RE: [Nolug] IMPORTANT: State radio and TV board wants to license computer techs

But the article says that they only mean to charge people who work on
home entertainment and computers. Of course that's not what the letter
said. So I don't think this will really be applied to all
computer technicians. But I guess this one guy in the article will
go to bat for the rest of us!

-- 
Brad Bendily - CNA/CLE
Systems Administrator
On Fri, 6 Aug 2004, Jeff Lee wrote:
> I read this in the paper a couple days ago. I would venture to say that a 
> very small percentage of computers users use video cards with this ability. 
> Furthermore a majority of computer techs do not operate on these components, 
> the manufacturer usually just replaces them and they are popped in, like a 
> putting an antenna or cable box on your tv. It is true that computers have 
> this ability. They also have the ability to cause world wide ecological 
> disasters and start wars. The small percentage of computer users that even 
> know they have this capability usually have the knowledge required to fix 
> thier own machines.
> 
> Does this mean that projectors are TV's now? Does a person need to be 
> licensed to connect it to a computer and install its software?
> 
> This only hurts the consumer. It hurts business and it takes valuable time 
> out of everyone's day just so a few more govenment agencies can make a few 
> extra dollars.
> 
> 
> >From: Joey Kelly <joey@joeykelly.net>
> >Reply-To: nolug@joeykelly.net
> >To: nolug@joeykelly.net, General@brlug.net, lafix@lclinux.lafix.org,   
> >lalugs@joeykelly.net, LSUOS-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU, NewOrleans-pm@mail.pm.org,  
> >  UCLINUX-L@tulane.edu
> >Subject: [Nolug] IMPORTANT: State radio and TV board wants to license 
> >computer techs
> >Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 10:28:06 -0500
> >
> >Y'all, sorry for the cross-posting, but this is rather important.
> >
> >The  Louisiana Radio and Television Technicians Board is sending out 
> >letters
> >to computer techs demanding a yearly licensing fee, on the premise that 
> >since
> >a computer can do home entertainment, it must be either a TV or a radio and
> >should be regulated as such.
> >
> >Times Picayune article (bogus login required):
> >http://www.nola.com/business/t-p/index.ssf?/base/money-0/1091633106206812.xml
> >
> >The article quotes a tech saying that if the state were to go with a real
> >computer cunsultant license, he would be more willing to abide by that.
> >
> >I think licensing techs of any kind is a charade, as we all know how 
> >useless A
> >+ and MCSE testing is to determine whether a tech knows anything at all.
> >Fools pay chump schools who in turn teach to the applicable tests, and the
> >then-certified techs don't even know which end of a mouse to hold, etc. The
> >state's noble goal (that of protecting consumers) has degenerated into a
> >revenue stream only.
> >
> >Slashdot story:
> >http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/08/05/2235213&tid=103&tid=126&tid=17
> >
> >Text of an email alert put out by the Louisiana Technology Council:
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Mark Lewis [mailto:mlewis@ltc-la.org]
> >Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 11:47 AM
> >To: LTC Information
> >Subject: CRITICAL: State Board Wants to Control Computer Consultants &
> >Technicians
> >
> >
> >To:  Business Community and technologists
> >
> >It has come to our attention that the Louisiana State Board of Radio and
> >Television Repair Technicians desires to MANDATE the licensing of Computer
> >Consultants and Technicians by extrapolating Act 428 which was passed by 
> >the
> >Louisiana State Legislature in 1958.  In a copy of a letter sent to me by
> >@Site Computer Services, the Board states that "home computers provide for
> >television reception and recording and all provide audio/visual playback 
> >and
> >recording capabilities.  Therefore, in accordance with the existing law 
> >(Act
> >428), the Board has elected to license computer technicians."  As the 
> >letter
> >from the Board states, the general provisions of Act 428 is to protect the
> >public welfare, aid the department of revenue in collecting sales taxes on
> >labor and on retail prices of material used in the service and maintenance
> >of radio and television receivers, CB radios, playback and recording
> >devices, VCR's, and satellite signal receiving equipment ......
> >
> >The bottom line is that if any employee is engaged in the repair,
> >maintenance, consultation or training of computer equipment, including
> >hardware, peripherals, and networks, as used in the home  (or  possibly 
> >even
> >the office), they must fill out an application and PAY an annual $55.00
> >licensing fee  (per person).  There are other license requirements as well.
> >
> >It appears that this Board is sending letters to companies and individuals
> >that perform most all computer services and giving them 15 days to comply
> >with the Board's licensing procedures or face fines and prison penalties.
> >
> >Personally I think this a very broad interpretation of the law and would
> >hurt the technology community if this were to be enforced.  In fact, there
> >is also a provision in the Act that specifically states, "the term playback
> >and recording devices does not mean or include playback and recording
> >devices normally designed for use as office equipment...."  This seems to
> >make a lot more sense when computers are involved.
> >
> >I am sending you this email for the very purpose of notifying you of this
> >initiative by the State Board.  If you choose to voice your opinion, please
> >do so immediately by contacting your congressional delegate or by writing 
> >or
> >calling Mr Stanley Brohn, Secretary of the State Board who wrote the 
> >letter:
> >
> >State of Louisiana
> >Radio and Television Technicians Board
> >6554 Florida Ave. - Suite 109
> >Baton Rouge, LA 70806
> >(225) 231-4710
> >
> >You can access the letter sent  by Mr. Brohn to @Site Computer along with
> >their response at our web site:
> >http://events.ltc-la.org/downloads/State_Board_Letter.pdf  (650k)
> >
> >Please pass this information on to anyone you feel might be interested in
> >this initiative and if you feel they would like to voice their opinion.
> >Again, feel free to contact your state legislators and let them know your
> >feelings. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me as well.
> >Special thanks goes to Jarrod Broussard of @Site Computer Services for
> >drawing this to our attention.
> >
> >Mark S. Lewis, President
> >Louisiana Technology Council
> >Louisiana - Tech Capital of the South
> >"Quality Always Wins"
> >Voice: (504) 304-2911
> >URL: http://www.LTC-LA.org
> >
> >--
> >
> >
> >Joey Kelly
> >< Minister of the Gospel | Linux Consultant >
> >http://joeykelly.net
> >
> >
> >"I may have invented it, but Bill made it famous."
> >  --- David Bradley, the IBM employee that invented CTRL-ALT-DEL
> >
> >___________________
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