Most of you have seen the Apple Computer commericals promoting the virtues of Apple Computers over PC's. Many of you have also heard the somewhat boastful claims of Mac owners of just how their systems are much more dependable.
As someone who bought a top-of-the-line Apple Powermac G5 Quad-Core (4 processor) Computer in mid-March, I can say Apple claims, and those commercials, are false. I've had numerous computers over the years - I have never had the problems I've had with this computer - nor have I had the difficulties with any customer service organization as I have had with Apple. Since April, my Mac has been randomly shutting down.
Twice, I've brought the system to an Apple store. The first time, they wouldn't accept the machine because it wouldn't randomly shut down as they watched. The second time, a month later (and after hours on the internet researching the problem myself), they saw the system shut down, and accepted the system for repair. Despite legions of people on numerous online forums describing the common fix as replacing a faulty power supply or "logic board," the Woodland Hills Apple Store replaced my video card, and pronounced the problem fixed after keeping the system for a week. The problem returned a week later. A call to "Applecare," Apple's customer service unit, proved just as frustrating. The agent to whom I was speaking wanted me to perform a series of tests of the phone with him, involving my opening my computer, removing components, etc. I'm not a "techie," and I certainly don't have the time to spend poking at my computer, especially after the time I've wasted researching the problem and dragging my expensive G5 to the Apple Store (twice) - AND the expense I've incurred not being able to use this system for its intended business purposes. I'm about to try a recommended non-Apple warranty service center some thirty miles away...hopefully, that will do the trick. Apparently, depending upon Apple is not a wise choice.
Incidentally, I posted a similar message on the G5 discussion board on the Apple website. Apple deleted it. I guess they didn't appreicate my refering to my system as a doorstop.
5 comments:
Apple sure can be bull headed sometimes. I have read alot of posts about their customer service being bad and how they act like theres nothing wrong when in fact the machine just doesn't work!
Hope you get it repaired soon.
Much agreed. There is almost a resentment from the "Genuises" of outside input. Hmm... machine randomly ***POWER***ing off. Let's take a stab in the dark and replace the card? Huh? What about the ***POWER*** supply?
Why is that these computer companies promote their customer service on commercials and whatnot but in reality, they all stink to high heaven? I guess Apple joines Dell and HP as the computer companies with notoriously bad customer service.
Honorable mention goes to the cable companies.
Fruit? You didn't buy an Apple, you bought a lemon.
I have my own film company... many people hound us because we do not use MACs on our projects. I am glad to see someone can give a reality check.
Nice to see a person in the industry who produces great work on an alternate platform [other than apple]
I may have to give this link to the next person who heckles me...
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