22. Since our last report there has been a significant change in the position of the licence fee. In January 2006 the Office of National Statistics re-classified the licence fee as a tax. Previously, this payment had been classified in the National Accounts as a service charge. Explaining the change the Office of National Statistics (ONS) says "in line with the definition of a tax, the licence fee is a compulsory payment which is not paid solely for access to BBC services... A licence is required to receive ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, satellite, cable". [6]
"Actually, a small portion of the license fee goes to ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5..."
Could I ask for a source so you can back that up? seriously, I'm curious
Also, you may notice I chose to pick sky as an example...
no masts, no bbc infrastructure.... yes tax ?
I'm pretty sure any masts at ITV, channel 4 and 5 have absolutely no government funding either directly or through the BBC.
Remember the BBC used to be channel renowned for few to no adverts... now that's no longer the case I don't believe they deserve any kind of TAX unless those abroad would like to 'contribute' to the beebs coffers, any offers?
oh, and regarding the tax issue, I had a wee google... http://dconstruct06.madgex.com/feeds/post.aspx?pos tid=144
and the original statement that the house of lords considers the 'charter' a TAX! http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ ldselect/ldbbc/128/12805.htm
its a tax if I choose not to watch any of the channels provided and never listen to the radio.
ONLY the BBC controlled broadcasts are subsidised by the 'license'
Channel 5, ITV, Channel 4 etc etc etc are founded through advertising (oh wait! so is the BBC!)
The sad fact is, that if I only ever wanted satellite TV and never watched any of the BBC channels then I'm still bound to pay the 'license' because I have a TV that receives signals?
Oh but you use their infrastructure... really where ? oh but its funded by the BBC.... err where?
Its essentially like Microsoft/Apple asking for money because you use a computer - regardless of what software you are using !
What makes things worse (and really I've no bones to pick with anyone personally that can pick up the signal) is I'm paying £200 a year so that the rest of the world can watch what I'm paying through the nose for and don't even use?
I wont argue that the BBC makes some of the best programming in the world. But *MY* money goes into the funding for classics such as the BBC's Jane Austin or Pride and Prejudice and then I have to pay upwards of $40 for the privilege of watching it? or wait another 4 years for it to come round on the television again?
ts a tax on the uk public in the same way the lottery is a tax, bring back the 'window tax' it was fairer:P
I realise that encrypting your whole machine might suggest you were withholding evidence. What if however, you only encrypted 1 partition and then said you'd honestly forgotten the decryption key. IANAL but I have to wonder if anyone can do you for being human and forgetting a password?
well for one... I've been using GNU/Linux since Redhat 5.0 and I could never get myself to call it GNUwhoooooo.. Its Linux in the same way that "William Henry Gates the thirds baby Microsoft Windows Vista" is just called bloody Windows!
There are two types of <insert word here for I fear I cant think of one> in the world:
1. Those that can program like god but couldn't think up a decent name for their program worth shit.
2. And those that cant program worth shit but could sell ice to Eskimos... or sand to the Arabs for that matter.
Does anyone really think 'Gnu is Not Unix' is really that smart? will it sell to your grandma? will she care? Its insightful if nothing else but for most people its stupid.
I ADORE open source, I use Ubuntu, Vista (gag) and OS X on a daily basis at home and I've always had a deep admiration for what open source has done for the industry. Every time I try out a new distribution a few of the application names on installation make me smirk, but for the most part the names SUCK! bad!.. but not as bad as GNUwhoooooo.
JIMHO he is getting pissed off because he isn't getting the credit he is probably due.. but that doesn't forgive him for the shittiest name any pizza loving coder could have ever came up with. Get over it already big guy!
I mean come on guys, I hate the marketing department as much as the next guy but RMS almost gives me a reason to require one by law.
Linus I guess was lucky in that the community chose his abbreviation over another, but what would have happened if Linus hadn't been there at the right time? would we have been calling Linux GNU/Hurd? or Hurd?
"Pretty soon the show was focusing more on love triangles than it was on the fact that everyone was just trying to survive. Emergencies were regularly forced into the story rather than the characters having to deal with realistic difficulties."
BAH! reminds me too much of Enterprise. Die jerico die !! and I never even saw the damn show:P
I'd like that too... never played FFVII but I want to.... just cant get past the crap resolution (it used to be the turned based constant attack by easy mobs with slow loading fmv that put me off before)
then I went back to it on the psp emulated and if if it werent for the resolution I could see myself playing it properly.
Slashdot Mirror
The licence fee as a tax
22. Since our last report there has been a significant change in the position of the licence fee. In January 2006 the Office of National Statistics re-classified the licence fee as a tax. Previously, this payment had been classified in the National Accounts as a service charge. Explaining the change the Office of National Statistics (ONS) says "in line with the definition of a tax, the licence fee is a compulsory payment which is not paid solely for access to BBC services... A licence is required to receive ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, satellite, cable". [6]
"Actually, a small portion of the license fee goes to ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5..."
.... yes tax ?
s tid=144
/ ldselect/ldbbc/128/12805.htm
Could I ask for a source so you can back that up? seriously, I'm curious
Also, you may notice I chose to pick sky as an example...
no masts, no bbc infrastructure
I'm pretty sure any masts at ITV, channel 4 and 5 have absolutely no government funding either directly or through the BBC.
Remember the BBC used to be channel renowned for few to no adverts... now that's no longer the case I don't believe they deserve any kind of TAX unless those abroad would like to 'contribute' to the beebs coffers, any offers?
oh, and regarding the tax issue, I had a wee google...
http://dconstruct06.madgex.com/feeds/post.aspx?po
and the original statement that the house of lords considers the 'charter' a TAX!
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506
make of that what you will.
I'll keep that in mind :) ty for the advice
"The High Tech Redneck"
says it all really does it not it?
I'll say no more and bow out gracefully.
*laughs hysterically*
meh, sorry I refuse to feed the trolls.
/. gets such a bad reputation these days :(
no wonder
I'll assume that you had some form of baseless reason to attack me but the only substantial 'ammo' was my grammar
Let me guess, you work for Microsoft?
its a tax if I choose not to watch any of the channels provided and never listen to the radio.
.... err where?
:P
ONLY the BBC controlled broadcasts are subsidised by the 'license'
Channel 5, ITV, Channel 4 etc etc etc are founded through advertising (oh wait! so is the BBC!)
The sad fact is, that if I only ever wanted satellite TV and never watched any of the BBC channels then I'm still bound to pay the 'license' because I have a TV that receives signals?
Oh but you use their infrastructure... really where ?
oh but its funded by the BBC
Its essentially like Microsoft/Apple asking for money because you use a computer - regardless of what software you are using !
What makes things worse (and really I've no bones to pick with anyone personally that can pick up the signal) is I'm paying £200 a year so that the rest of the world can watch what I'm paying through the nose for and don't even use?
I wont argue that the BBC makes some of the best programming in the world. But *MY* money goes into the funding for classics such as the BBC's Jane Austin or Pride and Prejudice and then I have to pay upwards of $40 for the privilege of watching it? or wait another 4 years for it to come round on the television again?
ts a tax on the uk public in the same way the lottery is a tax, bring back the 'window tax' it was fairer
if all you have to do all day is pick at someones grammar on slashdot - I feel really sorry for you.
Really, I do - get out more!
I dont pay my 'tax' for this :P
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6449619.stm
fvck the competition...
totally agree long term we would be in a better position now.
its funny... I used to think Apple was a hardware company too...
but steve jobs did say apple was a software company.... so no, your wrong (apparently)
think maybe Google is the new catholic church? and here was me thinking that was steve jobs' job.
disclaimer (I own a mac or two)
strange though... what is a religion at its basic roots? and what will be the next religion to rebel against in 1000 years from now..
it still sounds like a vacuum cleaner :)
you know EA said they were bringing games to the mac.... but I dont remember them saying HOW they were going to do that.
now I might just be off base but...
Cedega said that they were working with developers to build Cider into the discs directly.. could this simply be that?
patients ? I thought it was MSFT we were talking about not the NHS.... :D
Less distros would only do unix good.
then complain to nvidia not the hobbyists :P
I realise that encrypting your whole machine might suggest you were withholding evidence. What if however, you only encrypted 1 partition and then said you'd honestly forgotten the decryption key. IANAL but I have to wonder if anyone can do you for being human and forgetting a password?
well for one... I've been using GNU/Linux since Redhat 5.0 and I could never get myself to call it GNUwhoooooo.. Its Linux in the same way that "William Henry Gates the thirds baby Microsoft Windows Vista" is just called bloody Windows!
.. but not as bad as GNUwhoooooo.
:-Z
There are two types of <insert word here for I fear I cant think of one> in the world:
1. Those that can program like god but couldn't think up a decent name for their program worth shit.
2. And those that cant program worth shit but could sell ice to Eskimos... or sand to the Arabs for that matter.
Does anyone really think 'Gnu is Not Unix' is really that smart? will it sell to your grandma? will she care? Its insightful if nothing else but for most people its stupid.
I ADORE open source, I use Ubuntu, Vista (gag) and OS X on a daily basis at home and I've always had a deep admiration for what open source has done for the industry. Every time I try out a new distribution a few of the application names on installation make me smirk, but for the most part the names SUCK! bad!
JIMHO he is getting pissed off because he isn't getting the credit he is probably due.. but that doesn't forgive him for the shittiest name any pizza loving coder could have ever came up with. Get over it already big guy!
I mean come on guys, I hate the marketing department as much as the next guy but RMS almost gives me a reason to require one by law.
Linus I guess was lucky in that the community chose his abbreviation over another, but what would have happened if Linus hadn't been there at the right time? would we have been calling Linux GNU/Hurd? or Hurd?
give me Linux any day
"Pretty soon the show was focusing more on love triangles than it was on the fact that everyone was just trying to survive. Emergencies were regularly forced into the story rather than the characters having to deal with realistic difficulties."
BAH! reminds me too much of Enterprise. Die jerico die !! and I never even saw the damn show
Excuse me but do you mind if I ask whose English you speak? :)
whats the chance its a premium rate line?
I think they just went back underground to BT, FTP and IRC.. (oh and NNTP)
its much easier for your average warez guy to upload a torrent from his own computer than host a cd image behind a webserver.
"Then a bunch of clueless yahoos with some backdoor spyware on their system will simply get a bunch more spam back from us."
And your problem with that is?
Mail-bomb the 'clueeless yahoos' into the ground until
A) they care and become clued and disinfected
OR
B) don't have an internet connection to speak of.
either way the problem is solved.
"test if they could push back the releases"
Are you telling me Vista would be out if Microsoft thought they could delay it till service pack 1?
I'd like that too... never played FFVII but I want to .... just cant get past the crap resolution (it used to be the turned based constant attack by easy mobs with slow loading fmv that put me off before)
then I went back to it on the psp emulated and if if it werent for the resolution I could see myself playing it properly.