'When you disagreed with Steve Jobs, you lost'

This was the week when Android updates started making their way very slowly to Samsung Galaxy S2s and HTC mobes. And there was loads of chat about the imminent arrival of the new iPad, including the shock news that there would be shortages on the day of release. Gasp! (Fanbois were hurt in the making of this story). This was …

[Anonymous Coward]

Give it a rest

Justin Leighton is still a hysterical buffoon. The T&C were right there on the screen. Nothing was stolen, nothing was blagged.

[Julian Smart]

Tautological?

"Newton said that 20 per cent of the profits would go to the foundation, and anything left over after production and distribution costs would go to the organisation's charitable works."

Surely "anything left over..." constitutes the profit? So where does the 80% of profit go exactly?

[Graham Wilson]

There's nothing new here, publishers' cartels have been around centuries.

Nothing new here, publishers' cartels have been around centuries. That they're at it again should be no surprise.

How many times have you opened a book to read on the author/publisher/copyright page "Not for sale in the USA" or similar? (Similar issue with DVD region codes.) These contrivances allow publishers to sub-licence and or divide/use markets in any way they want--and of course, to their absolute advantage. The British and USA markets have always been the kings of such arrangements, history is littered with these agreements.

Not only are fair trade issues involved here but also copyright ones. Over the years, governments have only ever tackles these issues in a piecemeal manner. As I've said many times on El Reg, BOTH authors and consumers will continue to be ripped off by publishers until copyright and monopoly laws are rewritten from scratch to make them unambiguously fair for all.

[Grease Monkey]

Re: There's nothing new here, publishers' cartels have been around centuries.

Remember the net book price agreement? It must have taken close to 100 years for the courts to decide that was illegal and the issue was brought to a head by supermarkets deciding to pay no attention to the agreement and discount books. Looks like the publishers and Apple are trying to reinstate something similar.

Of course if the EU do declare the whole thing illegal the US will have to follow suit if only because US citizens will be pissed off that books can be bought cheaper in the EU than they can in the US.

[John Smith 19]

"anything left over"

Simple solution.

Farm out the "production & distribution" to A.N>Other company which you just happened to have set up to find "The most cost effective specialists in distribution & production"

Figure out how much you want to trouser.

Ensure they invoice the "charity" for the right amount.

Oppps. "Nothing left over. Very sorry. Costs of the publishing game. Couldn't be helped etc."

[Anonymous Coward]

Oppps. Nothing left over.

Wasn't there some wonders-of-the-world scheme that worked just like this?

[ItsNotMe]

'When you disagreed with Steve Jobs, you lost'

Maybe...but I wonder just how many of those folks who disagreed with Boy Wonder...are STILL ALIVE.

Seems like THEY are the REAL winners here.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: 'When you disagreed with Steve Jobs, you lost'

His oncologist would probably disagree with that statement.

[Anonymous Coward]

'When you disagreed with Steve Jobs, you lost'

But he's dead now and I still disagree - so who lost?

[ideapete]

Like nothing left over - Duh

Newton said that 20 per cent of the profits would go to the foundation, and anything left over after production and distribution costs would go to the organization's charitable works