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Hello Rich, In my mind, the real cost-benefit of extended warranty is stress and peace of mind. The Law College has a scholarship program that involves giving a brand new laptop to incoming first year law students whose entering credentials meet or exceed certain benchmark scores. Every year, when we take vendor bids, we emphasize that having the latest and greatest whiz-bang features, display, etc. is NEVER as important as a three year warranty that also covers accidental damage. Law School is a three year graduate program, and law students have enough to stress about without worrying that they'll have to pay dearly if some part on their laptop fails. In some years, the warranty, not the laptop features, became the deciding factor for which vendor we choose for the scholarship program. Despite the fact that tech support calls can be somewhat stressful, an extended warranty with accidental damage coverage is paying for some peace of mind, like any other form of insurance. Let's face it, if you buy a $500 laptop, and you crack the LCD screen, you can expect to pay at least half the purchase cost to replace it. If, on your budget, a $500 laptop is a commodity item, and you can afford to buy a new one if the one you have breaks, then more power to you. At least then, you don't have to wait on the phone with semi-competent tech support trying to get your warranty repair process underway. I would agree with the opinion that others have voiced here: both my own experience, and anecdotal reports from students indicate that Dell support for business customers is far superior to the service that the average consumer gets when calling their tech support. I have been assisting students using Dell's online chat tech support service, and my experiences so far have been quite positive. That's my two cents worth, your mileage may vary, ideas in the mirror may be closer than they appear. John A. Resotko Head of Systems Administration Michigan State University College of Law email: [log in to unmask] Phone: 517-432-6836 Fax: 517-432-6861 Current Chairperson of the MSU Network Communications Community >>> Richard Wiggins <[log in to unmask]> 5/29/2008 7:53 PM >>> As it happens I receive MSUNAG mail on both [log in to unmask] and [log in to unmask] When I first saw this thread, an ad popped up for... Dell computers. :-) ATS Computer Repair folks have told me that the "no questions asked" warranty is worth it, especially for laptops, as drops and spills are common. The question is whether it's worth it for cheap computers. I noticed recently that current Dell newspaper flyers very carefully do not offer a SINGLE computer for more than $1000. If you buy a $500 laptop is it worth the cost for Complete Care? Every summer we speak to parents at Orientation and give advice on buying a new computer to meet the MSU computer requirement. For years we've suggested that you not buy the cheapest, nor the most expensive computer, and consider extended warranty coverage and accident coverage as well. My standard joke is "Get 4 years of warranty and tell your student they have to graduate before the warranty runs out." I've used several laptops since 1993 or so, some my own, some MSU purchased, mostly Thinkpads. My experience is that in 4 years or so of use, you will have an issue that requires repair -- backlight on the display, keyboard, pointing device, hard drive, motherboard, even the power port. The display on one Thinkpad died with a couple of months left on a 3 year warranty. I believe it would've been $1000 to repair on a computer at that point not worth $1000. I wonder if it would be worthwhile for MSU as an institution to analyze the cost/benefit ratio of various warranty options. Have others analyzed this? /rich -----Original Message----- Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Dell found guilty of fraud and false advertising .... - In addition we select the "Complete Care" option on the warrantees for all laptops, so that if someone drops one in a pool or a shelf collapses onto it (actually happened to me) it get's fix without charge. - Also being able to get a 5-year warranty on a desktop is a major plus, because it allows us to squeeze as much life out of purchases as is possible (we have many 6-7 year old PCs still around). .... /dell lovefest Stephen Bogdanski Network Support College of Veterinary Medicine Michigan State University >>> John Gorentz <[log in to unmask]> 5/29/2008 3:24 PM >>> We at KBS have two polices about notebook computers. 1. We always recommend Thinkpads, except in the rare circumstances when some feature is available only on a Dell (or whatever) and not on a Thinkpad. 2. When people don't follow our advice and buy Dells instead, we say "I told you so" when they come to grief. This is a case where I also follow my own advice for personal purchases. At our house, it's only Thinkpads. My kids don't have a habit of taking my advice, but they all have Thinkpads, and only Thinkpads. John Gorentz At 03:10 PM 5/29/2008, Stephan Andre' wrote: >What you say is true--companies are cutting back on everything >they can, including quality, to make their shareholders more money. > >This is true across the board, but I do think that Lenovo has >suffered from this the least, at least in terms of their Thinkpad >laptops. They are still excellent, and far far better built than >any other laptop. I've turned into a Thinkpad snob because of >this, and the fact that I keep getting roped into helping friends >with broken computers and have to deal with various companies >in getting parts, etc. Ugh! > >--STeve Andre' > >On Thursday 29 May 2008 11:15:13 Oscar Castaneda wrote: >> The problems that everybody is describing in here are problems that I >> find with any other vendor and by no means exclusive to Dell. >> >> Long waits in the phone. You tell me what company does not make you >> wait, or hop from person to person for a while? >> Lack of knowledge of what they are giving you? All of them >> This week I had some stuff that I ordered from HP lost in the vacuum. It >> never came, until I got in a yelling contest with a person in the pone >> >> To me the quality of support has gone to the drains all across the >> spectrum of software/hardware vendors. >> >> >> >> >> oscar >> >> Troy Murray wrote: >> > My latest experience's with the Dell rep have been somewhat lacking. >> > In trying to find answers to some questions on parts that I needed I >> > received no response, then vague responses, over the course of about a >> > week. Finally I was able to talk with Sergio and had the answer >> > within a few minutes. >> > >> > -t >> > >> > On May 29, 2008, at 10:14 AM, Hoekzema, Andrew wrote: >> >> I had a laptop with a monitor problem, I sent the laptop back to Dell, a >> >> month at a time each time that I sent it in. The problem was never >> >> resolved, I found a work around but that's what we as techs do. I as a >> >> personal user do not believe in buying from Dell because personal >> >> service is definitely second class compared to corporate service which I >> >> think is excellent. >> >> >> >> Andrew Hoekzema >> >> Information Technician >> >> College of Arts and Letters >> >> [log in to unmask] >> >> 353-0778 >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On >> >> Behalf Of Charlot, Firmin >> >> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:50 AM >> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> >> Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Dell found guilty of fraud and false advertising >> >> >> >> I have not experienced any of the problems listed in the complaint >> >> either. This is not to say that they are not happening. >> >> >> >> Firmin Charlot, MCSE, A+, Information Systems Manager >> >> Educational and Support Services 162 Student Services Building East >> >> Lansing, MI 48824 >> >> [log in to unmask] (517) 432-7541 >> >> Submit technical requests at http://help.ess.msu.edu/ >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On >> >> Behalf Of Surato, Michael S. >> >> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:45 AM >> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> >> Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Dell found guilty of fraud and false advertising >> >> >> >> Interesting, I have not experienced any of the problems listed in the >> >> complaint. I have, however, experienced them with Apple support. >> >> >> >> +-------------------------------------------+ >> >> >> >> | Michael Surato | >> >> | College of Arts and Letters | >> >> | Michigan State University | >> >> | 320 Linton Hall | >> >> | East Lansing, MI 48824 | >> >> | Voice: (517) 353-0778 Fax: (517) 355-0159 | >> >> >> >> +-------------------------------------------+ >> >> >> >>> -----Original Message----- >> >>> From: MSU Network Administrators Group >> >>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stephan Andre' >> >>> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 6:12 PM >> >>> To: [log in to unmask] >> >>> Subject: [MSUNAG] Dell found guilty of fraud and false advertising >> >>> >> >>> Something interesting to read. I think it parallels some >> >>> of my experiences with Dell. >> >>> >> >>> <http://www.cio.com/article/371313/Court_Finds_Dell_Guilty_of_Fraud> >> >>> >> >>> <http://techland.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/05/27/dell-deceive> >> >> >> d-customers-says-ny-judge/?section=money_topstories> >> >> >> >>> --STeve Andre' >> >>> Political Science