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Licensing Computer Techs As TV Repairmen
An anonymous reader writes "According to a story in yesterday's New Orleans paper, the Louisiana Radio and Television Technicians Board has sent letters to computer techs demanding fees to license them as radio and TV repairmen. Apparently, as computers drive more home theater applications, the board is trying to classify them as 'playback and recording device equipment,' which the law gives the board power to regulate. It looks more like a money grab, though, since no test is required, just $55 and an affidavit." It seems to me the better question is not whether computers can be defined in many circumstances as playback and recording equipment (hard to get around), but whether this kind of forced classification makes sense in the first place. Disingenuous quote of the day: "We're not trying to swing our arm around a whole bunch of people to get new revenue."
Admittedly, the last time I opened a monitor cover was about 12 months ago to obtain info for driving it with Linux. However, I still open our Dell GX100 power supplies to re-grease the fan, which seems to dry up waaaay too early. The p/s only has 4 screws to open it ... sheesh, as long as you figure out you shouldn't open it with power on, I can't imagine anyone rationally complaining.
Real computer techs with a range of experience still get into computer guts. Let's not dumb down that ability.
[You have a stable society when some nut guns down a schoolyard and the law doesn't change.]