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Quark said:
It is important to understand that it is the French socialist government that is under attack here and the French "leaders"

...Just wanted to get in on this one. Haven't posted in a long while.

Take Care,
Quark

Yes, blame Socialism. Thanks for posting -- your insight was missed. :rolleyes:
 
Heres a rough translation detailing the tax:

The amount of the royalty will fluctuate, depending on the product type and storage capacity. The royalty varies between 10 euros (less than 40 Go) and 15 euros (more than 40 Go) for interactive television and between 8 euros (less than 5 Go) and 20 euros (40 Go) for the numerical walkmans, Home audio and car radios."

Original text:

"Le montant de la redevance fluctuera en effet selon les produits et en fonction de la capacité de stockage. La redevance varie entre 10 euros (moins de 40 Go) et 15 euros (plus de 40 Go) pour la télévision interactive et entre 8 euros (moins de 5 Go) et 20 euros (40 Go) pour les baladeurs, chaînes-hifi et autoradios numériques."

—> source <—

At least, we now know that as the iPod capacity will increase over 40 GB, the tax will top at 20 euros. It's hard to tax electronics and computers based on their specs because they evolves faster than the tax laws can.

Hmmm... that also means, that if Apple releases their rumored TV peripheral, this tax will apply. (15 euros)

It's kinda sad to see that Apple and the iPod will suffer from tax planned to offset the loss of illegal downloads/copies, when they're the main player in the "LEGAL DOWNLOADS" movement.
 
maelstromr said:
...can you imagine what the Europeans would say if similar things were done to one of their companies?

Oh, you mean like the huge tariff the US imposed on Steel imports? The tariffs that the WTO declared illegal, but the US still refused to remove them? Or maybe the almost 50% tariff that was put on Canadian softwood lumber last year?

Or a tax on compact cars for the Japanese?

Sort of like the massive tariff slapped on Japanese car imports in the 70s and 80s because US manufacturers were so inefficient they couldn't compete? Even today there is a 25% tariff on Japanese trucks - bet you didn't know that, huh?

Get your facts straight, buddy. Taxes are tariffs are par for the course when operating in another country. Its just that Americans only hear about it and care when its one of their companies or industries that has to pay a tax or tariff. You likely never heard of the illegal steel tariff your country imposed, but I bet you would have if another country did it to you!
 
I disagree, and i will leave it at that. Let me ask, do you all pay your sales tax when you say live in KS and buy from an internet company in FL even though the FL company doesnt collect it from you.

Stella said:
Actually, they do have tax liabilities - especially since Apple have a subisdary in france - apple france. If a companies products are sold in a country, that company is liable for the relevant taxes... (barring any loopholes), even over the internet now. The EU recoup sales taxes from US based internet mailing companies on products sold to EU citzens.



Secondly, the french can ban Apple from trading in its country, or even shutdown Apple France, like some one else pointed out.

They (France) can also force all apple products off French shelves.

Yes, even US companies have to abide by local laws...
 
claytonbench said:
I disagree, and i will leave it at that. Let me ask, do you all pay your sales tax when you say live in KS and buy from an internet company in FL even though the FL company doesnt collect it from you.

How is that even related!?!? Your example deals within the same country, and involves a consumer buying a product from a store. We are talking about a foreign corporation selling goods in country, and therefore must abide by the local taxation laws!!! Using your logic a foreign company should be able to operate tax free in every other country in the world? How would domestic business stand a chance?!
 
bar italia said:
Yes, blame Socialism. Thanks for posting -- your insight was missed. :rolleyes:

yep. americans seem to bash socialism rather alot... i expect most don't really know what socialism actually is... most seem to think that its communism.


:rolleyes:
 
Irrevelent.

You are quoting US laws, they do not apply in the Apple - France suitation. France is not in the US, the EU is not in the US (ref: EU international sales tax that I mentioned), and has separate laws.

(personally, I have not done this, since i have never lived in KS)

claytonbench said:
I disagree, and i will leave it at that. Let me ask, do you all pay your sales tax when you say live in KS and buy from an internet company in FL even though the FL company doesnt collect it from you.
 
No more nonsense

Taxing the iPod, a device that will soon be linked with the worlds most popular legitimate music download service, is silly! France should be happy that Apple is courteous enough to expand overseas with their revolution against piracy. Taxing each iPod would only cost the consumer, as in the price on the device raises 20 euros for the poor sap. its not that Apple thinks "theyre above the law of all those silly French wussies (figure of speech)", Apple is only trying to prove that the iPod is an intended device for carrying legitimately obtained music. It has nothing to do with Apple being a big arrogant cowboy trampling on the laws of foreign countries, its just how they determine where the iPod falls in with its competition. quit fueling the silly international playground fight and look at things from a new perspective, yeesh.
 
Do some people in the US think that every country in the world uses the dollar?

The tax in question is €20, not $20 euros.

Get a grip guys. The euro is not a subdenomination of the US dollar!
 
Stella said:
yep. americans seem to bash socialism rather alot... i expect most don't really know what socialism actually is... most seem to think that its communism.


:rolleyes:

People can correct me if I'm wrong, but you're basically right: I think most Americans think that socialism is Soviet-style communism, which is NOT true. So, many Americans think a socialist government is by definition undemocratic, totalitarian and against the will of the people. It's understandable that people think that, it's just not true though.

But I think that's probably a discussion for another forum. :)
 
miketcool said:
(...) France should be happy that Apple is courteous enough to expand overseas with their revolution against piracy.

I disagree. I think France is courteous in letting Apple expand overseas.
(that was sarcasm by the way)

miketcool said:
(...) its not that Apple thinks "theyre above the law of all those silly French wussies (figure of speech)", Apple is only trying to prove that the iPod is an intended device for carrying legitimately obtained music. (...).

May I be so bold as to remind you that it is the French government and the French people that decide on laws - or at least is should be that way. If France decides, wrongfully or not, that a 20€ tax is a good way to fight piracy, what made Apple believe they're allowed to challenge that?

This disccusion is getting too political and is heading to Wasteland.
 
If they make people pay artists because of piracy, then they should allow piracy. It's a stupid idea but it makes more sense than charging a company a piracy tax when the company is involved in created the best solution to piracy of music ever.
 
Like charging a levy on kitchen knivew

Why don't they charge a levy on kitchen knives to give to the families of murdered victims? Freakin' entertainment industry. Their time will come, and all will be left are artists and fans.
 
Investors!

No no no. When iPod introduced the iPod, they attached the "Don't Steal Music" label with it. Under pressure from the music companies and artists, they removed iTunes file sharing. Paying a tax on a product they believe does more to decrease piracy then any other device on the planet would show submission. Submission in the way that they are saying, "yes this media promotes piracy and takes away from artists". Doing such a thing could slow downa European iTunes Music Store release or keeping out other independent labels. Apple has to prove that this device and the store are to stop piracy so they must keep the promise and thus, not pay a tax fot "pirate media". If the law was for electronic devices because it effected a large French hardware corporation, this would be different. But the law, written and voted by the people of France, states media that promotes piracy. Either make piracy legitimate or change the law to specify the iPod.
 
Unless you are in idiot, a person wont goto china to buy something just to avoid taxes. Domestic business would not be affected. I think if a business doesnt want to pay another countrys taxes then DONT. Other countries shouldnt be allowed to push their laws on another country.

The Cheat said:
How is that even related!?!? Your example deals within the same country, and involves a consumer buying a product from a store. We are talking about a foreign corporation selling goods in country, and therefore must abide by the local taxation laws!!! Using your logic a foreign company should be able to operate tax free in every other country in the world? How would domestic business stand a chance?!
 
It doesnt matter what state you live in. KS or MI or any other state you want.

Stella said:
Irrevelent.

You are quoting US laws, they do not apply in the Apple - France suitation. France is not in the US, the EU is not in the US (ref: EU international sales tax that I mentioned), and has separate laws.

(personally, I have not done this, since i have never lived in KS)
 
Oh look Canada is defending the French ;)

Stella said:
There seems to be a fair amount of french bashing.. quite unfairly

Lots of countries have taxes on recordable media, including the US. Because the french have it, this makes only the french wrong?

Apple clearly think they are above french law.. which they are not. If you trade in a country, you have to abide by their laws, or don't trade at all. Whether the tax is fair or not irrelevent, you must abide by local laws.

I wouldn't be surprised if French order all iPods off the shevles. Then apple would rethink their position.

For all you US people... what would you think of an non US company refusing to pay US taxes? You'd probably say "who the f?ck do they think they are.. not paying US taxes" etc etc.

So, before French bashing, apply the apple case to your particular country and see how it fits then. Remember - you country probably has a TAX or levy on recordable media.
:D

US companies don't even pay US taxes, so frankly I'm not all that surprised. However, I do wonder if this law is fair given the context and that there may a possbility that Apple does not owe the tax, but rather the resellers do, hence the reason Apple is refusing to pay the tax. Furthermore, doesn't this constitute and kind of double taxation since both Apple and the consumer would be taxes on the same transaction? Apple may believe that these laws are inherently unfair.
I agree that French bashing is an entirely too easy and most people are just reacting emotionally. However, 'cheese-eating-surrrender-monkeys' is hilarious, you really can't pass that one up. I mean really, it's funny laugh.
 
kennethmac2000 said:
Do some people in the US think that every country in the world uses the dollar?

The tax in question is ?20, not $20 euros.

Get a grip guys. The euro is not a subdenomination of the US dollar!

Sounds like an awful lot of indignation over a typographical error (he obviously wrote the word "euro" for a reason). Perhaps you should be the one to "get a grip."
 
Tommy Wasabi said:
My skills in French language are limited to Bablefishing and its latin origins. I once read Orson Scott Card -fluent in portuguese- stating that once you learn a latin language you have learnt them all. I would not be so bold, but having Spanish as my native language I do think I can understand most of the text in the article brought up by srobert-, so please forgive me if I did misunderstood something:
[...]prendre une décision sur l'opportunité ou non de taxer la copie privé sur supports numériques[...]
[...]of taking the decision or not to tax the private copy in digital media[...]
[...]l'association de consommateurs a tenu à rappeler "son attachement au droit de la copie privée[...]
the association of consumers responded "their right to a private copy" [of legally acquired audiovisual works, NEVER pirated ones].

This whole article debates around the French taxing to the right of making private copies of legally acquired audiovisual media, which lends me to think that the law content and purpose has nothing to do with piracy, its effects and methods to relieve them, and hence, that it is probably indeed quite similar to Spanish law, which taxes LEGAL PRIVATE COPYING to compensate for loss of potential sales (which, just in case, I will reiterate that I think is sick).

So, unless I mistranslated, Tommy Wasabi, it's 1-1 ;), at least until someone points me to an online version of the actual law.
 
how many americans in here already have been to france once ? hm anybody ?

some of the posts here reminds me of a 'Sprichwort' :
"Clean in front of your own door before you complain about others"

i know people from france,america,germany,switzerland,poland,italy,turkey,croatia,peru and met people from more countries like hungary,uk,spain,iran,india,russia,etc (i guess you get it) and the only prejudices that were right were

people from the UK : get sun-burns very fast
italy: they like pasta
germany: they like beer
switzerland: they talk 'funny german' ;)
americans: they have serious problems with eating: cutting everything down to small bits ->take fork/spoon in right hand -> shovel everything into mouth very fast; they consider every house older than 50 as ancient
 
Still irrelevent.

US Laws do not apply to this Apple v France case.

.. and I don't really care what happens if someone in KS buys something in MI or any other US state, it is not important (to me).


claytonbench said:
It doesnt matter what state you live in. KS or MI or any other state you want.

ROTFL, excellent post Kakao - quote below.

UK = drink beer, tactical chunder, drink more beer, go for a donna
, throw up again
and, Moan about rain

takao said:
people from the UK : get sun-burns very fast
italy: they like pasta
germany: they like beer
switzerland: they talk 'funny german'
americans: they have serious problems with eating: cutting everything down to small bits ->take fork/spoon in right hand -> shovel everything into mouth very fast; they consider every house older than 50 as ancient
/QUOTE]
__________________
 
If this Law was in place before Apple started shipping them, then they have no arguement, they've got to pay.

If it's a post-iPod law, then they can kick up a big bruhaha and see if it brings even more publicity to their flagship consumable, and then pay the tax. :)
 
Savage Henry said:
If this Law was in place before Apple started shipping them, then they have no arguement, they've got to pay.

If it's a post-iPod law, then they can kick up a big bruhaha and see if it brings even more publicity to their flagship consumable, and then pay the tax. :)

And think it will probably apply to any units sold after the law was adopted by the government and is independent of whether it's a pre- or post-iPod law...

-Takao
Great post :p
 
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