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Fair enough, I can live with that, especially with an hour's emotional investment already. I can even exercise a bit of forward planning, take the day off to build the computer, and so on.
Time passed. The sun shone, the sky was blue, etc.
So today, the day before the expected delivery date, I thought: these companies sometimes have flawed systems (ha!). I'll check everything's OK.
So I rang them, and lo! the order was going to be delayed. Ah, I say, good thing I phoned. When were you going to tell me it was delayed, like it says on your web site you will? Ah, they say, we're not sure. It's a new system. It doesn't always notify people. Well it's crap then, I say, and they chuckle.
Never mind, I say, please replace these out-of-stock bits with the following in-stock bits, as per your own advice. OK, they say, and they alter the order. Everything's now in stock, they tell me, so it will all definitely be with you tomorrow before 12. Definitely.
Great, I say, and I hang up, knowing in my heart that this can only be doomed to fail catastrophically.
I was not wrong.
Next I hear is a text message at 8:25. That's EIGHT TWENTY FIVE PEE-EM, if you please, telling me there's been a delay, and to check my email. So I do.
And guess what? The whole order has been delayed because an article is OUT OF FUCKING STOCK.
It's not even an article I NEED to build the fucking computer.
I am particularly riled by the fact that they have such an incredibly polished system for notifying me that THEY HAVE JUST FUCKED UP. I'd rather they had spent the money on a system that SENT ME MY FUCKING ORDER.
So tomorrow I shall phone them. I will be tempted to tell them if they can't have it delivered today AS PROMISED then to cancel the order, but I need the components, and they do them for a damn good price. I suspect if I do tell them that they will say 'Bye then', and I will have one nose less on my face.
Reality means that I am going to have to take ANOTHER fucking day off to build this computer.
I fucking hate disorganised unstreamlined uncaring anonymous boxshifting companies like this when things go wrong.
Thank you.
--
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Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 21:27 07/02/07
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Steve - 22:03 07/02/07
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I guess I've been lucky the one time I ordered parts from then. Not that it helps you a bit.
Anyway. Do you feel any better having posted all that?
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stevepa
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 11:43 08/02/07
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Yes I do thanks.
I think you have hit the nail on the head there. It's all about luck. I've had truly appalling service from both Novacaster and Pixmania before. But they have also both excelled themselves at times too.
The lady I spoke to firmly but calmly at Scan today was sympathetic, helpful, knowledgeable, and left me feeling that I may give them a second chance should the need arise.
She promised me a call back later on with a consignment number, so we'll see if she does.
And she says she's arranged pre-9am delivery for tomorrow so I can get the stuff, and then go to work (if I can't 'work from home').
--
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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David Crowson - 11:51 08/02/07
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>appalling service from both Novacaster
:-o
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bombholio
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 11:53 08/02/07
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Ooops! Sorry Simon, I meant of course Novatech.
Service from Novacaster has consistently been some of the best I've ever seen :-)
--
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 12:23 08/02/07
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[issues recall of recently-launched pulse of lethal voltage over IP]
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simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 12:26 08/02/07
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Ah, the new LVOIP protocol ;-)
--
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 08:36 08/02/07
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Ah - an example of JTL ("Just too late") manufacturing, rather than JIT ("Just in time").
JTL is humanity's primary mode of thought - look at the response to climate change.
--
simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 11:38 08/02/07
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lol! Yes I know, I'm actually very scared about the future of the planet. Mass lethargy prevails, although I think things are slowly gaining momentum. Too late though? Well, too late to avoid some disasters for sure, possibly not too late to avoid others, if we act soon enough. And there's the rub.
I'm currently revelling in the warm glow provided by not putting my 4x4 back on the road after it failed its MoT in July, primarily for eco reasons. Gold star to me. Now if I can just persuade everyone at work (and home, for that matter) to TURN OFF THE LIGHTS when they leave the room...
It needs to become a way of life, not something you pay attention to every week or so.
--
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 12:22 08/02/07
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> way of life
It's ideal for borderline obsessives like me ;-) How many people do you know that tear out the window bit of used windowed envelopes so the rest can go in the paper recycling?
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simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 12:30 08/02/07
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That's admirable. I'm working towards that level of obsession.
People keep hassling me about ID cards and email privacy and stuff, and I think... hang on, there's bigger issues to get flustered about here.
Not that those causes aren't worthy also, but if I had spare campaigning time, it'd be directed to the environment.
Preventing a centralised ID database is something of a pyrrhic victory if you've no food or home.
--
(P.S. I hope you're saving the plastic bits as well, to compress into eco-friendly bricks...)
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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David Crowson - 13:12 08/02/07
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Well, Iīm in 2 ID databases. One implemented with intelligence one without.
Privium, store my retina scans and passport info on the card I carry, Iris store them in a huge central db.
Guess which one is used in the UK :-/
--
bombholio
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 13:28 08/02/07
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> saving the plastic bits
Nope - didn't know they could be reused. Mind you, it's take about 10 years to amass a brick's worth.
I could probably build a house, however, out of the deluge of cheap plastic pens that come with the snailspam.
--
simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 14:00 08/02/07
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> didn't know they could be reused
They probably can't, 'twas purely in jest :)
I like those pens made from rolled up recycled paper you get in some of the snailspams.
Actually that's another bugbear -- the fact that only certain plastics can be recycled in many places.
--
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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David Crowson - 14:29 08/02/07
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The whole recycling thing is an enormous bunch of twaddle.....
see Penn+Tellers Bullshit program on it if you donīt believe me.....
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bombholio
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 14:37 08/02/07
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And this pair of illusionists have the Truth Of It because...?
Actually, that's probably unfair - there are bound to be systems that don't work for one reason or another (corruption, inefficiencies, whatever) but a blanket statement like "The whole recycling thing is an enormous bunch of twaddle" is putting things too strongly.
Define "whole recycling thing" for a start - paper? glass? plastic? metal? kerbside collection? freecycle? cannibalising an old PC to keep another going rather than buying a new one?
--
simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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David Crowson - 15:04 08/02/07
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I refuse (pun intended) to define anything, watch the program yourself....
Re-use is OK...
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bombholio
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 15:17 08/02/07
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If you can't be arsed to at least outline the points of the argument, I can't be arsed to look at your evidence.
Let me see if I can predict what they say:
1) Most recycled stuff ends up in landfill anyway
2) The energy costs of recycling outweigh the energy savings
3) It's too late for this to have any appreciable effect on climate change
Am I close?
--
simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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David Crowson - 15:23 08/02/07
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not really.
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bombholio
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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David Crowson - 16:14 08/02/07
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sorry was at work and in the middle of stuff, can't really remember the salient points other than I agreed with most of them on the several occasions I've watched that episode.
the episodes on
The War On Drugs, the Bible, Feng-Shui, Bottled Water and others were also quite fascinating...
I'll bring you them all on the next visit....
--
bombholio
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 16:30 08/02/07
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Fine - I'll do my own research.
Facts taken out of context
Case against recycling based on dollar value alone
Various refutations of key points made in the program
Quote by the author of '8 Myths about Recycling' from the program:
In almost all communities, it is more expensive to recycle than it is to landfill
... that spectacularly misses the point, and P&T then claiming that government recycling subsidies are necessarily evil because they force you to spend your (tax) money on what you wouldn't otherwise choose to is about as childish and ignorant an argument as it's possible to make.
Now I've found the program on Google Video it strikes me that this program is more to do with P&T's need to appeal to the nihilistic "Everything sucks" generation in order to preserve their 'cred' than any kind of thoughtful analysis.
Plus, it's entirely US-centric and so its relevance to the UK situation is dubious.
Oh, and in the first five minutes they've fastened onto my second guessed point about the energy economics so your 'not really' wasn't strictly true, was it?
Halfway though they even concede that recycling does make economic sense in some instances (eg aluminium cans), so the idea that "recyling... is... twaddle" is refuted even by themselves.
I confess I got bored at this point.
Overall, I've not listened to anything as stupid as this since accidentally coming across a Rush Limbaugh show.
--
simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 16:48 08/02/07
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<applause>
--
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Simon - 16:51 08/02/07
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I think it'd be very boring round here if there were no arguments at all :-)
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simon
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Re: Scan Computers just made my shitlist
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Bruce Ure - 14:39 08/02/07
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I've not seen that although I already believe much of it is, however not all of it is, and certainly not re-use, as opposed to recycling.
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