[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
At 11:13 PM 5/3/96, Steve Reid wrote:
>The problem with a tax on data is that it would be *extremely* unfair.
Chill out, it's not a real proposal.
>It would be like a tax on atoms. With a tax on atoms, the tax on a bag of
>groceries would be hundreds of times greater than the tax on a diamond
>ring, because there are more atoms in a bag of groceries
>
>Bits are the digital equivalent of atoms. With a tax on bits, the tax on
>the download of an up-to-date virus scanner would be hundreds of times
>greater than the tax on an emailed business contract.
>
>If this bit tax thing were attempted, the amount of time people spend
>online would be determined entirely by their income; if you can't afford
"Yeah, my tax guy really saved me a lot last year...he knows some really
great data compression algorithms."
--Tim May
Boycott "Big Brother Inside" software!
We got computers, we're tapping phone lines, we know that that ain't allowed.
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
[email protected] 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Licensed Ontologist | black markets, collapse of governments.
"National borders aren't even speed bumps on the information superhighway."