France Planning Non-Windows Tablet Tax?

An anonymous reader writes "Lots of countries around the world have private copying 'levies,' which are effectively taxes on products that store data, which is put into a pool to be handed out to copyright holders, as a sort of payment for the 'copying' that individuals do. This was quite popular with blank CDRs, for example, but has been expanded in certain countries to cover hard drives, iPods and other such devices. Over in France, they're looking to expand the levy to tablet computers, but apparently if that tablet computer is running Microsoft Windows, it will be exempted from the tax. iPads and Android-powered tablets will have the tax. Why? Well, the argument is that if a tablet is running Windows, it's really a 'computer.' But if it's running one of those 'mobile' operating systems, suddenly it's a brand new category. Not surprisingly, makers of Android tablets — including the French company Archos — are not at all happy about this."

Comments

Those cheese eating surrender monkeys fail again

[Iphtashu Fitz]

So because it's a computer it's unable to distribute copyrighted materials? Now that is some pretty twisted logic right there.

And what the hell does a "clean operating system" mean?

From the Google translation of the French article:

"Windows 7 will not be affected by the fee for private copying, which by definition is adopted touch pads "provided with an operating system for mobile devices or a clean operating system".

From TFA comments

[C_amiga_fan]

"Good for microsoft. Legislation is an easier way to get rid of pesky competition than work is."

That's about right..... and no this isn't just an anti-MS slap. Lots of Megacorps do the same thing, like how McDonalds bought an exemption from the health insurance requirement. Don't play on an even field IF you can get lawmakers to give you special exemptions or favorable laws.

Re:Apple Tax

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

So people have to pay an Apple Tax for owning a iPod XL (err, I mean iPad)? Yeah, I can live with that.

Until it extends to a product you wish to have.