🚀 go-pugleaf

Import Car Fan wrote:
> 
> Lindsay Haisley <fmouse@fmp.com> wrote in message
> news:3A065559.FD5C3011@fmp.com...
> >
> > This is totally ridiculous!  They charge more for the mb than the
> > computer is worth!
> 
> It doesn't matter how much it costs you.  It only matters
> how much it costs Dell to manufacture, inventory, and
> sell the part, plus a reasonable profit.

The bottom line is that the machine didn't >need< a new mainboard, and
any halfway on the ball tech should have been able to give me a lot more
help than I got.

And now that the value of the machine is less than that of a mainboard,
Dell will probably sell off their stock of these on the surplus market,
or simply destroy them.

> > If I want to buy one, that ought to be >my<
> > responsibility.
> 
> You should have thought of that before you chose Dell.

We chose Dell because they make a professional quality machine and the
unit was available at a reasonable price.  I expected Dell support to be
likewise of professional calibre and reasonably accurate.  It wasn't!

> > I can buy a new engine for my car, and the manufacturer
> > doesn't worry that I'll screw up the installation?
> 
> Generally, the manufacturer won't sell you an engine,
> you have to go through a dealer for that.  Even when
> you can buy them direct, they don't provide any tech
> support for getting it installed.

Auto manufacturers provide very large amounts of technical information
on their engines, and their entire products, and it's updated
frequently.  Mitchell's Manuals compiles this information and makes it
available to repair shops or anyone else.  It's not free, but it's
available.

> It's not economical for
> the manufacturer to provide direct tech support to the
> consumer.  That's what dealerships are for.

Bullshit!  Dell _is_ the dealership in this case!
 
> > I can buy new hot
> > water heater for my house and neither the water heater manufacturer nor
> > the builder of my house has any thing to say about it.
> 
> Again the manufacturer is not going to provide you with
> any tech support.

On the contrary, the last time I installed a HW heater my wife got
extensive and excellent tech support from the manufacturer :)

> The bottom line is that Dell doesn't know that the only
> thing wrong with your computer is the BIOS.  Imagine
> that you went to the doctor with a sore throat, and told
> the doctor to prescribe you some drugs that worked in
> the past, without an examination.  Do you really think
> the doctor would be doing his job if he simply gave
> you a prescription as you requested, and sent you on
> your way?

Sorry, but this comparison doesn't wash.  My doctor respects my
knowledge, and I have had him do exactly this for me.  If your doctor
won't do this for you then you need a different doctor!  And as far as
Dell's attitude goes, I didn't ask them to figure out what was wrong
with my computer.  I _told_ them what was wrong and asked them for
information on appropriate repair options.  What information they gave
me was both false and insufficient.  They were clueless!

Fortunately, one of the people who has contributed to this thread works
for Dell and has a conscience.  He cares about the company he works for,
apologized on their behalf, and has offered to be a laison for me in the
event of future problems.

-- 
Lindsay Haisley       | "There are no mistakes   |     PGP public key
FMP Computer Services | only unexpected results" |      available at
fmouse@fmp.com        |                          |   www.fmp.com/pubkeys 
http://www.fmp.com    |                          |