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Hey guys - SOME OF US ARE IN BELIZE (not the US!!) As big as the US is, it's laws do not entend beyond it's boarders.

Of course current events show that when the US decides something somewhere else is "illegal" there is a tendency to send in the troops - watch out Simon, the 101st Airborne is on it's way to make your computer safe for democracy!

No offense, Diane, but you are incorrect. Copyright laws DO apply internationally. And stealing is stealing, no matter where you do it.

On the other hand I do agree the American govt. is bizarre in its interference beyond its own boarders.

And Belize, at least on the books, honors US copyright laws. Many countries do not. Coluntries such as India and China, do not and thus they market their own drugs and such, violating US copyright and patents. Does not bother them at all. Belize gives lip service to it, but does not enforce it at all. There is nothing but pirated software and good available. US has gone way overboard in my opinion, but it is the law, and it is enforced sometimes.

Belize has enough trouble trying to enforce its own laws, nevermind the laws of other countries. There are far more serious acts being committed in this country than stealing from multibillion dollar international companies. I'm not saying its right, but does Microsoft always play by the rules?

Stealing Software, DVDs, CDs, Video Games etc happens all the time in Belize. Sure, legit copies are not widely available, but we should recognize that it is stealing. So if you are okay with theft, then so be it.

Skype, on the other hand, is LEGAL in Belize. There has never been any specific legislation preventing the use of voice/video transmission on IP lines in Belize. Additionally, the PUC did release guidelines in June 2006, albiet totally ridiculous and unenforcable, that SPECIFICALLY ALLOW SKYPE and any software that connects PCs for voice/video communication. BTL has ignored these guidelines, plain and simple.

BTL themselves use inexpensive VoIP interconnects to facilitate almost ALL international calls, and they have extensively deployed VoIP within their own retail network. Just look at the Mitel IP phones on the desk of the BTL office next time you go to pay your bill.

They just want to make sure that YOU cannot use it. Pathetic.

http://www.bfic.org

Hola Alex!

Software, Music, Movies. It is true that US law does not extend beyond it borders but lets say that I like the design of your house. One puts elevations and a few pictures of in progress work in a public forum. Keep in mind that you paid and personally worked with the architect and put your own "touches" on the work, and are also going to be selling this house. Under the present theme it would be just find to take that work and produce a replicas, and sell it. Someone else for their profit is now selling ones imagination and intellectual ideas. Is that ok?

There are far more serious acts being commited but as a root cause: Is it the basic line the it is ok to steal because it cost to much, cant get a real copy, the only have conterfit, or everyone else is doing it so why not, wait it ok because they are making piles of bling bling its ok.

For every design, program or operation they are people just like you that go to work, program, design or run. They have dogs, kids, people that depend on them, no matter how you stack justifications.

Ethics starts at home.


http://osdir.com/

GOB will certainly charge duty.

If you bring in books and school supplies, and even medical supplies that were donated and being given away for free, import duties still apply.

Software is probably not considered a "humanitarian" need so chances are duties will apply.

We brought school supplies in and showed them and they did not charge us duty on them, which was nice because we already got hit with overweight in Toronto.