This is the third time that I have heard such a speech. We used Tangent last year. Pretty much, we are planning on sticking with smaller companies that are willing to build a computer out of the parts we specify and will then take the time to support the deployment of the computers across campus. Anyway, last year I heard a similar line from two other people. One fucked up his registry and proceeded to tell me that if we would have bought Dell computers "people wouldnt ever have problems like this". The other guy had a bad motherboard and blamed it on "shitty Tangent computers" (what he doesnt realize was that it was a genuine Intel SE440BX motherboard that failed.) I tell them the truth and they just let it go in one ear and out the other. Sometimes thats why I would rather deal with the Mac users. They dont know enough about things to talk shit and they are just happy with their computers (for some reason, when things go wrong, they just want them fixed and dont create a scene).

Erik

I have been given the duty of repairing and maintaining the computers in my tech room at school (yes I am a student and know more about computers than the site administrators). The school board made the most excellent decision to buy a shitload of Dell Optiplex G1's. In my couple of months of experience with these, I have had to replace: a mouse that when connected to the PS/2 port, halted the system; 2 floppy drives that just stopped working; and a monitor that will not keep colour settings.

And as for Dell's superior tech support, on the second time I called for a part replacement, I made the mistake of hitting the extension for parts replacement and not regular tech support (for part replacement on systems currently under warranty, you need to go to regular tech support). Anyway, After hitting the extension for parts replacement (not knowing it), I waited on hold for 20 minutes. When finally being served, the tech on the line told me that I had to talk to regular tech support, and that he would connect me. Well, he connected me, but to support for Dell Latitude Laptop systems (after waiting another 15 minutes on hold). Then that tech coneccted me to Optiplex tech support (the usual wait on hold), but this time it was for home and small business. I was then told that the school board's account was that of one for large businesses. He was kind eanough to connect me to the RIGHT person. So, after the ordeal, I was able to have the replacement floppy drive ordered.

So, you can imagine how much I like Dell and the talented people involved in conserving quality among their customers.

Oh, and I like the integrated ATI video cards that were designed 3 years ago, they're my fav!

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They have cats in the future?

I work at a small pc shop where we build custom systems for people, and it's great - we cut out the crap parts that you get in the big name brand pcs and stick to good ones. people get what they want, and personal service, where you're not stuck on hold waiting for help. granted, most pc owners don't clue into these perks till the second time around - but it's rare that you see someone buy a compaq, dell, or ibm the second time around if they're looking for a performance home pc.

i'll take upgradability and quality over international reputation anyday.

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PEBKAC: Problem exists between keyboard and chair.

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The gene pool has no life guard, support the GPPTF (Gene Pool Purification Task Force)
http://www.geocities.com/jgoeke610/
Past and future pr0n star :)

so we were resetting an aisle at work (i love retail./sarcasm) and the conversation came to computers. i told my manager what i'm planning to build and he told me i was stupid. "everyone i know that's built a computer has had it fuck up. i'd get a gateway if i were you." lick my sack, jackass. this guy's a prick anyway, but that's the first time i've ever really talked to him. and he actually thought he was right. i've nothing against gateway, but i can build for half the cost something they probably couldn't give me anyway. so he thinks that because his friends are idiots and can't fix what they've broken that i can't either. i guess this all really goes back to people pretending to know about things they really don't, but that doesn't make it any less irritating.

/rant

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They have cats in the future?

(The top echelon was also rumoured to occassionally read other people's emails but that is hard to prove.)

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"Sometimes I sits and thinks, but most times I justs sits." - Me.