On the 06/05/96, Bill waffled to Dieter..

 Hello Bill,

 DM> Legally, they _can't_ refuse you.

 BG> That's what I thought too, but the TPC (or whatever they call
 BG> themselves now) have told me otherwise.  Sure, it ain't too ethical,
 BG> but Canon basically do have the right to determine to whom they will
 BG> sell their products, be it printers, manuals, or whatever.  They will

 That's an odd out, but if that is what they say....

 BG> only sell (or supply) manuals to AUTHORISED service agents, and there's
 BG> fuck all that I can do about it.
 
 Say you were authorised as a Canon agent in the USA, or Outer
 Mongolia. Get a kid to draw up an imitation of a certificate, and
 you're away laughing.

 DM> But.... they can "order from overseas" and charge fucking
heaps. Have
 DM> you tried Canon in the USA or similar ?

 BG> Not yet, but that was going to be my next possible source.  It just
 BG> pisses me off that the ISD phone call alone is going to cost a fucking
 BG> mint.

 Try Saturday morning - it's still their Friday arvo. The ISD
 rates should be cheaper.

 BG> Yeah, their reasons don't compute, and it reeks of restrictive trade
 BG> practices, but the TPC assures me that whilst they're sailing bloody
 BG> close to the wind, what they're doing is still just within the law (the
 BG> cunts!). 

 Indeed.

 How did you get on with the drivers anyway ?

 You did ask for someone to check the internet, didn't you ?

 Dieter
 

... Not dead, just electro-encephalographically challenged.
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