From: dean@cbmvax.commodore.com (Jeff Dean - LSI Test)
Newsgroups: alt.radio.scanner
Subject: Re: Pro-37 for sale (2 days old!!)
Date: 9 Oct 92 17:08:24 GMT
Reply-To: dean@cbmvax.commodore.com (Jeff Dean - LSI Test)
Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA

In article <1992Oct9.012014.9798@pixar.com> Bruce@Pixar.com (Bruce Perens) writes:
>In article <BvnLLI.LII@news.cso.uiuc.edu> berger@atropa (Mike Berger)  
>writes:
>> If it's been modified, why would they take it back, even with the box?
>
>Well, do you think the Radio Shack salesman is going to open up the
>unit and check for that little snipped diode lead? How silly.
>
>And just what is it you have against the cellular band reception
>modification? It is a simple, safe, and nearly fool-proof modification.
>Just snip one wire. It makes your radio more capable, and thus
>more valuable.
>
>You aren't one of those iron-curtain fellas, are you? One of the people
  ...
>with the principle of the government restricting my freedom to listen
>to the radio.
>					Bruce Perens

Well, Bruce, I think we will all agree that legislating radio reception is a
waste of time, be it cellular, radar, or whatever.  But that's not what we're
talking about here.  Mike Berger quite quite correctly questioned the blatantly
unethical practice of returning modified goods to the retailer for credit.  You
might say, however, that those goods were actually enhanced by the
modification, and thus any subsequent purchaser should be overjoyed.  And if
you said that, you'd be wrong.  As an electrical engineer, I have seen scanning
electron microscope images of semiconductor damage caused by electrostatic
discharge (ESD).  Often, this damage doesn't immediately destroy semiconductor
devices, but can easily shorten their life significantly.  And don't argue with
me on the reality of ESD - it's there, and it destroys.

So what does that mean?  It means that as a purchaser I *DON'T WANT* modified
goods, period.  When they say "new in the box" I expect just that.  I don't
want my new scanner do die after the warranty expires because somebody zapped
the processor.  Did the person whom made the modifications wear a ground strap?
Did he or she have a grounded-tip soldering iron?  What was the humidity level
in the room where they worked?  Were they wearing rubber shoes?  AND DID THEY
HAVE ANY BUSINESS WORKING ON ELECTRONICS IN THE FIRST PLACE?  Too many
questions for me, I just want a *NEW* product.

So, don't recommend that laypeople return modified, potentially damaged goods
for me to purchase later.  That just sucks and shows a lack of ethics.

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|   |\ /|                                               Commodore Technology |
|   'O O`   Jeffrey Dean                                   1200 Wilson Drive |
|   > v <   VLSI Test and Design Assurance            West Chester, PA 19380 |
|     ^                                            dean@cbmvax.commodore.com |
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-- 
==============================================================================
|   |\ /|                                               Commodore Technology |
|   'O O`   Jeffrey Dean                                   1200 Wilson Drive |
|   > v <   VLSI Test and Design Assurance            West Chester, PA 19380 |
|     ^                                            dean@cbmvax.commodore.com |
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