“Microsoft recently used the U.S. court system to shut down the Waledac botnet, introducing a new tactic in the battle against hackers,” McMillan reports. “Speaking at the RSA security conference in San Francisco, Microsoft Corporate Vice President for Trustworthy Computing Scott Charney said that the technology industry needs to think about more ‘social solutions.’
“‘I actually think the health care model … might be an interesting way to think about the problem,’ Charney said. With medical diseases, there are education programs, but there are also social programs to inspect people and quarantine the sick,” McMillan reports.
“The idea that Internet service providers might somehow step up in the fight against malware is not new. The problem, however, is cost,” McMillan reports. “So who would foot the bill? ‘Maybe markets will make it work,’ Charney said. But an Internet usage tax might be the way to go. ‘You could say it’s a public safety issue and do it with general taxation,’ he said.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Oh, for the love of Jobs! You want to see some real tea parties? Enact an Internet usage tax to pay for Microsoft’s ineptitude.
How about this instead: Microsoft, which raked in $14.569 billion in 2009 net profits alone and has some $31.5 billion in cash on-hand, along with their Windows PC sufferers (at checkout time) pay for their mistakes, not the U.S. Mac users who were, are, and will continue to be more than smart enough to avoid Microsoft’s shiteous Windows like the plague that it is.
And, oh by the way, what the hell happened to personal responsibility in the USA? You bought that Windows PC piece of junk, you face the consequences of your stupid decision and you pay for the full “experience.”
They gotta be kidding! If this flies then you can be sure to see the biggest class action lawsuit ever against Microsoft.
Hear, hear!
Furthermore:
You ate a cheeseburger for lunch and sat on the couch watching TV every day for the last 20 years, you pay for your heart attacks.
You decided to drop out of high school, you pay the mortgage on your double-wide.
By using a Mac! IDIOT.
That’s a huge steaming pile. I have a better idea. Eradicate the source (code) at One Microsoft Way.
I flat out won’t pay it.
How about we place a tax on all sales of Windows to help fund research into preventing mental retardation?
@Overtaxed in the USA
Since i take care of myself and have a college level education. Should i have a heart attack does your logic mean i still have to pay for medical attention or since i’m an elite like you does this mean i’am exempt?
Having a Mac should then qualify you for a tax write off!
And how the fsck is supposed to eradicate the problem of infected machines in, say, China?
What an utter tool!
=:~)
I have no problem with such a tax, provided you can get an exemption for switching to Mac.
Without getting too specific here (or pointing fingers at anyone) . . . BE PREPARED, AMERICA. Taxes on EVERYTHING are about to skyrocket, from soda to suds, from internet to interest. (And that doesn’t even account for the tsunami of inflation that’s rolling toward us.)
Grab your ankles, folks, for if you think the “rich” can absorb the bill that is coming our way, you’re sadly mistaken. Ask not for whom the tax bell tolls: It tolls for thee.
Skyfire,
If you have a college education, I assume you have the means and brains to insure yourself against the potential of an unforeseen health issue.
Health insurance is not a right and, frankly, I’m not amenable to paying for your doctor bills, just as I do not expect anyone else to pay for mine or my family’s.
@MacMorsel:
I believe the intent here is to add a tax on consumers through internet providers. You’ll have to pay it, hack in some how, or drop your internet service. This sucks, but one way or the other, if this passes, we’ll pay.
What, more Microsoft taxation? Funny how Microsoft talks about the Mac tax.
Instead, Microsoft wants the world to pay for there crappy software.
Microsoft! Followed by lemmings at 86 percent of the world computer population.
Cut out Ballmer’s monthly Twinkie budget.
There’s your money, MS Vice President for Trustworthy Computing* Scott Charney. Grow a pair and tackle the real problem.
*Newspeak. Orwell lives.