Quote:
Originally Posted by Barcey
The type of tax that you're describing is a very sore point with me. I've written to my MP to complain about it and I've never done that before. I don't pirate books or music but if I buy blank CD's and DVD's to backup data on my computer I have to pay a tax to support artists because I "might" copy pirated music to them? There is nothing fair about this in my view and it's an example of special interest lobby groups at their worst.
We had such a tax on MP3 players in Canada and Apple took it to court and won the case to have it removed. Of course I didn't get an automatic refund but at least when I bought my latest iPod I didn't have to pay it again.
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So, you've actively complained about an extra few cents' cost tacked onto blank CDs and cassettes? Well, that's your prerogative. After all, no one likes taxes. However, that "tax" was the compromise reached to make content available to you, and which allowed you to buy things like VCRs and blank CDs at all (which I'm sure you'd agree is pretty convenient for you). And most people don't even know it's there.
No, it's not fair... it's just the best compromise available to deal with an established cultural phenomenon, and it does provide some small compensation for copywritten works. If you know of a better way to do it, this is the place to discuss it!