Re: Dell Agony

  • From: "Farfar Carlson" <dgcarlson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 2 Nov 2010 21:08:38 -0700

Tom,

Good story, and thanks for sharing your experience. Firmness and not allowing a 
two-bit support person to try and smother you with their over-blown sense of 
importance is a definite way to go.


Dave
Created in the Audio Recording and Mixing Studios, San Jose, California


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Lange 
  To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 20:52
  Subject: Re: Dell Agony


  Hi,
  Oh yeah, I know exactly what you're saying.  Years ago when I first got AT&T 
DSL, it wasn't working on the planned due date and I went round and round with 
AT&T tech support about how everything was working on my computer and that they 
were the ones who were screwing up.  They wanted me to remove all my network 
components and protocols, or, worst case, reinstall Windows, and I flatly 
refused.  I mentioned that I did PC troubleshooting for a living and the lady 
support rep really got bent out of shape and copped an attitude.  So I hung up 
and called back.  Turns out I was right; they'd provisioned the wrong line and 
I told them that if they didn't get it straight RIGHT FRICKIN' NOW there'd be 
hell to pay after I took it up with AT&T upper management. The guy handed me 
some BS about how I'd have to wait another six weeks for the line to be 
provisioned and I said OK buddy,, your backside is grass, putting it nicely.  I 
went to run a couple of errands, re-tested the line and guess what?  Everything 
worked like a champ.  Guess the squeaky wheel got the grease.  I love when that 
happens.

  Recently I switched over to Time Warner cable and when the guys came over to 
set it up, all they did was hand me the modem, put a splitter cable on the main 
line, and told me exactly what to do on the PC.  As they watched me fire up 
JAWS and do as they directed, they were really impressed as they'd never seen a 
blind guy do that sort of thing before.  I went into a couple of places, 
tweaked a couple of things and it was up and running in less than ten minutes. 
My trial period with Time Warner's about up and it looks like it's a keeper, so 
I'll be ditching AT&T shortly.  

  Tom
    
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Yadiel Sotomayor 
    To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 4:09 PM
    Subject: Re: Dell Agony


    This is why I prefer as much as possible DIY (do it yourself). I am 
teaching myself how a computer works. Both on software and hardware. That way I 
can piss the guy off telling how to do his job right. hahahahaha


    From: Farfar Carlson 
    Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 2:57 PM
    To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Subject: Re: Dell Agony


    Alan,

    As much as you dislike the ribbons,  they are not only here to stay in the 
Office suite, they are also prevalent in the Windows 7 environment and the more 
mundane applications that come with it.

    Like it or not, you'll be better off getting Office 2007, learning the 
ribbons, and if you migrate to JAWS 12 be able to take advantage of the virtual 
ribbon feature.

    Time to come out of the 90s and into the new millennium.

    And as for your experience with AT&T, it's also dangerous to have their 
remote tech support grab your computer to do the fixing for you. Yes, they did 
fix my DSL modem setup problems but they left behind their mirror display 
driver, which subsequently messed up how JAWS was working. I had to remove the 
Dameware Mirror Driver before thing got right again. But at least it was free.

    Now don't ask me about my wife's Sony VAIO and getting a crashed hard disk 
replaced. She's been complaining ever since that it no longer works as well as 
originally. We're looking at buying a new laptop soon.

    Dave
    Created in the Audio Recording and Mixing Studios, San Jose, California


      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Alan Dicey 
      To: jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
      Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 11:50
      Subject: Dell Agony


      Dear Dorothy,
      Your experience sounds just like the one I had with A T and T's "In-Home" 
Technical Support!
      The guy that came over acted like this Blind person was a devil or 
something, he just reinstalled my Dell Computer Systems Disk and wanted to run 
away as fast as his legs could carry him, and at a charge of $179 to my credit 
card!
      Folks, I cannot tell you how kind the A T and T Customer Service 
Technical Support people were, when they said the tech would do this, and do 
that, and do this and do whatever was needed for me to have him do, and he did 
absolutely nothing except reinstall my Windows XP!

      On the other hand, I had to order my Dell Computer Systems disk, and 
those Dell Customer Service People were the greatest, I cannot say enough about 
them.
      They even sent my Systems disk out the same day I called, FedEx!
      No Charge whatsoever!
      Incredible!
      I am still stunned at how professional and courteous, yet personal and 
kind they were!

      I do not have the issue you had with JAWS, as I simply called Freedom 
Scientific  and explained the situation, got lucky and had one of the 
old-timers in Technical Support on the telephone, a gentleman I knew for about 
10 years, and he gave me my 20 digit authorization number and sent me out 
another JAWS Disk, then walked me through the process of updating JAWS 11 when 
I received my Disk from them.

      But Friends, I am despartely trying to fine Microsoft's Office 2003, as 
that which was on my Dell Computer was just a "Courtesy" version, and Dell 
could not help me there.

      Anyone have any ideas?
      I refuse to use Office 2007!
      Ribbons?
      Ribbons?
      We don't need no Ribbons!
      We don't  gots to use no stinking Ribbons!
      LOL!

      Sorry you had problems with your In-Home Technician, perhaps that is the 
nature of those In-Home Technical support guys, but I must tell you Dell was so 
fantastic, even wonderful with me!

      But look out for A T and T!

      With Best Regards,
      Alan
      Miami, Florida
      Alan Dicey, President
      United States Braille Chess Association - USBCA
      "Yes, Blind and Visually Impaired People, Can, and Do, Play Chess!"
      United States Braille Chess Association Home Page:  
http://AmericanBlindChess.org

      ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Dorothy Ingram-Gorban 
        To: org, jfw@freelists. 
        Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2010 2:17 PM
        Subject: dell agony


         I had a visit from dell engineer today he was very unpleasant indeed, 
wouldn't listen said he had only come to replace a CD draw, he pulled out my  2 
external drives and I had to get a stranger in from street to find them, jaws 
says it is only working in demo mode, it was my last update to jaws 12 I do 
have the 20 digits on a tape somewhere if I can find it the dell man only 
wanted a signature and to tear off I have sent a sharp email to dell support, 
meanwhile I understand from fellow jaws users  that any change of hardware 
makes jaws think I have a new machine and  thus it works in demo mode. I am 
typing this from my old XP laptop mercifully still running,but the local 
engineer phoned and he was baffled but will come on Thursday evening I am 
wondering if I will have problems getting another reset if that is what I need, 
my friend in UK says he had good service from dell,but the man only wanted a 
signature on paper,he had to put my hand where to sign I asked him to"read to 
me what you have yelled at me to sign he shot off and slammed door, then I 
couldn't find the router or 2 external drives and a stranger helped me well 
that is often the case I hope the email I have sent back to dell support will 
get a reply  Dorothy

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