taxes on (potentially fostering piracy) CD burners

[Stefano Maffulli]

This is one of the headlines that makes me spill the coffee on the keyboard 
(I almost trashed the laptop, should be more careful).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1411000/1411939.stm
[...]
The Stuttgart district court ruled that Hewlett Packard would have to pay a 
fee on every CD burner it sells in Germany, arguing that the technology was 
being used to lift music off the internet in contravention of artists' 
copyright. 
[...]
Germany's powerful copyright lobby welcomed the judgement. 
[...]
In theory, GEMA would like to claim copyright fees from manufacturers of 
computer printers, high-speed modems and even hard drives. 

As the article implies, this case could set a precedent also for other 
European countries .... brrrrr chills. What will be next? Prevent crime 
putting all citizen in jail periodically as "prevention"? Giving a fine to 
every car-driver each day because s/he could park in no-parking zone?
Could be a Simpsons episode, but it's not :(

I better go clean this keyboard, it's sticky :-)

See ya
stef

-- 
Stefano Maffulli aka Reed                   | Milano Linux User Group
http://www.zoomata.com a close-up on italy  | http://www.milug.org
To err is human...to really foul up requires the root password.