used to store copyrighted material. Windows tablets are considered to be more PCs than humble mediums and so are categorised differently. Wildly inconsistent and out of touch, of course.

Luke