Actually, considering the way Nintendo 0wn20r5 the handheld market, Nokia's braying sounds a lot like SCO. How long until Nokia starts "pressuring" Nintendo to buy their wireless technology?
I mean, really, I give Sony's offering a longer life-span against the GBA than Nokia. And I don't think Sony will be able to surpass the Game Gear's high water mark.
"GameBoy is for 10-year-olds. If you're 20 or 25 years old, it's probably not a good idea to draw a GameBoy out of your pocket on a Friday night in a public place."
I must say, Scandanavia is the last place I'd expect Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf to pop back up...
When all is said and done, Microsoft is incorporated in the State of Washington, the United States of America, and that's where all their income and earnings tax dollars go.
"And how do the Egyptain people feel about having this decision made for them by others?"
Considering the nature of Islamist extremism, I'd say that's exactly what they want. They want to put in some mullah or ayatollah to make such decisions for them and help them be "better" Muslims, keeping them safe from Crusader influence.
"I find driving on the wrong side of the road in games quite disturbing."
I don't see why they do that, either. I mean, all the manga I read are full of left-handed Japanese driving on the correct side of the car and the road...
"16-24 year olds in the US are much more likely to own, or at least have access to a reasonably fast car than are their counterparts in Asia and much of Europe."
Just to expand on this, this is why I'm not all that fond of racing video games to begin with. Being a USAian, I've been driving enough to know what it really feels like to operate a car under different conditions, and flashy graphics and a subwoofer alone will never be a substitute. Racing video games require you to pay much more attention to video and audio cues to keep track of your condition in an attempt to compensate for fact that you're not actually in the car, feeling its motion. For example, gamers need to pay attention to things like the speedometer and listen for screeching tires in a turn to make sure they don't try to go through it too fast. Drivers in a real car, on the other hand, would feel the drive wheels starting to break loose before even thinking to look at the speedometer (and away from other traffic). In many ways, driving in video games is harder than the real thing.
"3. U.S. States begin requiring collection of state sales tax by Euro companies."
No State shall, without Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by the State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Controul of the Congress
"Most of the cost in any lookup operation is in the key field. Adding an extra returned field is practically free."
True, but the tricky part is populating that field. USPS servers maintain information in their databases on basic customs and import restrictions on all countries. They get this information through a process codified by the Universal Postal Union. Things like local sales taxes will have to come through some outside medium, probably requiring dedicated research on the USPS' (or UPS or FedEx or what have you) part to gather and maintain up-to-date tax information. Unless the EU is willing to pay the tab for what will probably require something of a new department, that's fine. But if the shipping services are more or less required to maintain the information themselves, those are costs that will be passed on to their customers.
"So yes, its always easier to not sell abroad if you don't mind losing lots of money."
Except dealing with EU citizens just got more expensive. And I would be left with one of either two choices
Charge EU customers price+VAT+new overhead. This overhead is an additional overhead that EU-based businesses need not worry about, because they're only collecting taxes for their own area. EU businesses only need to worry about one tax structure instead of the 2-17 everybody else would have to worry about.
Cover overhead by raising prices for everybody, EU or not. The EU may be the world's second-biggest market, but I live in what is by far the world's largest economy domesticly, and I'll still always have other North American, Asian, Australian, and South American customers. I see no reason to hurt my sales to the rest of the planet to make it easier to do business in the EU.
" They are saying "if you want the _privilege_ of selling products to the EU, you will have to follow the rules". This is exactly as if the US would charge import duties when you receive expensive goods from overseas by mail... "
No, it's not. Customs and duties are collected at the point of entry, not the point of sale. This means the cost of the infrastructure to collect these is paid for by the destination. The EU wants VAT collected at the point of sale, which means that it's now the store's responsibility to conform to EU laws, not the purchaser's.
"In the case of products bought from non-EU companies that are physical items, customs collect the VAT and import duties."
Again, note that it's collected from the purchaser, not the store.
"but since nobody would actually bother to do it, now non-EU online services will be required to collect the VAT for the government if they want to sell to EU consumers."
So what you're saying is that international businesses are being penalized for the actions of the EU's own citizens? What, it's OK so long as it's not the US doing it?
"VAT is not a tax on the stores, it is a tax on the consumer."
It's a tax on the stores because the stores are the ones that have to pay for the infrastructure needed to collect some other country's tax.
"Doesn't this give companies with EU offices a competitive advantage?"
Only within the EU, and only in the short-term. US goods would still have an advantage over those from the EU in third countries, which means this law burns the candle on both ends: it essentially raises an EU citizen's taxes while still keeping their employer from being able to afford to give them a raise. In many ways it would make more sense to let EU businesses not collect VAT from foreign customers.
On top of that, fewer euros circulating outside of the continent can't be good for the currency's value.
"You have to check shipping rates for each country now, don't you? Can't you check tax rates at the same time (maybe even in the same place)?"
I somehow doubt either the USPS or my PC Postage software is going to add this to their existing services. Nor do I want them to, because this will raise their operating expenditures and in turn raise their rates.
"Assuming that governments have to collect taxes somehow, why is this a bad way to do it, as opposed to income or corporate tax?"
Because the EU is forcing people who live outside the EU (the stores) to conform to their own laws. This is exactly the same as the US trying to enforce the DMCA in Europe. If the EU can't make it's citizens pay VAT on imported goods, why the heck should they instead pass the buck on US merchants, who have enough state and local tax paperwork as it is?
"Although many Americans give the impression that they think all taxes are evil, over here in Europe we quite like having things like free health care for everyone, tidy streets etc."
Fine. You're an EU citizen, you worry about giving that money to your government. Don't make me have to pay it instead because I've never even been to that continent. I already make accurate customs declarations on all the merchandise I send out of the US. It's your tax law, your postal service should be the one to bear the cost of the required VAT infrastructure.
" Some companies have already found a way around this. For example, Play.com is located in Jersey, an island off the cost of the UK and France which is a tax haven. They can thus not pay any VAT, and still easily ship to the UK."
Yes, the purchaser was always requiried to pay VAT, and this was done usually at their local post office, where they also pay any customs and duties. However, this law means that your Jersey-based company (as well as one based in New Jersey or anywhere else in the world) will have to be the one to collect the VAT from EU customers. They get to spend their money to set up the required infrastructure to collect some other country's taxes.
"And of course it is going to cost more, just announce on the website: This item costs PRICE + VAT if you are a EU citizen."
I'm not going to maintain a database just to keep track of what countries are currently members of the EU. Maintaining my own business and dealing with my own state and local tax structures is expensive enough without trying to figure in some laws of some country 3000 miles away. I'm far more likely to simply say "Sorry, we don't sell to EU members. Please send all complaints to the European Parliament.
Yes, we have sales tax, but the worst I've seen is 10%, while VAT is typically never less than 15%. And it is the buyer's responsibility to pay this tax, not the responsibility of the out-of-state merchant to try to keep track of each and every state and local sales tax in the entire country.
Slashdot Mirror
Actually, considering the way Nintendo 0wn20r5 the handheld market, Nokia's braying sounds a lot like SCO. How long until Nokia starts "pressuring" Nintendo to buy their wireless technology?
I mean, really, I give Sony's offering a longer life-span against the GBA than Nokia. And I don't think Sony will be able to surpass the Game Gear's high water mark.
"GameBoy is for 10-year-olds. If you're 20 or 25 years old, it's probably not a good idea to draw a GameBoy out of your pocket on a Friday night in a public place."
I must say, Scandanavia is the last place I'd expect Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf to pop back up...
"Basically what the guy wants is nationalization of all telcos, so that your taxes pay for everything."
You say that as if the Baby Bells aren't already being heavily subsidized by tax dollars.
When all is said and done, Microsoft is incorporated in the State of Washington, the United States of America, and that's where all their income and earnings tax dollars go.
" Release some of all the cool stuff in (...) USA - Why is it, that we get stuff ½ - 1½ year after its released in Japan ??"
You mean like Metroid Prime? Oh, wait...
"And how do the Egyptain people feel about having this decision made for them by others?"
Considering the nature of Islamist extremism, I'd say that's exactly what they want. They want to put in some mullah or ayatollah to make such decisions for them and help them be "better" Muslims, keeping them safe from Crusader influence.
"I find driving on the wrong side of the road in games quite disturbing."
I don't see why they do that, either. I mean, all the manga I read are full of left-handed Japanese driving on the correct side of the car and the road...
"16-24 year olds in the US are much more likely to own, or at least have access to a reasonably fast car than are their counterparts in Asia and much of Europe."
Just to expand on this, this is why I'm not all that fond of racing video games to begin with. Being a USAian, I've been driving enough to know what it really feels like to operate a car under different conditions, and flashy graphics and a subwoofer alone will never be a substitute. Racing video games require you to pay much more attention to video and audio cues to keep track of your condition in an attempt to compensate for fact that you're not actually in the car, feeling its motion. For example, gamers need to pay attention to things like the speedometer and listen for screeching tires in a turn to make sure they don't try to go through it too fast. Drivers in a real car, on the other hand, would feel the drive wheels starting to break loose before even thinking to look at the speedometer (and away from other traffic). In many ways, driving in video games is harder than the real thing.
"Mohammed al-Sahaf (now SCO press spokesman)"
Since you'll probably be out of a job come Friday, maybe you should start looking for new employment. I hear the New York Times is hiring...
In other news, IBM's public relations department issued a very large yawn, immediately followed with "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"Cough... slavery..."
Thanks, Britain!
"cough... vietnam..."
Thanks, France!
"Most of the cost in any lookup operation is in the key field. Adding an extra returned field is practically free."
True, but the tricky part is populating that field. USPS servers maintain information in their databases on basic customs and import restrictions on all countries. They get this information through a process codified by the Universal Postal Union. Things like local sales taxes will have to come through some outside medium, probably requiring dedicated research on the USPS' (or UPS or FedEx or what have you) part to gather and maintain up-to-date tax information. Unless the EU is willing to pay the tab for what will probably require something of a new department, that's fine. But if the shipping services are more or less required to maintain the information themselves, those are costs that will be passed on to their customers.
Except dealing with EU citizens just got more expensive. And I would be left with one of either two choices
" They are saying "if you want the _privilege_ of selling products to the EU, you will have to follow the rules". This is exactly as if the US would charge import duties when you receive expensive goods from overseas by mail... "
No, it's not. Customs and duties are collected at the point of entry, not the point of sale. This means the cost of the infrastructure to collect these is paid for by the destination. The EU wants VAT collected at the point of sale, which means that it's now the store's responsibility to conform to EU laws, not the purchaser's.
"In the case of products bought from non-EU companies that are physical items, customs collect the VAT and import duties."
Again, note that it's collected from the purchaser, not the store.
"but since nobody would actually bother to do it, now non-EU online services will be required to collect the VAT for the government if they want to sell to EU consumers."
So what you're saying is that international businesses are being penalized for the actions of the EU's own citizens? What, it's OK so long as it's not the US doing it?
"VAT is not a tax on the stores, it is a tax on the consumer."
It's a tax on the stores because the stores are the ones that have to pay for the infrastructure needed to collect some other country's tax.
"Doesn't this give companies with EU offices a competitive advantage?"
Only within the EU, and only in the short-term. US goods would still have an advantage over those from the EU in third countries, which means this law burns the candle on both ends: it essentially raises an EU citizen's taxes while still keeping their employer from being able to afford to give them a raise. In many ways it would make more sense to let EU businesses not collect VAT from foreign customers.
On top of that, fewer euros circulating outside of the continent can't be good for the currency's value.
"You have to check shipping rates for each country now, don't you? Can't you check tax rates at the same time (maybe even in the same place)?"
I somehow doubt either the USPS or my PC Postage software is going to add this to their existing services. Nor do I want them to, because this will raise their operating expenditures and in turn raise their rates.
"Assuming that governments have to collect taxes somehow, why is this a bad way to do it, as opposed to income or corporate tax?"
Because the EU is forcing people who live outside the EU (the stores) to conform to their own laws. This is exactly the same as the US trying to enforce the DMCA in Europe. If the EU can't make it's citizens pay VAT on imported goods, why the heck should they instead pass the buck on US merchants, who have enough state and local tax paperwork as it is?
"Although many Americans give the impression that they think all taxes are evil, over here in Europe we quite like having things like free health care for everyone, tidy streets etc."
Fine. You're an EU citizen, you worry about giving that money to your government. Don't make me have to pay it instead because I've never even been to that continent. I already make accurate customs declarations on all the merchandise I send out of the US. It's your tax law, your postal service should be the one to bear the cost of the required VAT infrastructure.
" Some companies have already found a way around this. For example, Play.com is located in Jersey, an island off the cost of the UK and France which is a tax haven. They can thus not pay any VAT, and still easily ship to the UK."
Yes, the purchaser was always requiried to pay VAT, and this was done usually at their local post office, where they also pay any customs and duties. However, this law means that your Jersey-based company (as well as one based in New Jersey or anywhere else in the world) will have to be the one to collect the VAT from EU customers. They get to spend their money to set up the required infrastructure to collect some other country's taxes.
"And of course it is going to cost more, just announce on the website: This item costs PRICE + VAT if you are a EU citizen."
I'm not going to maintain a database just to keep track of what countries are currently members of the EU. Maintaining my own business and dealing with my own state and local tax structures is expensive enough without trying to figure in some laws of some country 3000 miles away. I'm far more likely to simply say "Sorry, we don't sell to EU members. Please send all complaints to the European Parliament.
"There's no Value Added Tax on goods in EEUU?"
Yes, we have sales tax, but the worst I've seen is 10%, while VAT is typically never less than 15%. And it is the buyer's responsibility to pay this tax, not the responsibility of the out-of-state merchant to try to keep track of each and every state and local sales tax in the entire country.
"However, there's nothing really new actually, because officially you were supposed to pay the VAT taxes when the product went through custom."
Where "you" means "customer." This is different because they're now requiring the shops to collect the tax at the POS.
At this point, I'm think it's easier to simply say "sorry, we don't sell to Europe" than it is to try to figure out "please add 20% for EU shipments."
"if companies in the US, especially small etailers, don't bother?"
Probably nothing, just so long as you never go to Europe.
I'd rather use a system that everybody knows about than one that everybody but us know about.
Do you really think that European or Asian countries would still be moving to Linux if Microsoft was based in their country instead?