Sunday, June 7, 2009

Computer Repairs - Texas Style

Last year, in it's infinite wisdom, Texas passed a law affecting all Computer Techs and computer repair shops.
Seems that in order to continue business as usual the tech will now need a Private Investigator license or face 1 year in jail and up to a total of $14,000 in fines.
And if the customer knowingly takes their computer to an unlicensed tech, they also face the same fines and jail time.

Excuse the following rant....................
What!!!! Are They #@%*&%$ NUTS!!!!

Do they realize the ramifications and repercussions from this idiotic law?
Do they really care or were they scammed by the Texas Private Security Board.
This Board is nothing more then a cartel using every sneaky move in the book to protect their archaic and technology unsavy members.

It seems that even repair shops like the ones in the big box stores that starts with a G got letters from the board to cease and desist until they come into compliance.
Oh yea! I can see them sending their techs to college so they can get a 4 year criminal justice degree or spending 3 years as an apprentice of a licensed P.I.

Or how about the neighbor down the street that does repair work for cheap.
Besides being an unlicensed business, he is now operating without a P.I. license.
In Texas that could very well mean the electric chair.

And what about the consumers? Think the cost for education, licensing and yearly dues aren't going to be passed on to them?
Okay Sir. I installed a new anti-virus program for you. The software is $50 and the labor is $700 for a total of $750.
Oh! I forgot that I also need to add $10 to your bill to cover the cost of my license renewal. So that will be $760 and have a nice day!

If you care to wade through the whole messy details you can follow the link below to a page that documents all the gory details being used in the pending lawsuits.

Mandated Computer License

http://www.ij.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2189&Itemid=129

And should you happen to be a resident of Texas, I urge you to write you representatives and governor urging them to abolish this asinine law.
Because in the long run it will ultimately be you, the consumer, that pays the ultimate price for your government's stupidity.

TaZ