Re: Computer virus???

["Doug" <not@xxxxxxxx>]

"Nick Lawrence" <nlaw@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:21785$4836de6c$43bca3f1$6020@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Because Bay Alarm Company (one of the largest dealers anywhere) was merely
> one of many dealers which has improperly employed the "local programming
> lockout", it is a big problem in the CA marketplace. We know (as does
> almost everyone here) of other large US regional dealers doing the same
> evil, anti-competitive, anti-consumer acts.
>
> As to their "nefarious agenda", one can surmise the dealer's intent when
> it refuses to remove the "local programming lockout" from the
> customer-owned panel, at the customer's written request, upon termination
> and full payment for the contract term.
>
> Unfortunately, "defaulting the board" (returning all programming options
> to factory presets, thus losing zone identities, keypad alpha words, user
> arm/disarm codes, bell timeouts, false alarm protections, etc) means that
> the system will no longer properly work as a "local", thus merely adding
> to the customer's misery, and robbing him of much of what he paid for. Way
> to go!
>
> Alas, if only the outgoing dealer would merely remove the "local
> programming lockout", the receiver, download and account numbers, test
> timer etc, and return the installer code to default, leaving the system
> fully operative as a non-reporting "local" system, the whole issue could
> be avoided.
>
>

We can probably all agree that some companies misuse lock out codes, but
when you use the term "computer virus" to describe such a code, you tend to
lose credibility.

Doug