Re: Open letter to IBM; refusal to honour warranty

[Randal Whittle <whittle@chaph.usc.edu>]

xtdn@levels.unisa.edu.au writes:

>This is being posted on behalf of a friend, who does not have internet access.
>Any replies can be forwarded to me (xtdn@levels.unisa.edu.au), or you can
>contact him by telephone.

>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


>To: Head Honcho, IBM Worldwide
>Subject: Repair Policy for Thinkpad 750Ce
>From: Eric Mourant, Victoria, Australia

>I purchased one of your Thinkpad 750Ce computers, believing that buying IBM
>meant buying quality and buying support.  I believed that the very enormous
>cost of the machine would be justified by superiour qualtiy, and in the
>unfortunate event of a failure, by cheerful, prompt and efficacious repair.
>Sadly I appear to have been mistaken.

	That's funny--as the owner of a ThinkPad 750C (an almost identical
model), I have been treated to the *best* service imaginable--including
the replacing of a battery, power supply (plastic connector cracked), and
the tightening of a screen hinge--all free of charge, and all with very 
quick turnaround.

>I accidentally damaged thje case of my machine, breaking the clips that
>retain the screen when closed.

	Key words here are:  "I" and "damaged".  Sounds to me like you
dropped your computer and want IBM to pay for the damage you caused.
I think that is rather unreasonable.

>  I am told that the complete lid, screen and
>all, must be replaced; that nothing less can be done.  I am told that
>repairing 5c worth of plastic will cost over $5000.

	Somehow I don't think we're getting the whole story and it
is tainted by your limitied perspective.

>Even more perplexing: One pixel on the screen is faulty; was faulty when the
>machine was supplied.  This, I thought, is a simple fault which IBM will
>surely  fix with good cheer.  Imagine my horror when I was told that one
>fault is not enough!  Worse, five faults, ten even, are not enough.  Your
>policy, I am told, is to not repair your machines until 18 separate faults
>have occurred!

	I don't think it is that high.  Evidently, you know NOTHING about
Active-Matrix TFT screens.  In a nutshell, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have a
screen where *every* pixel works perfectly ALL THE TIME.  In EVERY screen
made, whether by IBM, Sharp, Toshiba, or anyone else, there are some bad
pixels--some limited to only a certain color.  I'm typing into mine right
now where I have two bad pixels--noticable only if one is anal-retentive
(as, apparently, are you).

	IBM has among the highest Q.C. levels on TFT screens and if you
want to test that, try buying a no-name notebook with an Active-Matrix
Color Screen on it...

>I am disappointed, and want you to explain both of these policies, publicly,
>in  this same forum.


>Eric Mourant
>(Phone: +61 15 362 277)

	I think you should explain why you expect IBM to pay for your
mistake of dropping your computer...

	-Randy Whittle     whittle@chaph.usc.edu