Retail geeks aren't geeky enough (NewsForge) [LWN.net]

Retail geeks aren't geeky enough (NewsForge)

Posted Jan 21, 2005 18:21 UTC (Fri) by chohman (guest, #5519)
Parent article: Retail geeks aren't geeky enough (NewsForge)

I have not read Mr Lyman's original article, but the quoted portion suggests to me that his real problem is that these retailers have lousy computer support in general. An unanswered phone says absolutlely nothing about the level of Linux support offered by a vendor that it doesn't also say about the support of any other operating system. Unless, of course, someone has invented a caller ID system that identifies Linux users as they call in :-)

Oh, sorry, I forgot - only Linux needs support, not like the road-to-nirvana, nothing-ever-breaks user experience of that other widely used system.

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Retail geeks aren't geeky enough (NewsForge)

Posted Jan 22, 2005 0:20 UTC (Sat) by dokhebi (guest, #14023) [Link]

Another problem with "bench monkeys" at computer stores: I brought my laptop into Fry's Electronics for repair because of problems with the display. When the tech saw Grub on the screen, he pressed return to boot the laptop. Since it didn't immediately boot to Windows he put on the repair ticket that the machine "...does not boot Windows..." I had to scratch that out before I signed the paperwork.

I know my laptop is going to be returned with the hard drive "repaired" so it will correctly boot Windows. Good thing I made a disk image before sending it in.

Retail geeks aren't geeky enough (NewsForge)

Posted Jan 22, 2005 0:55 UTC (Sat) by ssavitzky (guest, #2855) [Link]

Amazingly enough, when I took my daughter's dual-boot laptop in to Fry's to have multiple keyboard, CD-ROM and power-connector problems repaired, it came back with boot sector intact.

My guess is that, at the factory, the first thing they do is swap in their diagnostic disk and run that. They probably don't even try to boot *your* disk unless the trouble ticket says you're having problems with it.

YMMV depending on the laptop's manufacturer; this was a Fujitsu.

Retail geeks aren't geeky enough (NewsForge)

Posted Jan 22, 2005 20:03 UTC (Sat) by gte223j (guest, #6492) [Link]

"My guess is that, at the factory, the first thing they do is swap in their diagnostic disk and run that. They probably don't even try to boot *your* disk unless the trouble ticket says you're having problems with it."

That is not how the tech service centers of best buy do it. When you send a box out that is under warranty for hardware problems depending on the problem they generally boot into the os unless that is not possible. they do use diag tools to assess and verify the initial findings of the "bench monkey". they do that first, however they do boot into the os and monkey around with it for sure no matter what the problem may be. would you replace a mb or proc and not try to boot into something!!???

I say this becasue I heard of guy who bought a laptop and put freebsd on it and couldn't burn a cd. The technician at the service center (remote shipped location) sent it back becasue freebsd was not supported!!! I gasped when my fellow bench monkeys told me. I thought that the stupid service center guy would have a spare laptop hd with a known good os on it. how lame.

these retail chains do not hire people capable of dealing with different operating systems. the tools provided are also limited. there are many shortcuts taken and many dissatisfied people.

As a side note though this story was from before i started working there. towards the end before I quit some of them used knoppix!!! it was really cool to see that on the ticket. i myself would use it to differentiate between hardware and software problems in addition to the diag tools. it was great for showing the customer that their nic really did work. it was an easy 20 bucks for the driver reinstall!!

later