Please visit and sign @ www.netcafe.gr

[Prof.Wizard]

Oh well. Coug is right.
http://www.storageforum.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=208

This is a news entry of national embarrassment. How ironic: Greece, the cradle of Western civilization and motherland of democracy has passed the most outrageous law in recent years...

It's funny because these are my last days of vacation, I'm back in my home city (Thessaloniki), and tried the other day to get to an Internet Cafe to play my usual LAN party game with my favorite mates: AoE II: The Conquerors.
Of course the young man who works at the PC stations told us that it would be unlawful and they (the Cafe) faces fines up to €10000 and myself direct (?!) imprisonment... :-o It was the first time I felt in Greece stripped of my rights...

I read the official law document and it is so fucked up-stated that it also applies to private LAN premises like my home... :-x

All started by our stupid-on-the-nth-power Minister of Finances who believes that Internet games are evil for the youth since they promote "bad competition" and gambling habits.... Oh well...

Playing chess on a board is educative, playing chess over the Internet is gambling....

Please, everyone visit The Hellenic NetCafe Owners Website and sign the petition against this ridiculous law which makes my country look medieval...

 

[CougTek]

Please, everyone visit The Hellenic NetCafe Owners Website and sign the petition against this ridiculous law which makes my country look medieval...

I would like to Prof. but where's the damn place where I'm supposed to click to sign my name. Everything is in Greek, how am I supposed to understand? French ok, English no problem, German, Spanish and Latin I can always guess and figure it out. But Greek, no way.

 

[CougTek]

Forget it, I found the only english part of the front page and was able to fill the form, although I don't see why your government would pay attention to a petition signed by foreigners.

 

[time]

Coming after the attempts to imprison plane-spotters as spies for twenty years, this tends to confirm that Greece is off the rails and heading for the cliff, in a socio-political sense.

I'm truly sorry for you and your country, Prof.

 

[Fushigi]

Please, everyone visit The Hellenic NetCafe Owners Website and sign the petition against this ridiculous law which makes my country look medieval...

I just signed it. Truly rediculous law...

- Fushigi

 

[Sol]

Trully screwed up. I've been thinking about this all day and new implications just keep popping up... Computer games are a bigger industry than hollywood money wise...
How much stock in how many shops becomes contraband or worthless? My next door neighbours buisness would be illegal (He rents console/PC games).

WTF are they thinking?!

It goes without saying I added my name to the list but is there more? Is there a number I can call with abuse? I thought the lack of an R rating for PC games in Aus was a bit backwards... I feel for all greek gamers...

 

[Pradeep]

Prof it is time to move out of that socialist hole that is Europe and move to somewhere when you can have a bit more freedom. I would suggest Australia but we are also going far down the socialist path.

 

[NRG = mc²]

LOL

Not at all surprised. Rather than being happy that the second leader of the 17N terrorist group turned himself in (stupid move - they weren't gonna catch him otherwise), they waste time with stuff like this. Luckily I'm leaving Greece on Saturday. Going back to the UK where I have both broadband and the right to play games to my heats content.

:evil:

 

[Adcadet]

when I first saw that news article I thought it was a joke.

 

[CougTek]

when I first saw that news article I thought it was a joke.

Me too, and it's when I realized it wasn't that I decided to post it here.

 

[NRG = mc²]

Prof it is time to move out of that socialist hole that is Europe and move to somewhere when you can have a bit more freedom. I would suggest Australia but we are also going far down the socialist path.

That should read "that facist hole that is greece"...

LOL

The Prof knows how I feel about Greece and the people who run it so I won't say more. :roll:

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Thanks guys... keep signing! Sometimes numbers count, especially if they come by foreigners... THE PUBLIC OUTCRY MUST BE HEARD!

Australia? Never thought about that. But sounds interesting... I want my LAN games...

Anyone knows the place on earth with the most liberties? It ain't Greece for sure...

 

[flagreen]

Got you covered Prof. Hope it helps.

 

[time]

Anyone knows the place on earth with the most liberties? It ain't Greece for sure...

Probably New Zealand. They do have speed limits, however.

I don't think any sizeable country is in the hunt. Too much sense of self-importance, perhaps?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Amen! 8)

A court in Thessaloniki, my home city, has found the law (and the first arrests/fines) unconstitutional... this is the first step (court record) to kill this stupid law once and for all...

 

[Pradeep]

Sounds good Prof. Does that mean that it is now up to the Government to appeal that decision? So you can now game in peace for the time being at least?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Well... I wouldn't try to play a game in a public place as long as the law is still in effect, but still this is a very good first step. Creating a courtroom record of a case (in the world of Jurisprudence) is important to reverse a stupid law like this...

 

[timwhit]

Prof, aren't you back in Rome now anyways? The law won't affect you until you go back to Greece, correct?

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Correct. :wink:

 

[SteveC]

Honduras has decided to ban "violent" video games and toys starting next June. In an extremely poor country, with a 70% poverty rate, I'm not sure what kind of difference they're expecting. They have a huge amount of gang related crime, but I doubt they got their violent tendencies from playing too many computer games.

Steve