Why would it be altruism? You already have a choice of a number of "free" 1GM email servicess all across the Web. You'd want your punters to stick to your service, offer them some free perks, but have them check out your web page every now and they, which would give you an opportunity to deliver all sorts of paid messages you'd want, plus "free" opportunities and more.
I used to live in the UK for about two years and in fact I did not own a TV set. During that time I was once visited by a man who, as I dimly recall, was inquiring about whether I have a TV set at home. I denied and he didn't request to be let in to chech, although he probably checked already for local oscillator with his sophisticated detection equipment. Anyway, I had never received any ominous letters, never been raided by an anti-terrorist-like squad, etc.
In Poland there is a license fee required for households or businesses who possess (do not necessarily own) a TV set or a radio. Households pay the tax only once regardless of the number of sets in possession, but for businesses it's a different matter as they have to pay for each and every set. Each unregistered set, when discovered by the postal squad (the Post Office is responsible for collection) costs a business about 100 Euro in fines. Imagine that you forgot to register 1000 Nokia radio-capable phones you bought recently for your employees and, yes, car radios in your company fleet must all be registered and paid for too!
Of course the Polish state-owned channels, which in theory ought to be financed by the license fee, are the biggest players on the advertising market, undercutting prices and destroying competition. Yet the authorities will never refuse an opportunity for another stealth tax, which license fee quite simply is, as demonstrated in the parent post (must be paid by the blind, etc.)
This is a clear violation of the DMCA. Christ Almighty, this fellow is going to get burnt, I'm sure that Sony's solicitors are right on his track. Being a slashdotter registered in Poland (that's the other end of the Universe, if someone can't afford a proper Atlas book) I am soooooo happy that these tricks are still allowed in this part of the world... Yet...
Slashdot Mirror
Why would it be altruism? You already have a choice of a number of "free" 1GM email servicess all across the Web. You'd want your punters to stick to your service, offer them some free perks, but have them check out your web page every now and they, which would give you an opportunity to deliver all sorts of paid messages you'd want, plus "free" opportunities and more.
I used to live in the UK for about two years and in fact I did not own a TV set. During that time I was once visited by a man who, as I dimly recall, was inquiring about whether I have a TV set at home. I denied and he didn't request to be let in to chech, although he probably checked already for local oscillator with his sophisticated detection equipment. Anyway, I had never received any ominous letters, never been raided by an anti-terrorist-like squad, etc.
In Poland there is a license fee required for households or businesses who possess (do not necessarily own) a TV set or a radio. Households pay the tax only once regardless of the number of sets in possession, but for businesses it's a different matter as they have to pay for each and every set. Each unregistered set, when discovered by the postal squad (the Post Office is responsible for collection) costs a business about 100 Euro in fines. Imagine that you forgot to register 1000 Nokia radio-capable phones you bought recently for your employees and, yes, car radios in your company fleet must all be registered and paid for too!
Of course the Polish state-owned channels, which in theory ought to be financed by the license fee, are the biggest players on the advertising market, undercutting prices and destroying competition. Yet the authorities will never refuse an opportunity for another stealth tax, which license fee quite simply is, as demonstrated in the parent post (must be paid by the blind, etc.)
This is a clear violation of the DMCA. Christ Almighty, this fellow is going to get burnt, I'm sure that Sony's solicitors are right on his track. Being a slashdotter registered in Poland (that's the other end of the Universe, if someone can't afford a proper Atlas book) I am soooooo happy that these tricks are still allowed in this part of the world... Yet...