*DAMN R6 Forum

So over the holiday I went out to the East Coast to see a few friends.

Brought my recently given iBook G4 along. I say recently given since Apple gave it to me after my old iBook had had three motherboards replaced, and a fourth fail. You see, the G4 was a replacement for a Lemon.

I used the machine vigorously for two monthes. Two monthes ...

After I had settled in I whipped out the iBook. And lo! The machine starts ticking like a clock -- click, click, click.

Visited the Apple Store an hour away.  Trouble with the hard drive. The Genius had the gaul to tell me, a guy handing him a broken iBook, a replacement for a previously broken iBook, that the part wasn't Apple's so I shouldn't be so upset.

I mean, I'd only just lost the first 20 pages of my first script sale.  Only lost two years of emails. You know the gig.  I have things scattered in back up, but the critical data -- those 20 pages, two weeks creative work, gone. Cap that with the fact that I'd been getting burned by Apple on hardware for a while now and I was pissed.

So now what to do?  I've been eyeing those new G5's. So sexy, with vast potential.

And then I think about the four catostrophic hardware issues I've had with Apple in two years.  About Two monthes of time without my machine. Do I really want to spend upwards of $4000 on a new Apple, just because I'm a loyal customer?

Fuck Apple.  I'm a loyal customer but where is the quality I expect in return for that faithfulness?

Nowhere.

So fuck Apple.  I'm buying Alienware.

seriously, i feel sorry for you. I have a PC and it's horrible, (2.0ghz 760ram nVidia 5200 ultra)  there is absolutly no gaming communitys that are as stable as this one. sure there are a lot more games and shit but theres not fun in it if your not playing with your freinds.. dont buy an alienware just becuase you had a bad apple experience.

very sory to hear about those 20 pages, and whatever is implied in their loss.

I've owned only two Apple computers during the past 7 years, and that is a Powermac G3 233 beige, and a TiBook G4 800. The beige is mint, all original hardware, alive and kicking (well at least it is supposed to be).
The powerbook, beside an overheat problem and the paint thats flacking (after warranty expired) is working great.

I've never had critical part failing, and i guess most of the people on this forum will tell you the same.
The point is, you've had bad luck with that particular computer. Its like with cars, as soon as troubles start, you know that you'll keep on replacing stuff.

Just give it another try, and in a sens you're lucky coz those new G5 just came out. That is destiny waving at you !

I've pretty much made up my mind.

That being said i'm not tossing out my G4 ibook or my G4 tower.  Just that there is no way I'm buying another Apple without some serious convincing.

I've owned macs since I've owned computers. I'm a Apple Evanglists! I've turned the office I work at into all macs.  I love the systems -- they're just better.

But at the prices I pay, particularly in time lost to repairs, I can't afford another mac.

And those 20 pages were the first act of a screen play I sold to a film studio out here.  Loosing them has given me a swift kick in the ass.  

More than anything else I'm in the market for a gaming machine and have just seen my machine go down again. All I want is a gaming machine, one that really treats me right -- its a reward for setting up the film.  And Apple is just so my shit list these days.

In 2 years the only problem I've had with my Mac is 1 dead pixel. I guess some people just aren't as lucky.  :(

In just over 20 years of owning Macs (dad bought our first one, a 128k Mac in early 1984) I have never had a problem with one.  Not a single problem.  Not a dead clock battery, not a crashed hard drive, not even a bad keyboard or mouse.  Same holds true for the Apple Computers we had before 1984 (several versions of the Apple II).  So, I say it's a conspiracy against Sixhits.  The Apple Gods know what a bad boy he has been in being mean to their favorite mac-user (ME), and this is his pay-back.  So the moral of the story is, be nice to GhostSniper for years of trouble-free macintosh use.

P.S. My lack of Mac problems can't possibly have anything to due with the fact that I get a new Mac every 6 months.[/size]  ;)

Meh, Back in August '02, i bought my first mac. It is still my primary (and as of yet, my only) computer. A 800Mhz, G4 TiBook. I bought applecare, so its still covered for another year. On the sixth (Yes, 6th) day that i had it, the screen simply quit. Whenever i turned it on, it would be a mess of blue and white (and colors inbetween) pixels. So, i called Apple, and they sent me a box, and my baby made it to texas and came back in two days with a new screen. Outside of the fact that on the day they returned it, the Airborne guy made a mistake and gave my dad someone elses EMPTY applecare box and scared the shit out of me for about half an hour, I've had no problems since i've gotten it back.
(Well, ive had to wipe the hd a few times, and even rezero it, but that was my own fault, i tried to put linux on it)
The whole reason i became a mac user in the first place was because i had had it with pcs. My dell would make random noises, decide when it would and wouldnt work, and piss me off. Not to mention the viruses it had, and the Famous Microshit Security Holes.

So, Sixhits, I'm very sorry you lost your data; i know how annoying it is to lose irreplacable stuff. But, think about how much more stable macs are compared to their pc counterparts, and reconsider. Otherwise, i hope you do your work on your other macs, since i dont have too much faith in any pc.

Hooah to Alienware. I plan on picking one up when a leave for college. I have also noticed that the people who work at the Apple stores have NO CLUE what they are talking about. Its like they hire PC guys to run a Mac store.

Alienware is shit, it just looks nice.

All i can say is that you will have a lot more trouble with PCs that you will ever have with macs. They are the most unreliable peices of shit ever.. ive had to type this whole thing out twice becuase i got a "Serious Error" message.
The only thing that brings me into the PC world is the upgradability, this is what macs lack.(iMac,eMac,etc..)
and alienwares just look fucking rediculous

No kidding!  I go in there TODAY asking if my old original airport basestation will be able to work in conjunction with the Airport Express I ordered.  You'd think I would have asked them to explain the theory of relativity or something!  What pissed me off the most is that they just kept telling me to upgrade my basestation.  NOTE TO THEM: just tell me you don't know, i know you aren't REALLY geniuses.

Sorry about your mac probs, i have owned an Apple ][e, Mac Classic, Mac Color Classic, Powerbook 520, Powerbook 1400, Mac LC, Mac 5200, Mac 6500, and now my Dual 867 G4 MDD and the only problems i have ever had is a Dead HD on my LC and a fried ethernet card on my 6500.

I can understand your frustration.

Have you thought about writing a complaint letter to Apple?  Express how you and be explicit with the events that transpired.  Make the letter firm yet professional and make copies of everything.  Go back to these stores and get names of these people that "helped" you.  Don't give up, you probably just ran into a bunch a morons and a little bad luck.  Keep the faith and fight!

What BS. No not the computer dying, the fact you want to give up on a company because of 2 bad computers. If you saw posts daily like this on every forum concerning macs in the slightest I wouldn't be using one. I have never had any critical problems with macs and my parents who owned apples for a long time before I was the best at using them never did either. You want to get a PC see how much more enjoyable it is to worry about the latest worm or email virus. And don't say linux is secure because that is a joke.

On alien ware, it may have decent cases but it's the same garbage inside.

I'm not giving up on the company. I'm voting with my pocket book. I still own, personally, four macs. My immeadiate family owns an additional six macs. My company owns six more.

I'm not going anywhere.

But, I'm also not going to reward Apple, after I've had such a series of bad experiences.

To top off my personal computer troubles, my girlfreind has had her mother board replaced, one of the partners at the company has had his 17' tiBook into the Apple shop twice for hardware repairs, my dad has had his 15" tiBook in for a bad battery and a dead power adaptor, my sister has had he 12" tiBook's case replaced, my mother's 17" imac has been sent back to Apple for another problem. It adds up.

Ever since I bought a "Yikes" 400 G4 -- that first G4 model -- I've been noticing major hardware trouble. I suppose I've been spoiled. Up untill 2000 I'd NEVER had a hardware problem. Now, it seems every other machine has a major malfunction.

So, as for a new G5 ... it's just not worth the cash. My aging dual 800 plays the games I play great. And boy would I like to try a few PC games out!

I love the hell outa my macs but they just break too much for me. Bad luck only counts for so much, in the end.

I was sysadmin at an elementary with over 600 macs, and I have seen every problem you can imagine.

We had 100+ iBooks replaced because of the motherboard, we then had 20+ airport basestations replaces because they were faulty, 30+ iMacs due to crappy cd drives, on and on an on...

BUT

they were always reaplced in timely manner with as good or better hardware, and I never ever had to worry about the security loopholes and crappy vendors like with winbox machines.

OMG!  NOBODY has that many problems with macs!  I vote USER ERROR!  That, or my aforementioned conspiracy theory holds true.   ;)

^^^

hahaha.. the old 1-D-10-T error!  I used to love telling people they had one of those, and them being none the wiser.

My G5 is perfect. My iMac was perfect(donno where it is now but it must still work). My dad's Tibook still is perfect. My brother's G4 Tower is perfect. My  mom's iBook G4 is flawless as I use it now.

I do not eat green eggs and ham, I do not eat them sam I am.

Ok sorry felt like saying that part.

I had a crap load of problems with my g3 during the RS days...but that was a video card issue. G4 has ran fine so far. Point still stands, Apple needs new employees at the Apple stores. Im going there tomarrow and i love asking them stupid question to see if they know them just for fun. Makes me feel good to stump the "experts of Apple". Muwahahaha

True, go to independent resellers.

Hmmm Lets see.

I've owned 10 macs now from an LC2 to a dual G5. In that time i've had 2 problems

The airport antenna cable in my iBook 800 was pinched in the hinge and had to be replaced (just the cable not the ibook:-).

The radeon 9600 in the G5 did the stupid "won't work when cold" trick and was replaced.

I guess you could say my iMac rev D died after 4 years but i call that user error. It was left in a seaside holiday house for a year and got rusty :-(.

Now my work runs PC's. I could write a list of problems we've had with just my machine but it would take too long :-)



NOW MY FINAL WORD.

SERIOUS WORK SHOULD ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS BE BACKED UP


BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA
BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA
BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA
BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA
BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA
BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA
BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA

oh and did i mention

BACKUP YOUR IMPORTANT DATA

You know, I am surprised no one asked, or at least I didn't see it asked, but do you buy these macs form the same store??  If you do, STOP! go to another mac store or reseller, b/c boy!! I have never heard any one person having that many problems with macs, ever!

Did you do what I said in my last post, write Apple a letter, make them know exactly what happend and word in such a manner that it shows you're very upset, yet be professionally polite, yet firm.  I'm sure you will get an answer swiftly if you threaten to perhaps switch over to PCs, since this no doubt will look bad on Apple since Apple prides itself on the number of switchers from PC to Mac.

Let's just say this, buy directly from steve jobs. It's the only way to go.

Well,  I guess it all depends on the scenario when it comes to the computer in question.  The first question is weather or not the drive you had in there was the factory drive or was it one (3rd party) that you had replaced into the unit to get a bigger one.  That is the first thing that should be thought of when it comes to the repair because if the drive was the one that came with the computer or Apple certified and installed by Apple then it should be replaced.  As for the Data, well, it all comes down to the words that are in every warranty on the computer.  Ya know, the ones that say that Apple is not responsible for any lost data on the machines and that you are responsible for backing up the data in that sense.  If the drive was replaced on the machine from the Apple store then yes, you should have been opted for the Data transfer by the Mac Genius at that time but they are not responsible for letting you know the rules in the contract that you agreed to when you purchased the computer.  It would have been nice if they would have told you that previously.  But let's face it, you should ALWAYS back up your data no matter what type of computer you buy.  Weather it be Apple or PC.  I hate to say this but even if it was a PC in that sense, the PC manufacturer would not back up your data, nor would the service provider unless otherwise requested by the customer.  Granted not all Geniuses are Geniuses at the Mac store but then again you cant possibly expect them to know every single thing about every Apple out there.  They are only humans like ourselves and are tendoned to make a few mistakes here and there.  

As for Weakspot's thing with the 600+ Apples, well, you must have worked in LA for LAUSD which would make sense because they have a great program with Apple at this time and Apple has worked on making that a great service for their clients.  I have known many people that work for LAUSD and all feel the same way as you about the service.  

Now, if this was a 3rd party drive that was installed in the machine, well, you shouldnt expect Apple to be responsible for that drive going bad.  That would be something that you would want to take up with the manufacturer and not Apple at that time.  The only time Apple would be required to do work on an Apple computer is if the drive was the one that came with the machine or was bought and installed by Apple from Apple.

I can just imagine you getting into your PC's and finding out that something went wrong with it heh.  Just imagine in this sense that you had an Alienware computer thrown together for you.  Well, as we all know Alienware uses over 400 manufacturers to make their parts for their computers.  What they dont tell you is that if something fails and it is anything other then the case, you would have to bring it up with the manufacturer of that particular part.  Not the store you bought it from unless you had bought the extended warranty on that machine thru whatever 3rd party place you bought the machine from.  With Apple they like to own the patents with usually whatever they make, and therefore do not give you the runaround to other people to solve your problem unless it's a printer of course or out of warranty.  I do not think that you have had enough experiences with PC manufacturers, and if you truly believe that a PC is the way to go then I guess you will have to find out the hard way when something actually breaks.  Let's face it, a computer is something that was meant to be used, and because of the intricate parts that are used to assemble a computer there is always that slim chance that something can go wrong.  Then you get to hit that wonderful part of actually going thru the process of fixing the issue.  I wish you all the luck with PC companies to try and get that resolved.  And especially if you decide to go thru Alienware, be warned of that boat you will sink on.

:MoD:Saberian

Sixhits, my bother's girlfriend just brought her iBook in for the fifth time . . . monitor/harddrive problems and finally she recieves a brand new iBook with DVD drive ect. Sometimes it works out for the better ;D

I think a few hours over the phone is a good starting place.

Plus, I ALREADY got a replacement machine -- the one that just had the HD die. I think it's a cruel irony to seek a replacement for my replacement. If thing don't progress or I experience another major issue, I will. As it is, I find further complaints pointless. My file is already sickingly thick.


All bought from the Apple Store, either online or in person.

Here's a new wrinkle in my story. Apple delivered my ibook -- to the wrong store. I had it routed to Cali, but it's back in Conn.  The guy on the phone is telling me that the notes are in the case, but opps, someone fucked up.


The hard drive is factory -- Apple -- installed.

Failing to back up the data is my fault. A big fucking bonehead move. Most of my data was backed up, I'd failed to back it up however for two weeks. A crucial two weeks, as it turned out.

I opped for data transfer. Data was irrecoverable.

I know that a PC sucks. However, I want a glorified game machine. I'm not going to be putting my work on that thing, I'm not going to be video editing or what not. I think that what ppl are missing is that I'm not ditching my Apples and moving to wintel -- I'm buying exactly the thing I want -- a gaming machine. I was going to buy a G5, but then, with all this, I decided Apple had failed to earn my business. Frankly, I can afford to have a PC for games and fun, while using my macs for work. I could not "switch" to wintel as my primary machine.


I had mine replaced after four. I was promised a replacement on my third motherboard, and had to insist, after reading the so called Cail Lemon Laws, that I recieve a new machine or my money.

Adding all this up --  
I do like the Apple Care ppl, they are very nice.
I am disappointed with the quality of the hardware.


oh, last minute update -- Apple is giving me a free battery for the iBook. I suppose, yay?

Perhaps you should ask to speak with Steve Jobs. I wonder what they would say...

I think they might laugh.

Off topic second: Does Steve still go to Apple HQs everyday?

lol $1 a yr is just for tax reasons.. I bet he gets one hell of a bonus and great stock options.

If I remember correctly, Jobs is currently the highest compensated CEO.

Remember my Apple tossed a Lear jet at him?

I thought Jobs took the $1 a year salary just to get the companies medical insurance.

I hear ya sixhits, we've had the motherboard in our emac replaced 3 times. Crazy.

GS, shut up.

I agree with Myst, shut up GS.

See Spam drop box.

there's no denying apple rapes their customers on repairs, parts, etc.... but the thing is, the stuff seldom breaks down and generally lasts you a looooooong time, so it's a proven worthwhile investment to me.

believe me, i have gotten beyond pissed at apple a few times... but nothing short of all my computers spontaneously combusting (potentially killing my whole family) without reimbursement would ever make me consider a PC as an alternative. they look cheap and functional prima facie, but in the end you expend tremendous amounts of time and money on something with little reward. your PC will not only be forever outdated and inferior to whatever new piece of dung comes out the next day, but it will take a crap on you in the end no matter how loving you are to it.

whether it's trojans eating your data for breakfast, or that infernal "illegal operation" message giving you the good old fuck you every time you try and get something productive done, PC's are a liability at best.

Illegal Operation is the most annoying thing I ever have seen in any OS. The wording alone pisses me off.