Apple - Think Twice • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#311

Post by chris_wot » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 9:51 PM UTC

joe_the_user wrote: post #286

kevinalexbrown wrote: post #150

My perspective here is in no way Apple-specific, but I was reminded of something quite interesting in this story: if you pass a test and you still have problems, it probably means the test isn't good enough. Worse, passing a test doesn't magically change the state of the world and make these problems disappear. Turning to the customer and explaining, "there is no problem because you passed the test" does not alter th…

I strongly suspect that the testing mania you get on all the technical support lines comes from a mania by companies to control/pressure their customer support people and those people more or less passing along this pressure. "You have to prove you have a problem here because I've got a lot of people I have to help". The last technical support call I had for a Windows network problem (which I had isolated to the OS b…

In Australia, the test wold be irrelevant. I'd just take them to Fair Trading, who would take one look at the test and dismiss it. Problem solved.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#312

Post by eropple » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 9:52 PM UTC

Tipzntrix wrote: post #263

eropple wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft did, sure, but I'm referring more to application and game developers. The OS features are nice-to-haves to be sure, but if your applications are outpacing your hardware...

That's mostly fair, but gigantic multiplayer experiences have in general tried to target more modest min. reqs., like Starcraft II on the competitive side, or all of those East asian MMOs on the casual side.

Starcraft II actually really chugged on my 2009-vintage MBP. It was one of the games I was thinking of. =)

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#313

Post by ruswick » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 9:53 PM UTC

This is very problematic and disconcerting. However, I feel like the true reason that this gentleman is upset that he was disillusioned after his pristine opinion of Apple was ruined. That Apple would "take care" of him. This is not the case.

Apple doesn't give the most perfunctory shit about you or your problems. The Genius Bar exists to serve purposes: to attract possible customers and to pacify people with broken products. They don't care about you personally. They do not care about your screen. They're a corporation and they care exclusively about money. They pursue this desire through standardization and implementation of bureaucracy.

It sounded like the guy did the requisite test and in doing so upheld their obligation. Evidently, the test wasn't sufficient. That sucks, but Apple is not obligated to, nor are they willing to give to you, the benefit of the doubt.

I'm sorry that you had to go through such an absurd tribulation, but Apple did not attempt to personally screw you.

Apple is unequivocally in the wrong here, but butting such prodigious trust in a huge corporation makes you predisposed to come out of stuff like this inordinately contemptuous.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#314

Post by pfranz » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 9:54 PM UTC

konstruktor wrote: post #34

msy wrote: post #10

Revision A Apple projects have had issues for as long as Apple has been making products. Second gen Macbook Air's had Logic board issues, 2007 era RevA Macbook Pros had video card issues, dodgy graphics cards on the early Mac Pros, the iPhone4 antenna, the list is endless. Often it's taken years for the issues to be resolved and Apple to pay for repairs, if at all. It's simple, if you want the shiniest tech, buy what…

When batteries for my 2006 MBP's model had problems, Apple issued a recall. I got a new one in a UPS box that I could use to send the old one back. This cost apple parts and shipping, not even a technician's time. Service like this is much harder to provide if the computers you build are not repairable at all. They created a situation where fixing one problem means exchanging the whole unit. That is their own fault.…

The suggestion of avoiding gen 1 products isn't to blame the customer, but warn them of trouble before purchasing. Whether you get a timely recall/replacement or the problem is ignored still means you have to go of your way to discover, troubleshoot, and resolve the problem. It's nice in many cases they've gone out of their way to fix the issue, but I would rather not have it in the first place. So I generally avoid gen 1 Apple products.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#315

Post by Steko » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 9:55 PM UTC

piyush_soni wrote: post #248

crag wrote: post #160

It's not just Apple. It's all companies. When was the last time you tried to repair your washing machine under the warranty? Good luck. And it's software too. I can't remember the last time I installed a piece of software that wasn't filled with bugs. Some of them just glaring. Companies mantra, "Oh we'll fix that in an update". Six months down the road. Meanwhile they already have my money. This especially true with…

But others are not charging huge amounts on the much touted "Apple Care".

"others are not charging huge amounts"

This is completely false.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#316

Post by fabrika » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 9:57 PM UTC

I've had similar issues with Cinema Displays in mid 2000-s.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#317

Post by greedo » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 10:00 PM UTC

rozap wrote: post #164

eropple wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I've never heard of a satisfied long term customer Four MBPs, including a retina MBP. Couldn't be happier. Two iPads and two iPhones, switched to Android largely because of a new job and because I wanted a local environment for running vim. See? Other people have anecdotes too. But I get that contrariness and the application of your own pet anecdotes over evidence is really fun, so continue, by all means.

I think what he's going for is that, had you kept your original MBP, you would be unsatisfied. Not saying he's right or wrong there. However, I think it is fair to say that the majority of Apple fans often have a pretty frequent upgrade cycle. Consequently I don't think there are too many "long term customers" of Apple products in his sense of the word. I think Meaty is really going for "long term" customer as in - i…

In my circle, I would disagree. I'm using a 6 year old Mac Pro, have a 2006 Mac mini as an HTPC, another as a fileserver in the basement. Our household has an original iPad, an iPad 3G, two iPhone 3GS used as ersatz iPod Touches for the kids. I did recently upgrade to the iPhone 5 from the iPhone 3GS, but that's because I don't want to be on a two year treadmill.

The only issue I ever had was with a balky videocard in the Mac Pro that would die after about 4 months of World of Warcraft. Apple was quick to replace the card twice without any troubles.

So everyone's mileage varies.

Since I recently upgraded to an SSD in the Mac Pro, and bumped up the memory to 32GB, I see no need to replace this machine until it suffers a serious mechanical failure. The only downside is that it'll forever be stuck running Lion.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#318

Post by greedo » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 10:06 PM UTC

meaty wrote: post #95

marknutter wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As anecdotal as anecdotal evidence ever was.

A fucking large pile of expensive broken shit that just packed in is not anecdotal - it's known as evidence.

Why such anger and hostility? All the profanity does is make me think that your less than rational about this.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#319

Post by ruswick » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 10:06 PM UTC

This is very problematic and disconcerting. However, I feel like the true reason that this gentleman is upset that he was disillusioned after his pristine opinion of Apple was ruined. That Apple would "take care" of him. This is not the case.

Apple doesn't give the most perfunctory shit about you or your problems. The Genius Bar exists to serve purposes: to attract possible customers and to pacify people with broken products. They don't care about you personally. They do not care about your screen. They're a corporation and they care exclusively about money. They pursue this desire through standardization and implementation of bureaucracy.

It sounded like the guy did the requisite test and in doing so upheld their obligation. Evidently, the test wasn't sufficient. That sucks, but Apple is not obligated to, nor are they willing to give to you, the benefit of the doubt.

I'm sorry that you had to go through such an absurd tribulation, but Apple did not attempt to personally screw you.

Apple is unequivocally in the wrong here, but butting such prodigious trust in a huge corporation makes you predisposed to come out of stuff like this inordinately contemptuous.

Re: Apple - Think Twice

#320

Post by dakrisht » Mon, Dec 03, 2012, 10:11 PM UTC

jug6ernaut wrote: post #20

msy wrote: post #10

Revision A Apple projects have had issues for as long as Apple has been making products. Second gen Macbook Air's had Logic board issues, 2007 era RevA Macbook Pros had video card issues, dodgy graphics cards on the early Mac Pros, the iPhone4 antenna, the list is endless. Often it's taken years for the issues to be resolved and Apple to pay for repairs, if at all. It's simple, if you want the shiniest tech, buy what…

I think you missed the whole point of the article. The point isn't with the fact that there is an issue, its that Apple is seemingly trying to sweep it under the rug.

Yeah, 100%. Just blind commenting. Dude read it again.