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Microsoft VP Suggests 'Net Tax To Clean Computers
Ian Lamont writes "Microsoft's Vice President for Trustworthy Computing, Scott Charney, speaking at the RSA conference in San Francisco, has floated an interesting proposal to deal with infected computers: Approach the problem of dealing with malware infections like the healthcare industry, and consider using 'general taxation' to pay for inspection and quarantine. Using taxes to deal with online criminal activity is not a new idea, as demonstrated by last year's Louisiana House vote to levy a monthly surcharge on Internet access to deal with online baddies."
I don't use Microsoft products. Why in the hell should I pay for the standard idiot who can't help but click on the "super-awesome-porn.exe" attachment in Outlook? This isn't like the medical industry at all. You can't prevent a lot of the things that happen to you healthwise, whereas a computer "infection" is 100% preventable. This is just another case of punishing the intelligent. This is also a classic example of a shitty corporation (Microsoft) trying to redirect their monetary responsibility of making quality software onto the general public. Complete bullshit is what this is.
\033:wq!
People who do that sort of thing are most likely people who don't know enough to keep their computer patched and are far more susceptible to viruses and other bad stuff. I propose that a record be kept for every time a user does something like that and a tax be imposed based on number of occurrences.