http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2013/02/05/dell-outlasts-jobs-if-not-apple Comments On: Dell Outlasts Jobs, If Not Apple by Goldy en-us Copyright 2013 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Sat, 18 May 2013 15:15:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Dell is one of those companies where I wonder if it would still exist if it weren't for corporate America. That and Staples.

Both companies offer products and services that are just barely good enough for corporations to refuse to switch, since it's just us little people who have to put up with those companies' shit, but still are a shining example of American bullshit and mediocrity.
Posted by keshmeshi]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:52:12 -0800 The Stranger
My sales rep is great. The online configurator for systems is better than great (especially for servers). The paid support network is outstanding in every way, both on the phone and onsite.

But man, oh man, is the billing department fucked in the head. They once went to an incredible amount of trouble to convert an unpaid invoice of mine for $0.00 to a loan, which happens to all unpaid invoices after X number of days. And then, when I neglected to start paying those $0.00 monthly bills, they shut down my account. Since the billing department is actually a separate company from the computer company (sort of like how GMAC is a separate company from General Motors), my account rep couldn't help me, and I spent what seemed like several lifetimes wandering around helpless in the support phone queue, talking to an endless series of drones who did not know what department they were working in, what department I needed, or how anything in their company worked. Each one of these people required me to give all of my account details over again. I am convinced to this day that my problem was solved purely by accident.

I have had similar experiences in the phone queue for service, with the major difference that when you eventually do get ahold of a human, he or she invariably turns out to be spectacularly, almost psychically gifted at diagnosis and problem-solving. Every experience I have had with the technicians has been A+++.

The computers themselves? Pfft. They're computers. Computers are a commodity item.
Posted by Fnarf]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:35:57 -0800 The Stranger
"Investments (stock, bonds, venture capital): Journalists must avoid all financial entanglements (stock ownership, financial transactions, etc.) with the people and companies they cover."

I imagine the same is true about talking about school choice when you chose to send your daughter to Mercer island for schooling not Rainier Beach HS, eh Goldensteinemberg?
Posted by Mercer Island Goy]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:20:30 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Mercer Island Goy]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:13:03 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:45:15 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Matt from Denver]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:28:16 -0800 The Stranger Posted by watchout5]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:18:01 -0800 The Stranger