Dell Can Kiss My A$$

[RandySF]

Monday afternoon a package arrived. Everyone was excited. I was happy to receive my new Dell laptop and my son of course greets every new packakge like it's Christmas. Out of the box it came, onto the desk. I anxiously plugged everything in, powered it up. Ohhhhh ahhhh. Then I tried to connect to the internet and that's when the real fun began.

I could not get a connection to save my life. First thing I did was call Comcast to see if it was not properly configured. We went through everything and it seemed fine, especially since my old laptop had no trouble. I spent way too much time over the past few evenings on the phone with outsurced techs (not easy when you are alone with a three-year old) who were not helpful and frequently rude. Ultimately they could not figure it out and someone literally ditched me by telling me to hook up the old one and call him back. I did, left a message, I never heard from him again.

Deciding that it was more hassle than it was worth, I did not like the speakers anyway and I told them this morning that I just wanted to send it back. The person on the other end PASSIONATELY told me that the problem was that I was talking to some outsourced service and that Dell just recently hired a team of AMERICANS who can help me out (the irony being that he had the same accent as the techs I had been talking to). No, I said, it's not worth me getting stressed out. "Very well" he sniffed and connected me to the only useful person I talked to since that thing arrived. The bottom line, Dell, is this: If you want to brag about your American technicians, let them be the FIRST line of support, not the last.

Goodye, Dell.

[onehandle]

1. Apple leads 2009 customer satisfaction survey

A survey examining users' satisfaction with recent PC purchases and their near term buying outlook gave Apple the top spot and a distant lead in consumer approval rankings and improved numbers related to buyer's immediate plans for new notebooks.

The numbers compiled by ChangeWave Research, indicate a continued drop in overall spending for both desktops and notebooks, hitting the lowest point in at least two years. Only 4% of respondents plan to buy a new desktop in the next 90 days, and just 6% have notebook plans. That's roughly half of the planned demand expressed in 2007.

Of those who plan to buy new notebooks, 30% said they will buy from Apple, compared to 22% for HP and 26% for Dell. Eighteen percent said they would buy a netbook, up from 14% last month, while two thirds said they wouldn't be considering a netbook and another 16% weren't sure.

In desktops, 26% said they were planning to buy from Apple, while 28% said HP and 32% said Dell. Looking backward at actual purchases over the last 90 days, 15% bought Apple desktops, 27% bought HP, and 33% bought Dell. In notebooks, 20% reported buying Apple, 27% HP, and 33% bought Dell.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/18/apple_leads_2009_customer_satisfaction_survey.html

[tridim]

3. Well yes, but Apple charges a premium price for that service

IMO it's not worth it, but I've always built my own systems and solved my own issues.

[Cronus Protagonist]

9. Yeah, and with a choice of ONE, how can they fail?

Apple Macintosh is an Apple Monopoly.

[proud2BlibKansan]

98. Huh?

Apple is the only company that makes computers?

[Cronus Protagonist]

124. Yeah, if you want a MAC....

However, if you buy a PC, you can buy one from hundreds of competitors. And if you buy a PC, you can also buy upgrades from any other vendor, and select from literally thousands of companies and parts. Not so with MAC - everything has to come from Apple, the source of all things MAC. But you know that, so why be obtuse about it?

[proud2BlibKansan]

125. I have bought close to a dozen Macs

and not all from Apple. So you are mistaken.

How is pointing out the truth being obtuse?

[Jane Austin]

22. You have a wonderful skill

if you can build your own computer.

I have skills, too, if it's a Golden Retriever needing a show grooming or a litter of beautifully socialized and healthy Golden pups.

Years ago, I could have played an oboe concerto for you, or sung Mozart's Alleluia.

For years I had the most amazing display of flowers in our yard.

And now when some people come into our shop they say it's the most fun store they've ever been in. I guess that takes talent, too.

But none of those things can connect me to the internet.

In fact when I come in from any of those activities, I need a computer that I don't have to think too hard to use.

For me that's always been an Apple.

My father was like you - he could build, engineer and jigger anything.

He made tv sets, radios, a Theramin, and I think maybe he and my brother made their first computer.

What a great gift that is!

[tridim]

28. Building a computer is no harder than putting together a Lego model

The modular nature of modern PC's makes it easy.

I do it for two reasons. It's cheaper (by a lot) and I can use higher quality components than most manufacturers use. I guess it may seem daunting to someone who calls a plumber when their toilet breaks, but for the average tinkerer it's extremely simple to build your own system.

IMO it's easier than dealing with the preloaded BS you get when ordering a turnkey system.

[Dr.Phool]

56. You're absolutely right.

I've built all of my desktop systems for years. I haven't tried to tackle a laptop yet.

And you can usually get a better warranty on the components than a manufacturer gives. And you can upgrade it piece by piece if you want.

[Jane Austin]

66. You guys are amazing!

I bow to your skill!

[NeedleCast]

127. You're confusing not knowing how to do something with something being hard

[kstewart33]

7. A big issue is price. A Mac PC is 2 times more than a Dell. nt

[onehandle]

30. A homebuilt or off-brand or used or out of date PC will be cheaper.

But a comparable current model Mac is around the same price as a PC.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/148032/mac_vs_windows_laptops.html

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=macintosh_os&articleId=9023959&taxonomyId=123

http://www.systemshootouts.org/shootouts/desktop/2006/0809_dt3200.html

http://www.systemshootouts.org/shootouts/laptop/2007/0605_lt2000.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/apple-mac-leopard-windows-vista,1985.html

But you just keep living in 1992.

[EOTE]

110. That really doesn't mean much at all.

How many Mac laptops can you get for $400? How about $600? $800? They just don't exist. There are hundreds of PC laptops for those prices that will do everything the typical user needs for hundreds less than a Mac which would do the same thing. PCs still rain supreme for affordability. And also, if you want to make your own Mac, it's got to be a PC.

[SlicerDicer-]

33. Not with Chamelon

[proud2BlibKansan]

99. And it lives a whole lot longer

I have had both a Dell laptop and a Mac. Dell died within a couple years. Mac still going strong.

[Lorien]

114. And lasts five times as long without the hassles

my friends have been switching to Mac in droves now that they run parallels. Why keep throwing good money after bad on a machine that just breaks down in a year or two (sometimes less)? Macs just plain work, and they last for ages.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. Don't dent the fucking thin & weak aluminum case. The warranty is voided

and you are treated as a criminal. I'd never buy any of their overpriced shit.

[Jane Austin]

17. On the other hand . . .

I once ran over my laptop with a rented minivan at a dogshow.

It never closed perfectly after that but it worked just fine until I traded up a few years later!

[Jane Austin]

24. Mr. Austin just reminded me that when our house burned,

a fireman handed his (Mr. Austin's) Apple laptop out an upstairs window to his colleague on a ladder.

Water streamed out of it as he climbed down.

Being married to me, he had some experience in drying out cell phones and cassette players, so he set it up where it would drain best and left it alone for two weeks while we tried to put our lives back together.

After two weeks he plugged it in, started it up and it didn't miss a beat.

That was eight years ago, and although we have newer, speedier laptops now, we still use that old soggy one as backup at the store.

[The_Casual_Observer]

36. Good for you.

[onehandle]

26. I wish you hadn't posted that.

Now Apple's massive base of satisfied customers will never buy Apple again.

[The_Casual_Observer]

35. I couldn't care less about apple or apple customers.

If anybody wants to waste money on overpriced horseshit products, it's entirely up to them to do so. They can take their fucking "Genius bar" manned by dropout wish I were an IT guy geeks& piss it up a rope.

[onehandle]

39. Oh, man... Stop It!

Apple is losing customers with every keystroke you send.

Even though they are highly satisfied, your words in some forum will drive them all away.

Mercy, please!

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lorien]

119. Lol!

:thumbsup:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

43. I beat up my Apple laptops and I've never dented the case

What'd you do? Jump on it.

[FreeState]

65. I have a dented MacBook Pro - and have no problems with the warranty what so ever

Just had it in to have a new DVD burner put in and no problem at all with a dented case. Not one.

[The_Casual_Observer]

73. That simply isn't possible if you took it to the genius. They have been trained

to inspect the case for the slightest cosmetic damage specifically to deny coverage. So, what you are saying is bullshit.

[FreeState]

77. Please dont call me a liar

Because mine has been dented - actually I have two, both have been dented - and both have been repaired under warranty.

If you need proof I can dig up the receipts. They are trained to tell you it may cause denial of service - not to deny you service. Call 1-800-MyApple and ask them yourself if you dont believe me.

Here is the receipt:

[Name removed]

88. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[proud2BlibKansan]

101. That is complete horseshit

We have 4 Apple laptops in our house. We have dealt with our local Genius Bar dozens of times. Nothing but great experiences. They have even fixed things that were NOT on the warranty. Last time I went in (for technical help syncing a new video camera) they replaced my entire keyboard because ONE KEY was scratched. ONE.

You obviously have an axe to grind with Apple products. But making shit up doesn't help your case at all.

[Tesha]

75. If you've never bought any of "their overpriced shit", how would you know?

People who hate Macs have never owned Macs.

Tesha

[The_Casual_Observer]

89. My son talked us in to that shit ONCE. That was the one & ONLY time.

That whole fucking pile of shit company could get rained on with gasoline & matches
for all I care. They are utter shit & anybody associated with it is shit.

[marksmithfield]

93. friends dont let friends buy Macs

why buy a 'puter that no-one wants to write software for?

[onehandle]

109. Wow! Can I borrow your time machine?

What's it like there back in 1990?

Yeah, I know. That Bush sucked too.

Next you'll be telling us that Apple is going our of business aaaannnny minute now.

Here in 2009, they have more cash on hand than Microsoft and are worth more than Google.

Oops, I mentioned Google. Now I've probably disrupted the space-time continuum.

Oh, well.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

112. oh snap!

[acmavm]

103. I've never owned a Mac, but my daughter does. What a great machine.

The damn thing works on 'logic'. You can actually figure out how to do things for yourself. It's a wonder and I would love to have one but I just cannot afford a new computer.

Mac is the way I'd go now. Considering I've been using the 'personal computer' for soooo many decades (I was lucky to work for companies that jumped right on the computer craze in the very beginning), I've seen enough of a difference to wish that Apple had been able to blackmail the entire computer industry into using its system rather that Bill Gates.

[proud2BlibKansan]

100. Bullshit

My son dented his. It was under warranty and they fixed it at no charge.

[The_Casual_Observer]

41. What apple store do you work at?

[onehandle]

55. Boy did you get that wrong.

If I was working at an Apple Store, I'd be much too busy serving satisfied customers to answer your stupid questions all day.

[The_Casual_Observer]

91. To the contrary. You have all day with nothing to do, nobody

is in those stores.

[proud2BlibKansan]

102. Another piece of bullshit

Our store is packed every time I go in. Making an appointment typically takes 2 or 3 days.

[The_Casual_Observer]

128. What, to get your piece of shit fixed over & over?

come on, which fat stupid bastard "genius" are you related to anyway? Apple is sbsolute shit.

[Tesha]

122. "Nobody goes there anymore -- it's too crowded!" (NT)

[sandnsea]

2. No local computer tech?

Who could have helped you choose the best product for your personal use, and made sure it was fully functioning when you got it, and made a couple hundred bucks in the process?

Probably for less than what you paid Dell.

[Seldona]

4. Agreed. When I built and sold you could drop it off or we would come to you.

No extra charge, unless the part weren't under warranty. Of course we didn't buy crappy parts by the truckload. Local is the way to go.

[eilen]

105. I have purchased 2 PC's from a local guy

who built them. The first one blew up within 3 years. I then purchased a different one from him that he custom built. That one didn't turn on a week ago, I brought it back. He has had it for over a week and I haven't heard a fucking thing. These computers were not cheap. The last one (that does not work) cost over $2,000--he claimed he built it with the best components. This has really sucked for me particularly because it has my resume on it. I will have to redo my resume now. I should have backed it up but I had just updated it and had absolutely no expectation that the next day I would turn my computer on and would have a black screen.

I have two macs (a mac mini, a mac book) that are basic computers-- they don't have the bells and whistles that the PC did. Those are older than the PC and are going strong. The few times I had to bring them in for a faulty drive or something, I had them back within a day or two. Who knows how fucking long he is going to keep my PC until he likely tells me the motherboard is dead (like the last one)-- which he kept along with all the components claiming he didn't want those to "possibly currupt the new computer". I'm all done with buying PC's and done with the local guy. The only reason I had it was to run a game (WOW) for my husband who was only comfortable with PCs and for the software that I use with my hobby. If it is dead, I am buying a MacBook Pro or an iMac that can handle the partition and run XP on it for those programs. Now my dh has a laptop for his game use (second one in one year as the HP blew up, now he has a Toshiba gaming platform --crossing my fingers)My son had a Gateway laptop that also blew up in less than a year-- I had to replace with an Asus. If these new laptops go again within a year, I'm allowing the insurance replacement but will no longer be willing to buy another (no insurance on the replacements).

[Jokerman]

29. Dell ran them out of business.

I started in the computer business when there were dozens of "mom & pop" computer stores in this city alone. The one or two that survived found a niche and got out of the hardware side early.

There is nowhere near a "couple hundred bucks" profit in a PC these days, Dell has made sure of that.

I detest Dell and avoid them whenever possible but a local computer tech is as hard to find around here as an independent pharmacy, grocery store or hardware store.

[sandnsea]

32. Yes there is

If more people took a few minutes to look around, they'd find more than they know. You can make a couple hundred per sale, you just have to provide high quality service and scour every avenue for close-outs and the like. We don't do much building from the ground up anymore though, I agree that end of the business is kapoot. My point was that even if the OP ended up with a Dell, if he had bought it through someone local, it would be working today.

[notadmblnd]

5. I believe the laptops are set up for wireless.

I've had no problems with the Dell laptop I bought for my son. Of course I didn't hook it up to my Comcast either. You probably need to contact Comcast and have their tech assist you at their end. Do you have your cable modem going through a router or hooked up directly to your cable modem? This can make a difference in whether you successfully make a connection. If you returned your Dell, you may have the same problem when attempting to connect another laptop which is wireless, to a cable connection. I don't know if laptops that come ready for wireless are also equipped with a network card for cable too?

[NeedleCast]

8. 99.9% do both

I guess you could order a laptop without an ethernet card, but I don't know why anyone would. Any modern laptop is going to have a hardline connection + wireless.

[RandySF]

13. My Toshiba has no problem.

[RandySF]

19. I should add

That before Comcast, my Toshiba also worked well with DSL.

[CRF450]

106. I had an older wireless router that wouldn't work with my HP laptop

Unless I had it plugged directly to the ethernet port. The new router I have now works with it on a wireless connection.

[NeedleCast]

6. Problem you're going to run into is that it isn't just Dell

Short of dropping 2,500 on a Mac, pretty much every PC maker has outsoruced their tech support.

Not having a connection is one of the worat possible issues because with just about everything else, a technician, outsourced or not, can just remote to your computer and take a look.

I think United Airlines did the same thing. I know I had to talk to outsourced people until I racked up enough miles to become a Premium member of their frequent flyer plan. Then I got a special 1-800 number that sent me through to US based customer service.

[tammywammy]

10. Yep

BTW, I've had multiple Dells and have never had a problem with them.

[pnutbutr]

12. hmmmm

Were you trying to connect wired or wireless to your router? Do you have security setup on your router? What all did you try with support to get it working? Whenever I hear stories like this with a total lack of details but high on complaints I go straight for the obvious ID10T error.

[NeedleCast]

15. Yup, as an IT employee I kinda get that same feeling

Then again, I'm pretty savvy with both computers and electronics and when I started having issues with a wireless router at home recently, the (outsourced) tech support was horrid. My wireless would drop about every half hour although all the signal lights were still going and my computers still indicated they were connected. I'd call tech support, they'd have me change settings inside the router, reboot, and wait. Problem is, that since the wireless would pick up again after being power cycled, it was impossible to tell if the problem was acutally fixed until the multiple computers running to my wireless all dropped again. Then, same thing...call tech support, change random wireless settings, reboot, work for half an hour, drop, call tech support...

Bottom line is that as the OP has said, outsourced Level 1 tech support is about as useful as tits on a boar.

[RandySF]

16. Wired

[pnutbutr]

18. detail overload

It's too much............HHHHHNNNGNNGGNGNGGHHHHHHHH

[NeedleCast]

27. LOL, I think we've identified the problem

[RandySF]

34. I don't have all day to tell you

what both Dell and Comcast had me do. What I can tell you is that none of it solved the problem. I will be the first to admit that I am not a techie, but my gut tells me that it is a software issue that left Dell running for the hills.

[Jane Austin]

25. $2500 for a Mac?

My latest MacBook is amazing, and it cost $999 before Mr. Austin added some extra memory, which is pretty cheap these days.

[onehandle]

31. No. All Macs are $2500.

If it's posted on the Internet, it must be true.

All Hondas are made of chocolate.

And now it's true.

[GA_ArmyVet]

47. oooo, I want the Honda,,,does it have marshmellow tires

[marksmithfield]

95. only if you get it with

the optional whitewalls

[joeunderdog]

50. My Mac cured my headaches. That IS true.

Once you go Mac you never go back.

Fifteen wasted years on a PC--what was I thinking?

And it's much better value too. No anti-virus costs every year. No need to pay to get Norton removed after it sandbags your OS. No need to upgrade your RAM because Windows slows it to a crawl. No need to take it for repairs every 2 years because you didn't got to school to be a tech. I don't have time for all that.

Yeah, it cost more at first, but in the end it's better value and no hassle. And no, I don't work for Apple.

[Lorien]

121. You sound just like my best friend. He spent the last 20 years in PC hell

his last PC (a Toshiba) didn't even last a year! He got his Macbook Pro around Christmas and already can't get over how much better it's made his days at work. He even went back for an iPhone because he was so impressed with the Macbook-and he's wild about that, too (it gets reception in his lab-which no other phone ever has). Apple just does it better!

[Dr.Phool]

59. No wonder my wife gets heavier every time she climbs in a Honda.

[Jane Austin]

67. Heee .. . . .

Shoot, the Mac Mini is even cheaper. You just plug it in and connect it to your whatever monitor and keyboard you choose.

[Lorien]

120. Yep. $999.00 for the Macbook-the refurbs are even cheaper

and they do have a warranty: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTE3MzM

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

44. Only high-end macs cost $2,500

And you can get refurbished ones with the same warranty as a new one for under $1,000.

[joeunderdog]

46. Check this out from SONY

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/sony_releases_new_stupid_piece_of

[Dr.Phool]

62. I've gotta get one of those.

[haydukelives]

87. I got one

works just like they say

[B o d i]

48. For that kind of coin, you could get a MacBook Pro

You can get a Mac mini for about $600, or an iMac for $1200. Yes, you can get some PCs for less, but imho this is a case of "you get what you pay for".

And no, I don't work for Apple.

[Tesha]

76. You have no idea what you're talking about.

$999

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook

[4lbs]

11. If your laptop's Wi-Fi is anything like that of my father's laptop, it makes the situation a bit

complex.

Note, here I use "laptop" and "notebook" interchangeably. Some people make a distinction based on the size/weight of the portable.

The Wi-Fi in most current laptops can connect to a myriad of wireless networks, sometimes simultaneously, sometimes not. That could cause issues as they may also try to automatically connect with the fastest detected network instead of the strongest one. Usually, your home network would be the strongest one, since the signal is the shortest distance from the machine.

Thus, if the Wi-Fi detects a 54Mbit network 100 feet away (say, a neighboring house or small business across the street), and your 11Mbit network 20 feet away, it will actually try to hook to the 54Mbit network instead of yours. That's often a problem in most instances. You most likely wouldn't have the proper authorization to use the 54Mbit external Wi-Fi network and thus, your connectivity would be zero.

I noticed this after looking at the network configuration that my father's laptop Wi-Fi was detecting 5 Wi-Fi networks! It was always trying to attach to the fastest one. If there were two of the same speed (i.e. two 54Mb), then it would try the one with the stronger signal.

Eventually, I had to create a network configuration profile for my father's notebook that had only my home Wi-Fi, with it NOT trying to detect any new network. Then it would latch onto the home Wi-Fi only. This configuration profile was saved as "Home WiFi". In my father's case it works out since he never takes the laptop outside his home and would need only to use his own home WAP. If he were to actually take it somewhere and wanted to use the WiFi there, I would tell him to switch network profiles to "Default" and let it search and hopefully connect.

[SmileyRose]

37. consider yourself hugged

I am about to buy a laptop and your post was great education for a computer tard.

THANK YOU.

[riverdale]

104. What do you think about this Dell issue

My laptop currently can see 13 wireless networks. Of course, it only can hook up to the wireless router in my house. Every few hours it'll forget there are any wireless networks around at all, and I have to reboot to connect again.

[KamaAina]

20. Dude! You're getting a piece of crap!

:P

[samdogmom]

21. I am so sorry you had this experience!

My son has Comcast and an Apple computer. He was having great difficulty getting his email to work (he could receive things but not send things). Apparently Comcast changed some port numbers so the old default ones no longer worked. Once we figured this out everything worked just fine.

I had the opposite experience with Dell vs. Apple. (My son's first generation iPhone stopped charging via USB two months out of the one year warranty. I paid $399 for this phone just a little over a year ago and now Apple wants me to spend another $199 to get a refurbished replacement...OR, I can spend $199 for a new 3G model, extend my AT&T contract by two years and add an extra $10/month for the 3G iPhone data package.) I chose none of the above. Right now he can charge the phone using firewire...but he can't sync it with his computer. WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK! We were required to sign a two year contract when he purchased the phone. And then the thing didn't even make through the two-year contract! I'm done with Apple and their crappy equipment. My son's MacBook Pro (purchased in Nov., 2007) also experienced three major problems last year. The battery failed, his hard drive failed, and his case failed. Fortunately, he was under warranty when these things happened, so Apple replaced the items for free. But he was without a computer for days while some of the repairs were made by the genius bar at his local Apple store. (And, I'm also grateful that I insisted that he have an external backup drive to keep copies of all of his vital files. When his hard drive failed he only lost one day of work and not everything!)

ME? I bought a Dell Precision M65 laptop at the same time my son bought his MacBook Pro. Both systems cost approximately the same amount of money. A few weeks ago on a Sunday I discovered that my daughter somehow managed to put several deep scratches in the cover of my laptop. I was very sad about this damage, so I emailed Dell and asked if they would sell me a new case for my computer. (I was determined to figure out how to install the case if I could get one.) Guess what? They replaced it for free under my warranty. My daughter's damage was deemed "wear and tear". I asked Dell for help on Sunday and by Tuesday at 3 p.m. I had a whole new case on my laptop. Dell sent a professional to my house to install the new cover. WOW! That's customer service!

I wish your experience with Dell had been better. (And, I wish my contacts with Apple had been better.) My daughter heads off to college next year. She really wants an Apple laptop to take along...but based upon my recent experience with Apple..."Dude, she's getting a Dell!"

[lpbk2713]

23. Dell's "Customer Service" (for want of a better name) is notorious.

And it has been for years. I have always avoided Dell equipment for this reason.

[sarcasmo]

38. We did away with our Dell a few years back, the customer service is just terrible.

[Belial]

42. Used Dell for years.. work and home.. never really

had an issue.. Thankfully.. Dell does have "American" support techs.. but it also outsources its first line of defense. When you take into consideration that most of the calls are kind of silly.. ie. Where is the wireless switch, etc. When there is a major issue, you do get upgraded to another level of support. How does one define major? I have no idea.. Dell also has additional support contracts you can purchase for a higher level of service out of the chute.

Both of my girls both have the Macbook Air.. sigh.. its a conspiracy or something.. lol

[sandyj999]

45. I had a Dell problem too.

In October I ordered a laptop and after two days it just died. I called them and told them they could take it back. They tried to get me to call tech help and all that garbage and I said, "no I want to return it and credit it back to my account." I guess they decided I was serious and had UPS pick it up. Why would I want to keep something that didn't work from the beginning? And if you call for any kind of help some people are impossible to understand. I have found that if you use Chat at least you aren't working with an accent. I too am done with Dell and have closed my account. In fairness I must add that I have two Dell desktops and they have been very reliable, just not the laptop.

[Jazzgirl]

49. They have always had American techs.

A good friend of mine is one. They have just been pretty much dealing with their corporate accounts. He has started working on individual accounts a lot more though.

[Buddyblazon]

51. My Dell story is long...

But I won't bore you with it.

Just know this...they burned me so good...it was the last PC I'll ever buy...and I now tell everyone who I know that's looking for a computer not to buy a Dell.

[Greyhound]

52. It's really too bad that a company that was literally built on it's outstanding customer support

has been so completely overtaken by the MBA mindset.

As you've seen in previous replies we now have the anti-Dell, 180 degrees from what made the company in the first place. Their position is now that this is the way it is and you have no choice which is unfortunately true in the laptop world.

[RandySF]

53. Based on what I read,

Apple has a smililar model, but happier customers.

[Greyhound]

61. Well Apple builds a better product, so there's less need combined with more emphasis

on actual service.

With only a few exceptions (iMac), Apple uses better, but more expensive, components in their machines and their OS is relatively more stable and secure.

[TWiley]

54. Add to that "GOOD BYE MICROSOFT" ..... Vista is an abomination

Vista is an abomination. The next platform is worse. They keep changing shit so you have to buy 10K in software upgrades or things dont work right. Then you pay, then they still dont work right

repeat after me ...

GOOD BYE MICROSOFT and GOOD BYE PC CLONES

[Raine]

57. I got a Dell Laptop about 6 weeks ago but

haven't had a problem with it yet. I'm on DSL, a friend set the whole thing up for me.

[noamnety]

58. I can't tell if this is a rant against Dell

or them nasty foreigners. Seems to be more of the latter.

:eyes:

[RandySF]

60. The former

The whole "American" issue did not really come up for me until the guy yelled at me this morning offering "American tech support" (his words, not mine). I don't care where anyone comes from, I just wanted someone who knew what they were doing.

[noamnety]

68. Perhaps it was your "bottom line" to dell that confused me. (nt)

[RandySF]

71. You're right, it needed clarification

What I was too pissed off to make clear was that I wanted someone to physically look at it.

[BlooInBloo]

84. It's about those nasty, filth, dirty, evil foreigners...

With a pretty veil of computer bitching.

[flpab]

96. customer service

It is not about them being foreigners, it is about them knowing what they are doing. I ask for help and they send you to another person who they say can help and that person sends you to another and another and another. My phone at home went dead waiting one night and I used 120 min on my cell phone. If you start over you have to go through so many menu options that you start screaming at the phone. I was calling one time at 3 pm and when I got to the right department they were closed for the day because it was India and they had went home. I started over and the guy said in India it is time to close. So, when do I call? 3am?

[GentryDixon]

63. And they charge you extra to talk to them.

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

64. Dell's are crap. HP is the way to go. nt

[phusion]

69. OH PLEASE

HP sucks...Crap hardware!

[ecstatic]

72. Things have changed. Dell used to be a respected leader

I remember at one point they were the preferred vendor of my university. HP has definitely taken over. Their products are now superior.

[RandySF]

74. Not what I heard

One of our IT guys calls them "door stoppers". Of course, he recommended Dell to me.

[Greyhound]

126. Your IT guy is right.

HP is in process or has settled class action lawsuits for all but one one of it's 2007 - 2008 model families. They brought out a new line in summer that I don't know about.

The primary problems are that they are built as cheaply as possible by Chinese outsourcers.

Edit; this refers to their line of notebooks and everybody else does about the same thing. One exception I know of is Asus, but their notebooks are very small, so I don't know if it would fit your needs.

[sakabatou]

70. I hate Dell too

Their powers cords for their laptops often "break." The amount of power gets scrambled and the laptop battery life is crap.

[flpab]

78. restocking fee!

Wait till you get that bill! I sent back a dell after Christmas. Linux has no Dell support but yet they sold this Black Friday Special that I was sure my husband could figure out. It is impossible and sent it back after so many hours on the phone with 30 different people who you can't understand. One guy told me his name was Walter, yea, right. Dell has no support for that. I waited to get to the billing dept for an hour and when they got me to the right person at 3 in the afternoon they said they were closed for the day. I started all over and they said in India it is time to go home......I Hate Dell and they will never get another dollar after that 43.00 restocking fee.

[RandySF]

81. Restocking fee?

Why would they restock the piece of shit they sent me?

[shellgame26]

79. Another Hell victim

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this story from people who bought a Dell.

[SoCalDem]

80. I just bought a dell wifi-laptop with a 2 yr extended warranty for $348.72

It's gorgeous..wifi..all the bells & whistles..XP Pro

The price included shipping & the warranty

It's a refurbished lease turn-in..from www.HCDItrading.com and it's the ONLY way I'll ever buy computers from now on:)

Unpacked it from the DELL packaging, turned it on, and it immediately recognized our wifi (I did have to type in the password for the one time only).. loaded in the Stopzilla & AVG mal-ware software, and put all the icons my computer-illiterate husband needs, and he's good to go now...

I was going to give him my old Toshiba and use the new one, but I'm too lazy to move all my stuff:)

[deaniac21]

82. There is no cure for the ID 10 T error!

[RandySF]

85. I'm sorry

If I was an idiot, it was expecting that for what I paid for the piece of crap, it would either work right in the first place or talk to someone who did more than read from a script.

[BlooInBloo]

83. I hear they have leprosy, too.

[Bushfire]

86. Dell will never drop you from their mailing list

Once you are on, you can NEVER get off. Never bought anything from them either. Contacted the Texas Better Business Bureau, and got all the promises in the world by Dell but it took like 2 weeks before the next catalog came; then another. Gone Mac, and will never go back. Last PC was Gateway btw. Blue screen of death no more...

[eilen]

107. My son's Gateway PC is doing that now (Blue Screen O'Death)

I have system restore dvds I'm going to try, for the hellovit

[defendandprotect]

90. Are they going to take it back???

I bought a computer from Dell --- bad stuff ---

I still have the computer, but monitor went qickly -- and the

copier was JUNK . . .

not cheap for all of it either --

And service . . . hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha

[RandySF]

92. Yes

They agreed to give me a refund and sent me a pre-paid shipping label.

[flpab]

94. refund and shipping label

Yes, they did that for me also. BUT, I got a bill from them with the restocking fee, it is based on the cost of your computer. I only bought the 400.00 computer with some up grades so if you spent more your restocking fee will be much more.

[defendandprotect]

111. "Restocking" BS . . . move your costs of doing business onto customer . . .!!!

Whole Foods now -- is trying to charge more if you buy food at their deli counter

which has to be dished out and packed up for you -- rather than if you buy the

same food at the open buffet and scoop it up yourself into a container!

How much was the fee, btw?

[proud2BlibKansan]

97. Buy a Mac

You will be very happy, I promise you.

[eilen]

108. My brother recently was given a hard time at the Apple store

My nephew had his laptop open and allowed it to fall off his bed, thus breaking the LCD screen. My brother (who is entirely Apple ignorant) brings the computer to the Apple store wanting to talk to a "genius". No one shows him how to schedule an appointment on the Concierge (which sounds odd to me). They tell him they can't help him. The laptop has Apple Care btw. They tell him he has to call some lady named Peggy or something and make an appointment with her. All he wants to know is if he can purchase a screen and, which screen (the part number) and how much it is. The guy just refuses to help him.

This was at Green Hills Mall in Nashville, TN. The "genius" was a total asshole to him. Very rude. -- that was what was causing him to get pissed off.

At the Apple store near me, I have had nothing but fantastic service. Green Hills is in a rather upscale area, so I'm thinking that the "genius" didn't think he had to be courteous to my blue collar brother or something. I told him to go online to the Apple site, find the 1-800 number and report the store and the "genius".

[proud2BlibKansan]

113. Nothing but positive experience to report here from my store

Apple customer service just rocks. He definitely needs to call and complain.

[Lorien]

118. Same here. Never anything but a positive experience. nt

[Lorien]

117. Got my best friend to switch this year, helped my mom and dad to switch

last year. Now all three are talking their friends into making the switch too. They're all just blown away by how much easier the Mac is to use, and how it's pretty much aggravation free. My best friend just talked one of his buddies into replacing his college age daughter's third Dell with a Macbook. The daughter is thrilled because she spends half the school year using her roommates trouble free Mac, since her Dell was always crapping out on her!

[Lorien]

115. Isn't Dell an extremely Red company?

I thought that they were huge GOP contributors, like Circuit city. :shrug:

[Tesha]

123. Yup, and Apple is very blue, anti-Prop H8, etc. (NT)

[we can do it]

116. I Love All of Our Macs

all 3 of them.................instant gratification.