Paul, at 12:45 on May 13 1996, you wrote to Bill Grimsley...

PE> You do by running a non-Austel-approved modem.

BG> Jeeze, are you still on about THAT !  

PE> Is it still the law?

Yep.  So was walking in front of your car after dark waving a red lantern,
until fairly recently, but I didn't do that either, even when I was legally
supposed to.  Some laws are stupid, and should have been repealed long ago.


If you can demonstrate that my use of a non-approved modem is likely to
damage the PSTN equipment, or physically become electrically unsafe, I
shall bin it tomorrow.  Until then though...

PE> And are you sure you're not meant to declare sales-tax-payable items
PE> to the customs officer if they don't pick up on it?

BG> Not my responsibility, Paul.  THEY chose not to collect the sales tax.

PE> Sounds like the answer is "Yes, I'm meant to". 

Not at all.  I don't know what criteria they use to determine if sales tax
is payable, and the fact that USR actually listed my modem on the Customs
sticker as a trade-in model may have made all the difference.  The bottom
line is that it's THEIR responsibility as licensed customs agent to collect
the sales tax if they deem it to be payable, not mine to ask. 

PE> So breaking the law twice,

No, just once.  And I'll continue to do so, despite what fogies like you
have to say about it.  And so will Rod, and Russell, and Randall, and
thousands of others who have found that imported generally modems work
better than their Austel approved equivalents.  And what's more, I
certainly don't expect to be hanged from the nearest yardarm any time soon
either.

PE> hey Bill, I can just go and steal one from Dave Hatch if I am happy to 
PE> break the law.  $0.  $195 less than the cheapest Yum Cha.

Off you go then.  I won't be visiting Malabar while you're there though.

PE> Not that that is an honest price either.  *I'm* wanting to buy one,
PE> *I'm* not a dealer. 

So what?  Neither am I, although it could be said that because I
continually upgrade my equipment, that I am indeed "dealing" in
computer peripherals.  Anyway, the fact that they'll still sell it to you
at dealer price makes it their problem, not yours.

PE> The cheapest external I've seen is around $270. 

Then buy that one and piss away the extra $75.  Fine by me.

Regards, Bill

--- Msgedsq/2 3.20