2% sounds like a bargain!

[d000hg]

Great no more Amazon to buy things from, or Google for search.

I hope the government is ready with its own home grown search engine. Is Ska working yet?

They wouldn't leave, if they can still make a profit. Since they're not paying tax ON their profits, clearly they would still be making nearly as much profit as they are now.

In fact they might move all their staff to the UK to reduce profits in a country with higher taxes?!

[rl4engc]

embarrassed to say thanks to NF I am currently using DDC

DDG

One good feature is to use the '!' search modifiers in the address bar to tell DDG where you want to search, e.g.

"HP Probook !ebayuk"
"Asus Zenpad !amazonuk"
"Big Naturals" !gi -- Google Image Search

etc.

Saves you having to go to the intended page first, wait for it to load, then type your search term in.

[Troll]

We'd have a British Amazon and Google, but at the moment they can't compete as they would have to pay their taxes.

Interesting point but why are all dominant IT companies mainly Yanks? are start-ups easier over there?

[seanraaron]

Interesting point but why are all dominant IT companies mainly Yanks? are start-ups easier over there?

They make all the computers.

[vetran]

Interesting point but why are all dominant IT companies mainly Yanks? are start-ups easier over there?

we invented a lot of the technology but when it came to making a profit out of it the yanks walked all over us

[VectraMan]

Interesting point but why are all dominant IT companies mainly Yanks? are start-ups easier over there?

US companies instantly had access to a much bigger market, whereas UK startups faced a lot more obstacles to international trade.

At least no-one wants to go back to that. Oh wait...

[Troll]

US companies instantly had access to a much bigger market, whereas UK startups faced a lot more obstacles to international trade.

At least no-one wants to go back to that. Oh wait...

GDP - European Union generates a GDP (nominal) of about €14.3 trillion (US$18.5 trillion in 2014) and a GDP (PPP) of about €12.7 trillion (US$16.8 trillion in 2014)

Population and hence market EU is bigger 508 mil vs 322mil

Think the real reason is the Yanks don't spend all day dicking about on CUK

[Troll]

They make all the computers.

Don't think they do any making anymore

[seanraaron]

Don't think they do any making anymore

Designing, making, whatever...

[VectraMan]

GDP - European Union generates a GDP (nominal) of about €14.3 trillion (US$18.5 trillion in 2014) and a GDP (PPP) of about €12.7 trillion (US$16.8 trillion in 2014)

Population and hence market EU is bigger 508 mil vs 322mil

Are you agreeing or disagreeing?

The likes of Sinclair were hugely successful in the UK and virtually nowhere else. If the EU had existed then, and Sinclair could have been as popular across the whole of what is now the EU they'd have been bigger than Microsoft, bigger than Apple, bigger than IBM. As it was when the UK market dried up they had nothing else and everyone went bust overnight. All the British boffins took their expertise to the US to work for companies not so encumbered by the island monkey mentality that still holds back the UK.