[FAmSCo] [Fwd] F13 Media Stuck at Customs

[Paul W. Frields]

On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 11:48:43PM -0600, susmit shannigrahi wrote:
> Hello Legal Team,
> 
> Can you please suggest anything regarding this?

The explanation below indicates the postal service googled a site to
show what a Fedora DVD costs.  Did Arthur show them where they could
download the exact same content for free, thus showing the minimal
value of the DVD?

Paul



> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: FAmSCo <trac at fedorahosted.org>
> Date: Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 11:38 PM
> Subject: [FAmSCo] #88: F13 Media Stuck at Customs
> To:
> Cc: susmit at fedoraproject.org, mspevack at fedoraproject.org,
> Ke4qqq at fedoraproject.org, tatica at fedoraproject.org, luca at foppiano.org
> 
> 
> #88: F13 Media Stuck at Customs
> ---------------------------------------+------------------------------------
> Reporter:  arthurbuliva                |                 Owner:  jsimon
>    Type:  task                        |                Status:  new
> Priority:  critical                    |             Component:  Budget
> Keywords:  F13 Media Stuck at Customs  |   Reimbursment_amount:
>    Area:  EMEA                        |
> ---------------------------------------+------------------------------------
>  Christoph Wickert sent me some 300 F13 media for distribution in the
>  Freemedia program. The package was sent via dhl, who assigned it a
>  tracking number and even gave a [http://nolp.dhl.de/nextt-online-
>  public/set_identcodes.do?lang=en&idc=481006836118 website for tracking the
>  package].
> 
>  Three weeks down the line the package has not yet arrived so I called
>  their office who said that the package was not mailed via "express"
>  service hence the inaccuracy of the report. So they adviced that I check
>  with the Postal services. Surprise, the package had arrived but there was
>  no one folowing up on its clearance, since DHL had "disowned" it and I
>  couldn't follow up on it since I am not a customs clearing agent.
> 
>  Long story short, I asked them what I had to do then. They actually showed
>  the box to me and asked me to open it up (procedures, etc to show that it
>  doesn't contain contraband). Then they say that they have to tax it. How
>  much? The value of the software times the number of disks (300) plus VAT
>  and import tax. Showing them the enclosed letter bearing the value of
>  $0.15 per media didn't help much. So I take the chance to evangelize to
>  them about FOSS and how the price is even much less than $0.15 but its
>  like am just wasting my breath. He insists and Googles a site that offers
>  Fedora on media which asks for approx $5 per DVD. But argues frantically
>  that the software cannot be that cheap.
> 
>  Many calculations later and uncooperative tax guys (who clearly was not
>  intent in hearing me out coz she was playing Solitaire all the while) they
>  come up with a figure for the value of the disks - Ksh 60,000 ($742). Add
>  16% VAT and 2% import duty. And that's where we got stuck.
> 
>  So someone else came and adviced that the only way out is to look for a
>  way to get duty on it waived. How? Clearing and forwarding agents (who
>  will of course charge their own fees).
> 
>  They asked me to check in Monday 27th when their supervisor will be in so
>  that I can argue my case out. But just in case he doesn't change his
>  mind...
> 
> --
> Ticket URL: <https://fedorahosted.org/famsco/ticket/88>
> FAmSCo <https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Ambassadors/SteeringCommittee>
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