Dude we should have a tour for us ATOT guys. We'll stop by all these stores across the west coast and just invade them. Take em over and show those workers up or just have like a documentary. Ah it'd be great. Bump.
bamacre
Lifer
- Jul 1, 2004
- 21,029
- 2
- 81
A a little off topic...
I was once having a problem connecting to a friends computer over the internet, the connection would always quit after a few minutes or so.
I called Time Warner (my isp), and ended up speaking with a "senior tech rep." I went through my problem, and she ended up saying, "we only support you connecting to the internet, not other people's computers."
I replied, "well, that's what the internet basically is, a bunch of people's computers. Like, when I click on www.yahoo.com, I'm connecting to a computer."
She said, "no, that's the internet."
I was once having a problem connecting to a friends computer over the internet, the connection would always quit after a few minutes or so.
I called Time Warner (my isp), and ended up speaking with a "senior tech rep." I went through my problem, and she ended up saying, "we only support you connecting to the internet, not other people's computers."
I replied, "well, that's what the internet basically is, a bunch of people's computers. Like, when I click on www.yahoo.com, I'm connecting to a computer."
She said, "no, that's the internet."
Maybe the guy is getting kickbacks for steering customers to ATI cards, which is what he did. The customer ended up buying a 9200SE instead of the FX5200 he was originally considering.
VirtualLarry
No Lifer
- Aug 25, 2001
- 56,587
- 10,225
- 126
Is this now a theme with BB? This is the second story that I've read in this thread about that.
VirtualLarry
No Lifer
- Aug 25, 2001
- 56,587
- 10,225
- 126
I noticed something recently with my machine. It's a middle-of-the-road Althon XP system, Via KT400/8235 chipset, XP2000 CPU (10.0 x 166Mhz), 3 x 256MB PC2700 DDR, 64MB AGP Radeon 9200, a few HDs, opticals, etc., OS is W2K SP2 most of the time.
After leaving Task Manager running, with the CPU usage graph, both at normal speed, and underclocked to 850Mhz, I noticed a few things. At normal speed, my usual CPU load for browsing and doing normal computer tasks, rarely ever peaks above 10-15%. Underclocked to 850MHz, it spans the gamut from low to 100% CPU usage, but I still don't notice any lag. (Obviously, playing games while underclocked - like UT2K4, will be slower.)
I think that it really is true, most people nowadays, have computers that are far faster than they need to be, for the majority of the tasks that they do on computers. (Excluding cutting-edge games.)
Perhaps that explains how Intel and major computer OEMs get away with selling so many P4 Celeron systems, and systems with integrated video. Even though an HP desktop system with an NF2 (integrated with GF4MX graphics) and an Athlon XP2500 (maybe Barton) would be so much faster than an Intel Celeron P4 2.8Ghz running on a system with Intel's "Extreme Graphics 2", I wager that the majority of people that know so little about computers, that they would purchase one at a retail store (say, WalMart), wouldn't ever even notice the performance differences, because either choice, would be "more than good enough", for the vast majority of usage scenarios.
It's both an interesting datapoint, and a slightly sad one, from the geek perspective. We always want the fastest and best machines, at a reasonable price, but I'm starting to be forced to agree with some of the editorials on Overclockers.com, that the voice of the geeks is being drowned out by the purchasing power of the "Joe Sixpacks" of the world.
I'm personally waiting for the day, that, like the "identity disks" of the movie 'Tron', we will have "computer personality packs", with our own personalized OS, custom settings, etc., stored in non-volatile storage medium, about the size of a wallet. Computer "stations" will be publically-ubiquitous, and to use one, you just "plug-in" your personal storage and use it for a bit, and then remove it and move on. In this manner, the company providing the "stations", wouldn't have to worry about virus or other malware infecting their terminals, because they wouldn't have any persistent storage to infect, and your own privacy could be likewise ensured, because the system was running completely off of your own personal OS.
A geek pipe dream, to be sure, but it could happen, what with the increasing storage densities of those new microdrives, and some of them even having a bootable USB 2.0 connector on the package.
VirtualLarry
No Lifer
- Aug 25, 2001
- 56,587
- 10,225
- 126
Ouch. The FX5200 (if it had a 128-bit memory bus) would have been faster, and DX9-capable to boot.
AnitaPeterson
Diamond Member
- Apr 24, 2001
- 6,030
- 577
- 126
It's kinda almost sorta but not quite possible just yet... I've seen something close to it, and with USB memory fobs it could be a lot closer... It's kinda OT to the thread though.
jdogg707
Diamond Member
- Jun 24, 2002
- 6,098
- 0
- 76
I loved how when I worked at Circuit City my manager got upset at me because I didn't ask the customer if they wanted the extended warranty on the universal remote. Unfortunately the remote cost 8.99 and the warranty for the remote was 9.99, I believe it was a computer mistake, but funny nonetheless. I have heard many hilarious things, like the time a guy I worked with said that the Intel Celeron was the fastest processor on the market, but Intel just pumped money into the Pentium 4 to fool people into buying it and paying more money.
Granted, if you replace the remote once in three years (likely, especially with such a cheap remote) you've broken even on purchasing the service plan. If you replace it more than once in three years (also fairly likely) you've more than made up for the service plan.
My turn, I think this only happens here in colombia, once I asked the comp. salesman in one store, I told them if they were now selling the radeon 9800pro or 9800XT, the "tech" guy appeared suddenly and told me this: "The Fx5200 must be your right choice, it's the fastest card available in the game market and will play all your modern games (a month ago).....to end up his argument he said that Radeon 9800 and others more advanced are just for developers and servers (after that argue, he said "that's why they're so expensive") they wont even run the games as fast as the FX5200...I think he has never played anygame.
my goodness!! how could that store hire that guy?? although, I gotta say, despite his ignorance....everything sounded very convincing....thank god i have the basic knowledge on PC's...thank god!!!
my goodness!! how could that store hire that guy?? although, I gotta say, despite his ignorance....everything sounded very convincing....thank god i have the basic knowledge on PC's...thank god!!!
haha ya. i was going to buy an A64 laptop for gaming, but the guy was so convincing about getting a celeron instead (it was the only other thing they had in stock and was more expensive) that i actually felt like i was cheated when i ended up getting the A64. i know i got the better deal, but i still question my move "was the celeron really the better choice?" good thing i went in there knowing what i wanted.
I just got a part-time job at Office Depot recently as their Tech sales rep. Yeah, it's my first job and I don't really like it at all. Whenever a customer walks in/ calls in, I try my best to answer their question and recommend them best bang-for-the-buck solution (because I just can't force myself to sell a $800 PC to someone who needs it for E-mail). As far as making sales and trying to sell the extra stuff, I try to get by on minimal basis. I'm not sure if it's company-wide, but all the sales staff have to fill out small paper with items they sold for every shift. At the end of the shift, you have to fill out at least one form that asks whether you sold cables, ink, PPP(warranty), and etc with one of major purchases. It really annoys the heck out of me because it's tedious and completely pointless other than bugging sales staff to shove those things down the customer's throat.
I don't think I'm fit for being in the sales industry. I guess I'm too cheap and technically apt to become a sales drone. But I hope others will understand what retail sales people have to go through.
I don't think I'm fit for being in the sales industry. I guess I'm too cheap and technically apt to become a sales drone. But I hope others will understand what retail sales people have to go through.
I was walking through CC this past week end and I over heard a customer tell a salesman to give him what ever he needed and he would pay for it. I looked at the salesman and it almost looked like he was going to hit the floor. Couldn't say anything because I was enjoying the day too much with my family.
Unless OD pushes for the hard sell, you can always "bring up" other options instead of pushing something you dont recommend on them. When i worked in staples a long time ago, i would always tell them about the extended warranty. Since a lot of our machines had a year or less in warranty and no phone support after that, the extended warranty was a good buy for people who would likely experience problems as their computer got older. These people didnt have the expertise to format a drive and reinstall windows, so it was a lifesaver to have that extra warranty on hand.
Same went for cables and cables and other things. It's not really a matter of sales, but a matter of making sure customers are aware of needs. Customers would actually get MAD if you sold them a printer and computer, but didnt tell them about the cable necessary to hook it up (it was parallel in those days). Sure, YOU might not buy some of these things, but then again, you wouldn't be shopping for a computer at office depot/staples, either, right? That doesn't mean i'd upsell to the point of telling them about how "much better" that gold plated parallel cable will work, but i will make them aware of their choices. If they ask for my opinion, on the other hand, i'd be honest with them.
Same went for cables and cables and other things. It's not really a matter of sales, but a matter of making sure customers are aware of needs. Customers would actually get MAD if you sold them a printer and computer, but didnt tell them about the cable necessary to hook it up (it was parallel in those days). Sure, YOU might not buy some of these things, but then again, you wouldn't be shopping for a computer at office depot/staples, either, right? That doesn't mean i'd upsell to the point of telling them about how "much better" that gold plated parallel cable will work, but i will make them aware of their choices. If they ask for my opinion, on the other hand, i'd be honest with them.
I like the tech support story I heard a while ago.
Some lady phones up tech/sup and is wondering where one puts CD?s into a computer. Tech/sup replies that you push that little button on the front of your computer near where it says CD, and a little tray will ? ?pop? ? out and your CD?s go there.
Reply by lady ? ?well if I put CD?s on that tray, where am I going to put my coffee mug??
ROTFL ?.. hmmmmmmmmmmm ?..CD ? could stand for Coffee Deck!
Some lady phones up tech/sup and is wondering where one puts CD?s into a computer. Tech/sup replies that you push that little button on the front of your computer near where it says CD, and a little tray will ? ?pop? ? out and your CD?s go there.
Reply by lady ? ?well if I put CD?s on that tray, where am I going to put my coffee mug??
ROTFL ?.. hmmmmmmmmmmm ?..CD ? could stand for Coffee Deck!
I was on the phone with a Dell guy (ordering a 2001FP). So he asks me if I am interested in upgrading anything else in my system. I say no. So he goes on naming things. Memory, harddrive space, etc. So I say, well I was planning on getting a 6800GT, do you have any in stock? He tells me to hold on a second and then goes, "Ahh yes. That's an ATI right?" I tell him no, it's a NVIDIA card. He tells me to hold on another moment while he checks stock, and comes back to tell me, "We don't have any of the NVIDIA's in stock right now, but we definately have some ATI 6800's in stock." I told him I was all set on any upgrades after that. Thinking back though, I bet an ATI 6800 would have been pretty pimp. Seeing as how I'd have the only one in existence, I'd have some nice bragging rights. Oh well, at least now I know not to pass up one of a kind hybrid items in the future.
P.S. This happened the 13th, it's the 15th, and UPS is telling me my monitor is 1 town away. Ahhhhhhh the anticipation! Compliments to Dell on super fast shipping. Kudos also to the guy who took my order. Him being not so bright worked in my favor, as he did not charge me tax on the phone, while my online order came to $780 with tax. $750 2001FP shipped =
P.S. This happened the 13th, it's the 15th, and UPS is telling me my monitor is 1 town away. Ahhhhhhh the anticipation! Compliments to Dell on super fast shipping. Kudos also to the guy who took my order. Him being not so bright worked in my favor, as he did not charge me tax on the phone, while my online order came to $780 with tax. $750 2001FP shipped =
He probably meant the 9800, which with all honesty isn't so bad of a mixup as you may think.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Here's my own story-
This one has a happy ending...
So I walk into a local computer shop (small "mom and pop"-like store) just looking to get a long Cat5 cable (25') or so. At the counter there's this man who's looking to buy one of their computer deals. This store has all sorts of motherboards, processors, cases, video cards etc. etc. So what they do is put together a PC for you w/ your requested parts. Nice idea but their parts are heavily overpriced whn compaired to NewEgg.
On with the story, the guy is looking at going the A64 route. I hear him ask "What's the difference between these two processors?" -- "Oh, well this one isn't really a FULL 64bit processor, see...it only has 512kb cache, you want the 1mb veresion because it's a REAL 64bit processor!"
Just earlier I heard the guy say that he was only using it for lite gaming, heavy internet/word processing and other misc. tasks. I wanted to say something to the guy like "don't worry, the clawhammer will suit you fine" or something a long those lines but I bit my tongue. As he leaves the sales guy begins to check me out (as in ring me up! get your mind out of the gutter!) We somehow started talking about what I was going to do with the cable so I told him I was setting up a network for my fraternity house. He asked if I knew a bit about computers and I told him that I build them for friends/family and am the "fraternity techguy" (everyone goes to me for problems w/ their pc...a matter of fact in 20-30 minutes I'm off to fix one of my Brother's computer.)
He then offered me a job! Woohoo! I had just quit my current job a week ago. So this was awesome. I'm going to get paid $9/hr just to fix computers. Misc. stuff like spyware removal, formats, reinstalls of windows, troubleshooting on hardware, put together new PCs and the such. Pretty much what I enjoy to do (not that I get off on this stuff, I just like messing around with PCs) at a $2/hr pay increase w/ flexible hours!
I went from almost being really rude to the sales guy to loving him to death!
...just goes to show that sometimes it pays off on bitting your tongue
Im self employed here in the UK earning £25/hr fixing people's computers. I get most my work through word of mouth. An average of around 10hrs a week.
At current exchange rates, thats $46/hr. I suggest you do the same, once you've built yourself a reputation for fixing any PC that's next to a power outlet. Why work for $9/hr when the jackass store owner is going to make $50/hr ?
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