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UK Government to Tax Linux?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the only-a-matter-of-time dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The UK government is looking at introducing a tax aimed at software published under GNU GPL. It claims that because programmers do it for free, it is losing out on income tax and that commercial software companies (read Microsoft) are at a disadvantage. Some pressure group has already put up a website with more details and news site Techworld have got a quote from a Treasury spokesman saying that they're only considering it."

6 of 343 comments (clear)

  1. first post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    happy april fools

  2. OK, I'm bored by bigHairyDog · · Score: 1, Redundant

    of the April fools jokes... 5 in one day is excessive.

    --

    foo mane padme hum

  3. April fool's day by yasa · · Score: 0, Redundant

    hehehe.

  4. April Fool's: An Important Message by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    For four years straight, Slashdot has consistently run poor, unfunny "gag" stories on its front
    page for April Fools Day. As a united userbase, we must take a stand. Enough is enough. If
    an attempt is going to be made at the funny, it should be bold and [eff.org]
    pervasive. Right now regular Slashdot readers tremble at the approach of April due to
    the impending parade of sickening unfunny that is April Fools on Slashdot.

    If you're SICK OF IT and FED UP, mod this post up. If you're afraid of the "metamod
    consequences", use underrated. The editors may modbomb this post, but if enough of you
    vote with your points, maybe they'll get the message:

    Make it funny, or don't make it.

    -Slashdot.

  5. Re:This one isn't a joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    I agree. And just to make sure that the tax is effective, let's make it as high as reasonably possible. Perhaps 50% or 60%?

    So, 50% of $0 is...um. 50%...of nothing....

    Hold on. I'll figure this out eventually.

  6. There was such story in Poland by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    Tax offices treated free software as donated and demanded income tax and VAT.

    The value was estimated as value of similar commercial product. So Linux server was valued as MS NT server, OO as MS Office.