Should people be able to vote down products that are DOA

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
Why can't they write an applet that runs diagnostics quickly? Just because you can't imagine it happening doesn't mean that there isn't a reasonable way to get the job done.

If that applet takes 3 seconds total to diagnose and move it along, that is over 833 additional hours added to the manufacturing line for the 1,000,000 units Sony shipped. That is almost 35 additional DAYS.

Just because you think 3 seconds is meaningless, when it comes to volume, it isn't.

Modern electronics have about a 1% failure rate on average. So, you're figuring about 10,000 defective units. Now, reports are indicating a lot of units, but to what extent? We don't know yet. Sony reports a failure rate of 0.4%, which would be incredibly low. I understand people are upset, and I agree they should report it, but so far it seems a lot of outrage over a normal failure rate until we get more information.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
If that applet takes 3 seconds total to diagnose and move it along, that is over 833 additional hours added to the manufacturing line for the 1,000,000 units Sony shipped. That is almost 35 additional DAYS.

Just because you think 3 seconds is meaningless, when it comes to volume, it isn't.

Modern electronics have about a 1% failure rate on average. So, you're figuring about 10,000 defective units. Now, reports are indicating a lot of units, but to what extent? We don't know yet. Sony reports a failure rate of 0.4%, which would be incredibly low. I understand people are upset, and I agree they should report it, but so far it seems a lot of outrage over a normal failure rate until we get more information.

He lacks even rudimentary understanding of most of the topics he tries to partake in.

Hell on a $30,000+ car, manufacturers debate costs as low as pennies to the final product.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
He lacks even rudimentary understanding of most of the topics he tries to partake in.

Hell on a $30,000+ car, manufacturers debate costs as low as pennies to the final product.

Cars? Try homes. The cost to include a door with a peephole is less than a dollar over the cost of one without, yet you have to pay for a "custom" door in some subdivisions to get one on a $200,000 house.
 

ThinClient

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,977
4
0
If that applet takes 3 seconds total to diagnose and move it along, that is over 833 additional hours added to the manufacturing line for the 1,000,000 units Sony shipped. That is almost 35 additional DAYS.

Just because you think 3 seconds is meaningless, when it comes to volume, it isn't.

Modern electronics have about a 1% failure rate on average. So, you're figuring about 10,000 defective units. Now, reports are indicating a lot of units, but to what extent? We don't know yet. Sony reports a failure rate of 0.4%, which would be incredibly low. I understand people are upset, and I agree they should report it, but so far it seems a lot of outrage over a normal failure rate until we get more information.

Sony can cry me a river.
 

ThinClient

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,977
4
0
Not sure what you mean by that. I have not wished Anthrax on anyone.

You're a huge tool who makes irrational decisions and brags here on these forums about a life that seems miserable but pretends it was all planned out. :) That's what I meant.
 

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
May 24, 2003
70,648
13,823
126
www.anyf.ca
I'd say yes. If I'm researching a product, one thing I like to look at is the DOA rates. If they're through the roof for a specific brand/model I know to avoid. When I spend my money to buy something, wait a couple weeks for it to arrive, it better damn well work.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
126
The one star reviews are entirely legitimate for doa units. That said, anyone basing purchases on Amazon reviews is rather silly.
 

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
17,252
19
81
The rating system is in place to help people make a purchasing decision. Any information relevant to that decision should be included in the rating system. You can't sweep one aspect under the rug just because you don't think it's the manufacturer's fault. Ultimately it doesn't matter whose fault it is. All that matters is if it affects the product in question and by extension consumer's decision to buy that product.

If the PS4s came out of the factory perfectly, but UPS ALWAYS broke them before they got to stores and consumers, that would still be grounds for a one star IMO. Even though it may be completely UPS's fault, It's still going to be important to a buyer to know that if they buy a PS4, there is a 100% chance that UPS broke it before they received it.
 
Last edited:

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
The one star reviews are entirely legitimate for doa units. That said, anyone basing purchases on Amazon reviews is rather silly.

i disagree that it's silly. IF a product or company has a bunch of negitives.

I had looked at buying a item from one company. in the last 6 months it had 200 MORE negatives then it had in the last 5 years. that made me wonder if something was going on. I passed that company (and they were cheap).


its a tool. it can help.
 

HeXen

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2009
7,837
38
91
Well the reviews are going to continue whether anyone agrees with them or not. DOA's are expected, but it's also expected that someone who heavily anticipates a device like this, that isn't easy to obtain right now due to demand, is going to feel very upset if it's DOA...which gets reflected to anyone that will listen.
 

JimKiler

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2002
3,561
206
106
I think the answer is to be able to filter out the DOA reviews would be ideal so you can see it with DOA and know if there are quality issues thus not to buy or if there are a few DOA shipments that are skewing the reviews.
 

M0oG0oGaiPan

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2000
7,858
2
0
digitalgamedeals.com
yeah. i also think follow up reviews would be beneficial also.

if it's a reseller it would be good to see a follow up review for service/rebate processing. Also a long term follow up so you can gauge failure rates. That's a couple of the things I look for depending on what i'm buying.
 

Dumac

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,391
1
0
I think 1 star reviews for a DOA product are justified if

1. The reviewer actually bought the product
2. The review is updated when a replacement is received.

Individually, both of these things are unlikely. On the PS4 reviews, tons of people didn't get buy the damn thing. And I doubt most of them that did will update their score when they inevitably get a replacement.
 

ThinClient

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2013
3,977
4
0
Individually, both of these things are unlikely. On the PS4 reviews, tons of people didn't get buy the damn thing. And I doubt most of them that did will update their score when they inevitably get a replacement.

Where is your evidence to support that these DOA claims are false?
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,741
456
126
A censored review list is even less useful than what's happening now. Why shouldn't people 1-star the thing? It doesn't work, therefore YOU got a shitty product and YOU review that unit poorly. If the amount of DOA units is truly small, then those DOA reviews should (in theory) be diluted by all the positive reviews and reflect the amount of issues that exist.

I of course say "in theory" because for some reason people don't seem to post positive reviews when things go well, so yes... things get a bit skewed. You can't censor them though, that's the worst thing you can do.