Re: Florida Statute According to RLB

[Frank Olson <Use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

tourman wrote:


> RHC: Another analogy is the customer who goes into a car dealership and
> buys a car. He pays for it and walks out. When it needs service, he
> finds the hood is completely locked, and he has to go back to the
> selling dealer even for an oil change. Then once his payments are over,
> he is still forced to go there whether he wants to or not. I've never
> seen a dealer do either....

And you never will.  You simply can't "compare" an alarm system to an
automobile.  That's just plain dumb.

Who still locks boards?  Certainly not anyone that I know (and I know
and work with quite a few independents and nationals despite what Bass
is going to say to the contrary).  "Leased" systems or units that are
under a maintenance agreement should be properly identified.  The fact
that you're "unlocking" boards that aren't is no skin off my nose.  If
the equipment "owner" can't take the time to mark (or otherwise
inscribe) their parts with words like "Property of ABC Alarms"  (or
similar), then there's no way that it should be up to you to establish
that material people are sending you is "proprietory".  I would hope
that if a dealer *is* sending you boards to unlock, that he's also "up
front" about it.


>
> Apparently though, there IS a real life issue much the same as this
> between the large automotive makers and the independant garages with
> the rights to computer diagnostic information. Automakers don't want
> the independants to have access to information they must have to
> properly diagnose and service today's latest high tech cars. That
> battle is still raging on....May the little guys win....

Bob, the more "high tech" a car becomes the further away it gets from
being a "weekend project" to change the oil or "tune up".  I just love
my 68 Buick Skylark.  When you open the hood, you can easily identify
all the key components and you don't need fancy diagnostic equipment to
tune it up.  You open the hood on my Navigator and it's chalk full of
hoses, pipes, and "doo-dads".  Sure, you can still identify the "basic
engine" under all the "dressing", but you sure as shit can't tune the
sucker up unless you have a laptop and the proper programs.