France To Tax Computers, Disks, Phones
Country Watch: France
1/16/2001; 11:16:59 AM 'France is planning to slap levies on the sale of computers and digital recording devices to ensure musicians and film-makers are compensated for pirate copying, its Culture Minister said in an interview published on Monday. '

Shocked by the news? I more shocked that people are shocked... I'm actually posting this story because this isn't news. Many other technologies already face similar taxes in the US or elsewhere, and every time you buy or use one of these technologies, you are being presumed guilty of copyright infringement. This battle has already been lost.