Saturday seemed to be a day for emergencies for pet-sitting customers. So I was pretty much trapped in the house either on the phone, or waiting for phone calls as people tried to figure out if they needed my services or not. I told the Wonderful Spouse that I would be going to get a new CPU on Sunday (I was already in DT's from no computer contact).
Now is probably the time to note that I usually get my computers through the Internet; my first real computer was from Gateway, then my latest I got 2 years ago from an independent. But, I was going into DT?s and decided I could get what I needed, for not to extravagant a price, through a local retailer. Sunday came and I perused the sale brochures. I decided that I could get what I wanted at Best Buy (I am NOT providing a link on purpose!).
I drove the 30+ miles to Concord and finally found a parking space somewhere close to Best Buy (everyone must have been in the market for electronics at the same time I was there). After looking at several computers within my price range, I settled on an APV. I finally managed to snag a salesperson and asked him a few questions. Then, I told him my decision.
First sign of trouble (I should have run at this point) ? it's a close out model, and the only one they have is the floor model. Fine, what sort of discount can I get? After the young man chases someone else down, it was decided that I could get 10% off. Great! He tried to sell me a CD of how Windows XP works, but I disappointed him by saying that I had worked with DOS, Win 3.1, Win 95 and Win 98, I thought I could probably handle XP. He was adamant in telling me there were all kinds of new capabilities and I was just as adamant letting him know that I didn?t need the CD.
After much time spent by the salesperson to find the manuals and disks, it is rung up and I pay for that and a UPS. While everything was being rung up I noticed a man returning a CD of how XP worked ? unopened. Guess he was able to figure it out himself! After the sale was rung up, is when he tells me that I can't have it for an hour or so because they have to reformat it and reinstall the software. I can understand that, I?ll go walk around the mall next door.
I came back to pick up the computer. It's not ready - give us another 30 minutes. I sweetly ask if that is 30 minutes related to the hour it was supposed to take, which had already taken 1 hour and 40 minutes? Uh, well we had to reformat it and reinstall software and that takes a lot of time. I know how much time it takes (having done this very thing several times myself ? but all they are installing is Windows XP and MS Works - NOT 19 different programs). All right, I'll go busy myself some more.
45 minutes later, I show up and wait in line to request my computer again. I can see the computer is still not finished (it is sitting on the bench with some strange screen showing), but the tech sees me and hurries over to finish it up. I did finally get my computer, but didn't even get it home until 4 PM. I'll NEVER, NEVER, NEVER go to Best Buy again. This was not the first time I got lousy service, but it will certainly be the last time (we were originally going to buy the new TV there - but ended up going across the street to Circuit City because of this very problem).
Actually I am happy with the computer (so far), just not the place that sold it to me.
Comparison between old and new computer (old computer stats shown first)
- 800 mhz vs. 2.8 ghz
- 384 RAM vs. 512 RAM
- 20 gig HDD vs. 80 gig HDD
- DVD drive vs. DVD-RW/CD-RW drive and separate 16x DVD-ROM drive
- 16 meg video card vs. 64 meg video card
- 1 USB port vs. 4 USB ports and 2 ? IEEE 1394 ports
- No operating system or software (I had my own) vs. Windows XP and Works (ugh)
I have been impressed with how fast XP loads; much faster than Win 98. Works I ignore as I loaded my copy of Office 2000 on it. I am almost done setting everything up; should be done tonight or tomorrow (I don't get the holiday like most people).
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