A relative who works for Dell Computer has this to say about the Sierra Times fiasco:
The export compliance lawyers and administrators at Dell [are] at a heightened
state of alert. The US government told Dell and other computer
manufacturers that if they sold computers to those who they shouldn’t “like
terrorist corporations, bad countries and such” that Dell would be fined a
Million Dollars a day.The people on the phone taking orders are just that… order takers with a
script they have to follow. Many of them are contactors hoping that Dell
will hire them one day, scared to make any mistake. They were told to be
careful selling anything to anyone that might be on the bad guys list. I am
sure this is just one of these people that did not understand any more
detail then that. Kind of like going to Wal-Mart and trying to get help
from the sales people behind the counter. The service is less than you
would expect many times.
We were told in England you have to sign a document that says you will not
use the computer for terrorist activities!
Bureaucrats!
Make of it what you will; we report you decide.