| Previously in this column, I've
written about purchasing PCs and given advice on the do’s and do-nots. It's a shame I
don't heed my own advice! Recently I purchased a PC from one of the Tiny's group of shops
- quite an expensive PC too. I took advantage of a no deposit and zero interest scheme
provided you paid within 12 months leaving the total cost of the PC as £1,700. It was
delivered promptly and I eagerly plugged it all together and, I must say, I was quite
impressed. HOW MANY RAM’s?
Well, at least that was until I opened the case. On my original order I had
requested 128 Mb RAM, they supplied 128 Mb RAM, but on three chips, 2 x 32 Mb chips and 1
x 64 Mb chip, in effect using all my expansion slots. In my opinion, this was extremely
unprofessional and not what you'd expect from a high street chain.
Let me explain. This PC had three RAM slots; when you request 128 MB of RAM
you'd expect Tiny to supply one 128 Mb chip, leaving two slots free for whenever I want to
expand the system. Their excuse was that I did not request one chip on the original order,
installing one 64 Mb chip and two 32 Mb chips costs half the price of one 128 Mb chip.
When I called Customer Services, they reported that I hadn't requested one chip and since
it wasn't on the original purchase order, they weren't going to do anything. Basically,
tough luck, old chap….
When I requested to speak to the manager, his response was the same. This is
how the conversation went: I asked him whether my request for the system to be 100%
Windows NT compatible had been recorded. He went away and returned stating that it did
indeed say that on the order!
I then said that the system wasn't 100% Windows NT compatible, and he then
retorted sarcastically, "Well Mr Chin, which part of the system is not
compatible?".
I replied that it was the PC TV card and at that point his voice changed. He
went away and returned meekly stating; "You're quite right Mr Chin, the PC TV card is
indeed not compatible with NT, we'll send a technician around tomorrow to replace the
chips.".
I told him that I thought their service was waaayyyy below standard and I
wanted it returned immediately as it was unfit for the purpose that I purchased it.
So what's the lesson I've learnt? Well, I won’t be going to Tiny again,
instead I’ll go to the big boys … DELL
BACK TO FOOTBALL
Now that the football season has started, I thought I'd visit some of the
teams web sites, and since I was talking about Tiny, the name just seemed to make me think
of Arsenal! So they can be first. |
Arsenal's web site,
located at http://www.arsenal.co.uk is frames
intensive (multiple windows) and takes quite a while to download, but it is a well
designed and informative site.
The home page resembles a hand held computer games system and is - as you
would expect -red!
From the home page you can buy an Arsenal email address, of the type terryvenables@arsenal-fc.net
or glenn_hoddle@arsenal-fc.net; find out the latest Arsenal news (called
Gunformation); chat with the other Arsenal supporter; find out the seasons fixtures; the
Arsenal Museum, Junior Gunners (Gunnersaurus); take a tour of Highbury and they even have
their own Internet Service Provider, AFCi where you can pay £10 a month to get on-line.
I thought I'd visit the chat area and see what the supporters were talking
about. Of course it wasn't football related, more related to the traditional Internet
chat-up areas (you mean who can say the rudest word?…Ed). Gunformation
introduces Arsenal's news area where you can listen to Capital Gold, find out ticket
information, directions to other football clubs, news on the reserve team and Arsenal
ladies, etc.
TOTTENHAM NEXT? NOT ON THIS PAGE SQUIRE!
You can also purchase replica kits, books, gifts, leisure wear, all
on-line. There are also links to un-official Arsenal web sites and links to other official
football club web sites. One area that I particularly liked was the statistics page, here
you can determine statistics relating to any team since records began in 1879. For
instance: Liverpool, Played 175, Won 59, Drew 43, Lost 73, For 211 Against 245. Is it
worth a visit? Most definitely! It proves Arsenal are not as boring as you'd think.
If you'd like a review of any other team's web site, I'll oblige, so long as
it isn’t Tottenham!
See you next month…Vince Chin
@RE YOU ON THE INTERNET?
More and more drivers are now on the Internet and it raises the possibility of a
register of drivers e/mail addresses and perhaps a way of sending out news, information or
a personal message in the quickest way that man has yet come up with. If you would like
your e/mail address to be on a possible register, send it to callsignmag@aol.com together with your name and
call sign. |
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