These darned old computers

From: Dave Woodman - dave_at_naffnet.org.uk <dave_at_naffnet.org.uk)>
Date: Mon Aug 26 03:15:00 2002

Tony Duell wrote:

> > MOST or RS's efforts to mispackage it won't stop a determined hacker who
> > is adept with engineering knowledge or a soldering iron.
>
> Will anything :-). Darn it, HP's trick of heat-staking their calculators
> together and using undocumented custom chips hasn't stopped me taking
> them apart and modifying them ;-).
>
> >
> > I hooked up composite video on mine the first day, but waited almost a
>
> So did I. For a very good reason. I was a student at the time. Now in the
> UK, you have to buy a license (really a tax) to operate a TV receiver.
> Now, a TV set used as a computer monitor doesn't need a license, but it
> can be difficult to convince the authorities that you don't use it to
> watch TV as well.

Unfortunately, the licence now applies if you have equipment capable of
receiving TV transmissions, regardless of the purpose for which it used, so
you can try to convince the authorities all you like...

A monitor, as you used, always avoids the license, so you would still have
been safe, but even owning a VCR or TV and keeping it in the loft requires a
license now.

    Cheers,

            Dave.
Received on Mon Aug 26 2002 - 03:15:00 BST