Sony Lose Out - PS2 Not a Personal Computer?

Thanks to the UK Guardian for their article discussing Sony's failed attempt to get the PlayStation 2 classified as a personal computer in Europe, for customs reasons. The piece explains: "Sony was not splitting hairs for the sake of hair-splitting; its motives were purely mercenary. The import tariff for computers coming into the European Union is much lower than that for games consoles and a ruling that the PlayStation 2 was a computer could have forced customs authorities to pay back millions in duties." Although the battle is becoming less important, as from January 1st, 2004 "...computers and games consoles will be allowed into the EU at zero tariff", the legal distinction is still interesting - the European court in Luxembourg ruled "...the definition of a computer could not be stretched" because "It is quite clear that [the PS2] is intended mainly to be used to run video games."

Comments

Re:Poor argument

[AllUsernamesAreGone]

Umm.. you can get a keyboard and mouse for it, you can use it for other things than games, internally it shares many concepts with a conventional computer. IMO a console is a computer even without this, in that it does what a computer does - it computes. It doesn't matter that, out of the box, it doesn't balance your books and write documents - it is as much a glorified calculator with fancy IO as the boxes sat around me at the moment. With the additional capabilities of the linux kit, exactly why is it not a "real" computer?

The Real Reason for Linux on the PS2

[Zarf]

Now you know the real reason that Sony was selling Linux kits for the PS2. If what was at stake was enough money for them to mess with this bickering match ... then who cares about a few Linux hackers? If someone can convince the XBox people at MicroSoft that such a case is winnable you'll see an XBox distro of Linux or some other OS for the XBox too to prove the point.

Re:Poor argument

[fireduck]

a PS2 is not a computer in the same way that fertilizer is not classified as a class 5 explosive. The PS2 is intended as a game machine. Sony does not advertise the PS2 as a computer, in the same way that Bandini does not advertise how their product can be "modded" for terrorist purposes. Sure, they may have a linux kit, but have you ever seen a commercial advertisement, where they make the claim that you can do any of the conventional tasks associated with computers, other than playing games?

Why Console Prices are so High in Europe.

[cdneng2]

Isn't this the reason why game console prices in Europe are so damn high compared to North America? The reason why Sony tried to get the PS2 classified as a computer is to get a lowered duty rate so that they can sell the console at cheaper price.
This isn't any different then plasma computer monitors being MUCH cheaper then plasma TVs. The US charges a higher duty for import items classified as a TV. (My next TV will be plasma, but it will be a computer monitor with RGB and SVideo in.)

Re:Of course it's a computer, AND a gaming console

[DWormed]

The problem _is_ the logical classification. At what point in functionality does it become a "computer". Intent has nothing to do with it; a product is what it is. Where do you draw the line?