[rescue] No Flame Bait..

[Greg A. Woods]

[ On Tuesday, August 13, 2002 at 15:30:58 (-0700), Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: [rescue] No Flame Bait..
>
> I disagree with this. If apple sells a computer that goes bad in a few
> days of the purchase (i.e. # days < 1 month). Then apple (or any other
> computer manufacturer for that manner) should replace the machine on the
> spot, not "fix" it. Why? Computers are not like cars by a long shot, at
> least cars do not depreciate as fast.

Well, it all depends on the terms of the warranty you agreed to when you
purchased the machine.  If it says they'll replace it then fine, but if
it only says they'll repair it, then that's all they're required to do.

I agree it's a bit of a pain to ship a computer across the country just
for some repair on warranty, but it's not like it'll depreciate out of
existance in the week or two it's off at the shop.  If you can't stand
the downtime them buy a better warranty.

Your argument just doesn't hold water.  If you thought the machine was
flaky then you shouldn't have bought it in the first place.  If you
wanted to save some $$$ then you should have waited a few months before
you bought the machine.  If you didn't like the basic return for repair
FOB the factory warranty that came with the initial purchase price then
you should negotiate a better one with the manufacturer (and if they
wouldn't give you a satisfactory price on a better warranty then you
shouldn't buy the machine).  Etc., etc., etc.  Buyer beware.

If you want the replacement on the spot then you pay for the warranty
that'll give such service to you.  Some things come with such wonderful
warranty terms built into their purchase price, some don't.  I don't
know how the marketing wags figure out when to include such support and
when to leave it out -- but I do know that I only want such support when
the product will be "one-of-a-kind" in my domain.  I.e. if I'm buying
one special Apple machine for a critical function then I might want a
5-days a week 4-hour replacement support contract, and if that comes as
part of the purchase price then so be it.  However if I've got a dozen
or a hundred, or a thousand such machines in some location then I may
not need or want to pay for such "exorbitant" support and I'll either
negotiate a cheaper price based on an RMA warranty, or I'll find someone
else who will.  No one policy will suit everyone, and Apple's marketing
dudes will figure out which they think the majority of their buyers will
go for.

These things are basic simple consumer common sense.  It doesn't matter
if it's a car or a computer or a television set.  It doesn't matter if
it's an Apple or a Sun or an IBM.

-- 
								Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098;            <g.a.woods at ieee.org>;           <woods at robohack.ca>
Planix, Inc. <woods at planix.com>; VE3TCP; Secrets of the Weird <woods at weird.com>