On my payment page it says:
"EU members will be subject to VAT at a rate of 17.5%".

I asked sony billing team about this, as 17.5% applies only to the UK (and maybe one other member state). Belguim, for example, has a VAT rate of 15%.

Sony confirmed this is not a mistake, even tho under EU Vat regulations for E-Commerce, "the VAT applicable must be the VAT rate of the member state where the customer resides".

I have queried this with the European Commision, as I think Sony are acting illegally - probably not to make money as such, as there are VAT rates around 20% too in some states, but to lower administration costs.

Could other non-UK members please check their billing page and see if it also says 17.5%, because the answers the TSRs were contradicting themselves in the convo.

--------

 Response (TSR Joe N.)   11/01/2005 11:27 AM    
The VAT tax of 17.5% is charged because our EU division of the company is based in the UK. The UK's VAT tax as per the documentation you sent is 17.5%. So all states in the EU will pay 17.5% to us because we have to pay 17.5% to the EU as we are based in the UK.   
    
 Customer (Clem Clark)   10/31/2005 03:09 PM    
So you are saying that the website statement is correct?
But that can't be correct, not according to EU VAT laws?   
    
 Response (TSR Joe N.)   10/31/2005 02:14 PM    
The entire EU is charged a 17.5% VAT tax.   
    
 Customer (Clem Clark)   10/31/2005 01:24 PM    
I am asking a question UNIQUE to your website. No-one can answer this information but you.

I am sking if your statement made on "The Matrix Online" subscription payment page is correct (I have already pasted the statement twice, see below).

One of the TSRs has already said something that contradicts this statemnt. So can you confirm to me which is correct? I am not interested in what applies to my country - the statement is applying to the whole EU.   
    
 Response (TSR Joe N.)   10/31/2005 12:17 PM    
This tax is charged to you by the EU, you would need to contact your local representitive to have them explain EU law and tax information.   
    
 Customer (Clem Clark)   10/30/2005 03:33 AM    
Your subscription charge page says:
"Customers who reside within the European Union will be charged VAT equal to 17.5% of their subscription fees."

The statement suggests that ALL EU members will be charged 17.5%.
Can you confirm that this statement is incorrect, since it conflicts with your infomation:

"...the Vat Depends upon the Country the charge is going to.".

Thanks.   
    
 Response (TSR Nash K.)   10/29/2005 01:03 PM    
You can get more information regarding this from your Bank.  They can provide you the exact and more detailed information on this.  We only charge the Subscription fees for the Product but the Vat Depends upon the Country the charge is going to.   
    
 Customer (Clem Clark)   10/27/2005 10:19 AM    
"Customers who reside within the European Union will be charged VAT equal to 17.5% of their subscription fees."

Could you give information about how the VAT % is obtained for the entire EU for the subscription periods, and the exact nature of product sold under this subscription, with reference to the VAT Rates set in the following documents:
Main VAT info: http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/resources/documents/taxation/vat/how_vat_works/rates/vat_rates_2005_en.pdf
eCommercer VAT: http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_customs/taxation/vat/consumers/e-commerce/article_1610_en.htm#16rate

I cannot locate information on 17.5% for all EU member states.

Thanks.

Right.

Anyone who knows anything on the SOAP protocol, get in touch with me.
I'm trying to port the bot to XFire :S

This should be fun!

-----Original Message-----
From: UK Security [mailto:UK-SECURITY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of Tim Chown
Sent: 03 August 2005 15:13
To: UK-SECURITY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: MS Genuine Advantage

Interesting:

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/07/28/microsoft_genuine_ad.html

Microsoft "Genuine Advantage" cracked in 24h:  
window.g_sDisableWGACheck='all'

AV sez, "This week, Microsoft started requiring users to verifiy their serial number before using Windows Update. This effort to force users to either buy XP or tell them where you got the illegal copy is called 'Genuine Advantage.' It was cracked within 24 hours."
Before pressing 'Custom' or 'Express' buttons paste this text to the address bar and press enter:
javascript:void(window.g_sDisableWGACheck='all')

It turns off the trigger for the key check

====

Discovery successfully left Earth.

Well, I'm off to Spain for two weeks!
I booked it on Thursday morning, I'm flying out Sunday.

I will be back on the 18th July, but don't worry - I will be jacking back in. Talk of a new cinematic means new content >< w00tness

I would appreciate if some people could head on over to the BLUEPILL forum and help out the people there. I've been pretty much alone. Captains/Staff - see your special post on that!

See ya all!

Hmmn what a clever little trojan.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4580389.stm

The program, once it installs itself unbeknown to a user, triggers the download of an encoder application which searches for common types of files on a computer and networked drives to encrypt.

The trojan replaces a user's original files with locked up ones, so that they are inaccessible. It then leaves a "ransom note" in a text file.

Instructions to release the files are only handed over when a ransom fee is paid, according to Websense.

PS3 twice as fast as XBOX 360, AND released this year! Lovely PICS HERE!

PlayStation 3 Specifications

CPU

Cell Processor
PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz
1 VMX vector unit per core
512KB L2 cache
7 x SPE @3.2GHz
7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPRs
7 x 256KB SRAM for SPE
* 1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy
total floating point performance: 218 GFLOPS

GPU

RSX @550MHz
1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance
Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2 channels
Multi-way programmable parallel floating point shader pipelines

Sound

Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell- base processing)

Memory

256MB XDR Main RAM @3.2GHz 256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHz

System Bandwidth

Main RAM 25.6GB/s
VRAM 22.4GB/s
RSX 20GB/s (write) + 15GB/s (read)
SB< 2.5GB/s (write) + 2.5GB/s (read)

System Floating Point Performance

2 TFLOPS

Storage

Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1

I/O

USB Front x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)
Memory Stick standard/Duo, PRO x 1
SD standard/mini x 1
CompactFlash (Type I, II) x 1

Communication

Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)

Controller

Bluetooth (up to 7)
USB 2.0 (wired)
Wi-Fi (PSP)
Network (over IP)

AV Output

Screen size: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDMI: HDMI out x 2
Analog: AV MULTI OUT x 1
Digital audio: DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x 1

Disc Media

CD PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation 2 CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R, CD-RW, SACD, SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD, DualDisc, DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side)
DVD: PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW
Blu-ray Disc: PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, BD-Video, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE









Contrary to rumours suggesting the Revolution would be a no-show at this year's E3, Nintendo today revealed a prototype of the next-gen console.
Revolution to play NES, SNES, N64 and Cube games!