From: Jeffrey Baker (plumbush2_at_mediaone.net)
Date: Sat Apr 01 2000 - 20:50:03 EST
Hi Patrick,
Thanks for your forthright questions. I suppose I'm something of a lurker
on this list, as I don't have a corporate computer or professional knowledge
of computers and networks, though I'm really not sure what other members are
running and why. As a writer and home user, I probably would have ended up
with an "i" series ThinkPad when I moved up last year from WordStar on DOS
to a laptop I could network to our cable-connected desktop. However, a
corporate network person on a laptop newsgroup was kind enough to alert me
to the value of the 600 and 770 series Thinkpads, which I hadn't even heard
of. They were out of my price range, so I started looking on EBay for a
used one - and there were lots as of last spring when I purchased mine, many
unopened 770E models still under 3 year warrantee, at "i" laptop prices,
some unopened and being handed off by companies to their network person at a
giveaway price, then being resold for double that at, say, $2000 - $2200.
Then just as I was starting to bid, EBay did its major crashes. So instead
of bidding, I called Global Remarketing in Texas, who were auctioning quite
a few 770X's and Z's. They happened to have an "open box" 770Z right there
and, with EBay down, unloaded it to me for $3000, which was close enough to
my price range albeit higher, but generous (I think) for a 95498AU. It was
certainly more laptop than I ever expected to own and it seemed like a
gimme.
I don't know where most people on the list are getting their Thinkpads, and
whether bought personally or corporately, or what arrangements come with
them, but the manual of this one had an IBM help number, 1-800-772-2227.
For my learning curve, and dissatisfactions with the noisy 14 gig hard
drive, I simply called them with questions and reasonable requests - like
why can't I work in peace or listen to music while writing without a noisy
whine. (As I say, they couldn't solve that one with replacements in the
existing technology, at least in my experience, but they were completely
gracious about it, to the point of agreeing that over the phone it certainly
sounded like a machine shop, and I was honest with them in my dealings with
them, firm but friendly and understanding of their trials and tribulations.
We're all working stiffs.)
So, I am not outside the US, unless Massachusetts counts as that. I hope
this information is of some usefulness, and I'd be interested in knowing
what arrangements others have with purchase and with IBM, if different from
the above. In any case, power to the people, as we used to say when I was
thirty years younger.
-- Jeff
>Jeff:
>
> Can you elaborate a little on I "called the IBM help number and they've
>made the authorizations." Are you outside the US? Was this a TP purchased
>within the US. Was the TP Purchased by a government unit? Your story does
>not line-up with what I understand is the IBM service structure. Please
let
>us know what kind of an arrangement you have. We may wan to do the same!
>Thanks.
>
>Patrick
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jeffrey Baker [mailto:plumbush2_at_mediaone.net]
>Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2000 4:49 PM
>To: thinkpad_at_cs.utk.edu
>Subject: Re: Fascinating article on IBM ThinkPad Repair Service
>
>
>I've never dealt with EZ Serve directly, nor would I unless I was required
>to under an extended warrantee. I bought an IBM computer, not an EZ Serve
>computer. When I've had problems I called the IBM help number and they've
>made the authorizations. When I wanted a 14 gig hard drive replacement in
>my 770Z for the second time, because both the first and second drives had
>become noisy (whining) after several weeks of use, IBM support rep. said,
>"Fine, we want you to be happy with the machine." They sent me a new disk
>and gave me two weeks or 30 days, I forget which, to do the swap.
>
>Only problem with this story is that the third hard drive, too, started out
>quiet and within weeks made such a whine that I can't leave it running
while
>trying to read or have serious conversations in the same room with it. But
>that's another matter, and it's clear to me at this point that putting in a
>fourth 14 gig drive isn't going to help, it's got to be the nature of the
>beast.
>
> -- Jeff
>
>>
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