Sweden already have this and was lobbied and implemented by an organisation called Swedcopy like a year ago. Most swedes don't know about this extra taxation due to popular news media never really brought it up. I found out about it due to a brief article on a PC magazine.
Those affected and who complained a lot were of course businesses who sell these things. But apparently they were forced into accepting the new taxation.
As a Swede I'm directly affected by that Germany now implemented this slave tax, due to I figured I could import products from Germany instead of buying them in Sweden.
What this seems to imply is that those in power seem to plan this in the EU behind scenes. Keeping it from public as much as possible and using the you are all pirates as an excuse for the extra taxation.
Bethesda this is not looking good at all. There's already enough silly fights over patents. Shall we now argue who owns what word? If you trademark my first name will you then sue me so that I have to change my name? This is going too far. Someone must stop this madness.
Trademark applies within a category - they have the right to The Elder Scrolls as it relates to video games. If they made a video game that was called your first name, and they trademarked that, you couldn't make another video game called your first name, but they have no rights over the word in the context of person names, etc.
It's not as insane as it might seem at first glance.
If Microsoft wants to destroy itself then it should focus only on HTML5/Javascript. Corporations are all about speed and efficiency and to compare .Net vs HTML5/Javascript is insane.
I've been programming in .Net for years now, but recently as I got new projects I figured to use them in HTML5/Javascript instead. But after countless of hours research it turns out .Net is by far the most efficient and only option in terms of speed and most direct relation to the hardware, which was important for my projects. They both play a part and neither should be ruled out. Using HTML5/Jquery for web projects and .Net for projects which requires quick access to local resources. Two different worlds.
If I were Microsoft I would focus fuse those two worlds together. And if they can add 1+1 this is their intent.
The developers and corporations will continue to use whatever means to maximize profit with the most efficient way for their app. And the corporations in whole is who steer the direction of the consumer market in the end. Not one or two companies.
Corporations use .Net not because Microsoft tells them to do so, but because it is most the efficient.
From a consumer point of view it might not be so easy to understand how these things works, as all you see in media is Microsoft that and Apple that and then one might think that's all there is to it.
Recently when I started to outsource work I noticed everyone had Skype and wanted to use Skype. Skype is the no1 general platform for reliable business communications today. I got amazed myself how many actually use Skype in this sector.
Skype is the new msn for voice chat and has been for quite a while. One of the reasons Skype is so attractive for businesses is the encryption methods it uses. I know the governments are annoyed by Skypes encryption due to they cannot listen and spy on those talking there.
Paypal is notorious to freeze accounts as they like, and bully people around. They can do this because they know they are big. Now they are starting to force their own political agendas on the world population as well. I've quit my account with them because I want this world to be a better place to live in, than being controlled by a bully who harass people.
All you have to do is combine your request with an image of a headless suit or Guy Fawkes mask and upload it to /b/ every hour or so. Anonymous will get right on it.
You've made me realize what I think is a startling bit of irony.
Many people -- WikiLeaks, in fact -- are protesting US action in Iraq. They are particularly upset about the "collateral damage" of civilians being caught up in the violence.
Yet here, those cheering for the DDoS attacks in support of WikiLeaks are just shrugging off the collateral damage that this attack is causing.
Addendum: the quick, reflex downvotes are really annoying. If you think I'm not contributing to the discussion, please at least take the time to explain why. It seems to me that there's a patter for these. I lose a few points immediately, but then as more thoughtful people actually take the time to think about it, the score climbs back up into positive territory. That suggests to me that the down-votes are just readers being petulant because I disagree with them.
Nobody's dying here. There's a crazy amount of talk here about WL trying to bring down government or the collateral damage to business and equating that to civilian deaths.
I don't know if Assange goes around saying "anarchy for everyone!" and I don't care. I don't like the idea of vast swaths of government operating in secret. From the CIA, to the closed door congressional meetings.
Second, it's only money. In the scheme of things it's probably a net positive for the economy as alternatives are explored, supporting perhaps financial startups, security firms are employed, etc.
You (and lot's of others) are comparing that to leaks detailing loss of life. I don't get it. The moral compass on HN is weird.
Those affected and who complained a lot were of course businesses who sell these things. But apparently they were forced into accepting the new taxation.
As a Swede I'm directly affected by that Germany now implemented this slave tax, due to I figured I could import products from Germany instead of buying them in Sweden.
What this seems to imply is that those in power seem to plan this in the EU behind scenes. Keeping it from public as much as possible and using the you are all pirates as an excuse for the extra taxation.