Dell sued over bait & switch advertising

[daytripper]

Ahh. I thought you would complain these were all too small. Here are
some smaller companies.

Remember the context -- I was suggesting these as an alternative to
Compaq/HP/Dell or local system builders. These are certainly neither of
those.

http://www.xtechnology.com/scr/xtcat.dll/ListItemsC?LineID=P4&CategId=59

http://www.usa-pccity.com/mall/desktop.asp

http://www.arsenalpc.com/Items.asp?CatID=10

Note: These are *not* recommendations.

Ya know, your opinion in this matter might carry more than a mote of
significance if you didn't keep totally discounting what you propose.

Crap or get off the pot: we want names!

;-)

 

[David Schwartz]

Ya know, your opinion in this matter might carry more than a mote of
significance if you didn't keep totally discounting what you propose.

Crap or get off the pot: we want names!

I can only win one argument at a time. The argument I'm currently in is
over whether the only choices for buying systems are large vendors like HP,
Compaq, and Dell, or local system builders. My point is that there's a whole
world of choices out there.

Someone saying "don't use local system builders" isn't saying "buy from
Dell". Someone saying "don't buy from Dell" isn't saying "buy from local
system builders". There's a lot of choices out there.

I have major issues with local system builders. They are often
incompetent (nearly all of my assembly horror stories come from local
system builders or incompetent do-it-yourselfers, none come from large
companies, and only one came from a company of any significant size). They
sometimes use sub-standard or incompatible parts. They usually offer a
meaningless warranty and don't honor it anyway.

Compared to this, the issues with the big boys are actually minor. At
least they'll still be in business, they honor their warranties, and their
assemblers are competent. Personally, I have no problem recommending any of
these large companies to someone who is not qualified to specify and
assemble their own machine.

DS

 

[Hank Oredson]

I can only win one argument at a time. The argument I'm currently in is
over whether the only choices for buying systems are large vendors like
HP, Compaq, and Dell, or local system builders. My point is that there's a
whole world of choices out there.

Yes yes we all know this.

The thread is about which of those choices would be good ones,
and why they would be good ones, and some details of YOUR
experiences with the various vendors.

So share already. Did you like your eMachine?

Someone saying "don't use local system builders" isn't saying "buy from
Dell". Someone saying "don't buy from Dell" isn't saying "buy from local
system builders". There's a lot of choices out there.

What choices have you made?

I have major issues with local system builders. They are often
incompetent (nearly all of my assembly horror stories come from local
system builders or incompetent do-it-yourselfers, none come from large
companies, and only one came from a company of any significant size). They
sometimes use sub-standard or incompatible parts. They usually offer a
meaningless warranty and don't honor it anyway.

Which ones? What problems?

Compared to this, the issues with the big boys are actually minor. At
least they'll still be in business, they honor their warranties, and their
assemblers are competent. Personally, I have no problem recommending any
of these large companies to someone who is not qualified to specify and
assemble their own machine.

Which "big boys" did you buy from?
How was the support?
What issues did you encounter?
Was this recently (12 months) or long ago?
Give us some actual experience.

--

... Hank

http://home.earthlink.net/~horedson
http://home.earthlink.net/~w0rli

 

[David Schwartz]

The thread is about which of those choices would be good ones,
and why they would be good ones, and some details of YOUR
experiences with the various vendors.

Umm, no it's not. This is a huge increase in the scope of this thread,
and as far as I can tell, nobody's interested.

DS

 

[daytripper]

Umm, no it's not. This is a huge increase in the scope of this thread,
and as far as I can tell, nobody's interested.

DS

"That parachute you see below you is DS bailing out"

heh heh heh ;-)

 

[David Schwartz]

"That parachute you see below you is DS bailing out"

heh heh heh ;-)

I won't be dragged into your take on this thread. You can talk about
something else if you want, but you have no business trying to make me
defend an argument I never made.

DS

 

[Hank Oredson]

Umm, no it's not. This is a huge increase in the scope of this thread,
and as far as I can tell, nobody's interested.

Then perhaps you would like to make some observations
on just how it is that Dell pulled a "Bait and switch"?
You have some adverts in hand, tried to order from Dell,
they would only sell you something more expensive?
When did you do that, what system did you try and buy,
were you unable to buy it?

--

... Hank

http://home.earthlink.net/~horedson
http://home.earthlink.net/~w0rli

 

[Hank Oredson]

I won't be dragged into your take on this thread. You can talk about
something else if you want, but you have no business trying to make me
defend an argument I never made.

Talk about bait and switch.
Be specific.
Give it a try!
Stay on topic.

--

... Hank

http://home.earthlink.net/~horedson
http://home.earthlink.net/~w0rli

 

[David Schwartz]

Then perhaps you would like to make some observations
on just how it is that Dell pulled a "Bait and switch"?
You have some adverts in hand, tried to order from Dell,
they would only sell you something more expensive?
When did you do that, what system did you try and buy,
were you unable to buy it?

Why are you talking to me specifically?

If you want to ask me about the things I've said, that's fine. But if
you want to ask general questions, ask them to everyone.

DS