[To begin at the beginning, click here.]
About a week ago I wrote about my not-so-great experience with my new computer. As it turned out then, the Alienware computer, when it finally arrived, chose not to run properly. The upshot of the ensuing chaos was a new video card being shipped to me by the Aliens. It arrived last Thursday, the 18th. (To put all this in context, the Alien was originally ordered Aug. 23.)
As it turned out, my daughter-in-law, who does have a life of her own, could not get over here until Saturday to install the new card for me. (Beggars can’t be choosers, after all, so how could I complain?) She popped open the shiny, dead Alien box and installed the card. Then she had to unplug the old computer and move it out of the way so she could put the Alien in its place and plug everything back in.
By now, of course, you’ve already guessed that the new card didn’t work either. What followed was a display of how my DIL deals with customer service dudes who aren’t providing satisfactory customer service. In the course of the conversation those guys were painted in various ways as “taking advantage of a little old lady on a fixed income.” It was, of course, quite true that on my own I’d have been utterly unwilling and incapable of wrestling the Alien to the floor, popping its case open, and applying a screwdriver to the appropriate parts in order to extract and then reinstall a video card. Yes, I’ve done it before in years past, but I’m no longer as fearless as I once was. It was all I could do to watch my DIL tearing open a brand new computer and ripping it apart. (Actually, I couldn’t watch; I left the room.)
Anyway, the best deal she could get from the Aliens was they’d have FedEx pick up the computer and take it back to the mother ship for repairs. Then before she left, of course, she pulled the dead Alien out from under the desk, helped me get it all packed up again in its white cloth bag, black molded styrofoam, and black box, and slid the old computer back in place. (That old Dell has been laughing its RAM off throughout this entire misadventure.)
The Alien lifted off about 10:00 hours this morning. It better come back with a whole new attitude and a ton of Reese’s Pieces.
[continues with Grandma vs. the Alien: Chapter 2.2]
I couldn’t afford an Alienware computer even if I were inclined to buy one. Now I know that I darn well won’t be buying one!
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It was about the same price as the Dell I was trying to spec. But Dell didn’t offer the exact combination of components I wanted and Alienware did. Dell owns Alienware now, and I surmised (and my son confirmed) that Dell is sort of handing off its gaming machines to Alienware. I’d have preferred to go with Dell, because I’ve always had good luck with them.
Ugh, I had no idea, I would have to leave the room too if someone took apart my new computer- I’d probably start to heave…
I’m so sorry! This is b.s. You paid tall coin for this and it should be plug and play! I’m mad for ya PT!
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I’m too exhausted to be mad, for the moment anyway. But I’ll be well rested by the time that thing comes back, and it better come back fast, and serve me breakfast in bed when it gets here.
Ou mates ys a lartop compiutar alian?
pelis.
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Sorry, I don’t understand. Something about killing my laptop?