What computer/OS are you using?

[Bella]

public fondling can get you arrested, bells. :\

That's the best thing about computer molestation, you can't get arrested for it ... the Staples salespeople can only escort you away from the computers if you rough them up too much.

That said, some of those laptops were nice, and reasonably priced. I still think I'll look for a used machine first, since what I want to do to it (downgrade to Vista and/or install Ubuntu) would void the warranty on a new machine. >:/

[Red-Machine]

Actually, there is no software warranty, at least on Dells.  I had an issue with the motherboard on my Studio Hybrid about a month after I bought it, I contacted Dell support and when I said I had downgraded it to XP, the guy tried to tell me that I had voided the software warranty.  I pressed him further on it, and he finally admitted they didn't have one.  So you should be fine.

[NejinOniwa]

Acer laptop masterrace.

[Red-Machine]

Ugh, Acer.  Even their CEO admits their stuff is crap...

[NejinOniwa]

What is your major malfunction, man?

[Red-Machine]

My problem with Acer is that their stuff is so damn cheap and nasty, it breaks if you so much as nock it against something.

[NejinOniwa]

LAMBDA, my cousin's lappy and a handful of other friends of theirs would like to disagree with this statement heartily. The only thing that was ever wrong with her was her OS (and I fixed that, lol) and subsequent driver issues for 7 (which are my own fault, but I still fixed). No other Acer comps I've come upon are given to much fragility or lack of robustness on the inside, so I really don't know where you're getting that from.

[Chocofreak13]

while i don't support calling a specific brand of computers a master race (even though he was joking), i take nej's side on this. no offense or anything, but you seem to really jump down people's throats when they have a different opinion about computer stuff, red. would you do the same to me if i were to say HPftw? :\

or do you just like fighting with nej?

@bella: those poor computers, their innocence is lost. ;0;
that said, considering everyone here basically knows how to build their own computer, is voiding the software warranty really that much of an issue? :\

[NejinOniwa]

Software warranty HO BOI, I laugh at your face. XD

[Bella]

Actually, there is no software warranty, at least on Dells.  I had an issue with the motherboard on my Studio Hybrid about a month after I bought it, I contacted Dell support and when I said I had downgraded it to XP, the guy tried to tell me that I had voided the software warranty.  I pressed him further on it, and he finally admitted they didn't have one.  So you should be fine.

That's good to know. I remember my eMachine 6800 (or whatever the model was) had a software warranty, not through eMachines but Best Buy, which was the store I bought it from. Eventually I just bought an aftermarket HDD for it and loaded/ran Ubuntu on there ... whenever it had to be sent in for repairs I'd pop in its original HDD running XP. -w-;

Regarding computer master races - there aren't many brands I'd avoid wholesale, but Apple, Lenovo/IBM and Dell are at the top of my list as far as brand preference goes.

[Nichi]

NEC 優れている
*salutes the Yeti and Minefield*

Also, that whole "changing the OS voids warranty" thing sounds stupid to me...

[Red-Machine]

I've heard nothing but bad things about, and experienced noting but bad things with, Acer.  I guess my experiences have been with the wort of the bunch, and yours with the cream of the crop.

And when it comes to HP: they're a bitch to work on, but otherwise I have no issue with them.

[Bella]

Software warranties make next to no sense, the only purpose I can imagine they serve is to keep service techs from having to deal with OSes they have no training to work on or experience with.

I've heard nothing but bad things about, and experienced noting but bad things with, Acer.  I guess my experiences have been with the wort of the bunch, and yours with the cream of the crop.

And when it comes to HP: they're a bitch to work on, but otherwise I have no issue with them.

I sort of have the same issue, except with HP. All the people I've known who had (newer) HP laptops had motherboard issues with them - granted, that's only a few people, but it's enough to make me wary of getting one. : / On the other hand I have an older (2005) HP laptop, spec-wise it's a piece of crap but it's never had failures/breakdowns.

[Chocofreak13]

funny thing is, this laptop is from about 2005, and it runs great. it's also an HP. :3 (1000 less on the model number than speedy.) HPs have always had cooling issues, but it seems that once the flashier OSes came out, the computers tried to keep up, sacrificing the cooling quality for a glamourous look. :\

as for Acer, while i support forming your opinions based off your own experiences, part of forming an opinion is listening to others as well. :\

as for software warranties, seems like a crock. if the IT guy can't handle a particular OS, and that OS is within the main OSes of the time (i count Linux in this, but only the more 'mainstream' distros, such as Ubuntu and its derivatives), then maybe the IT guy needs to do some studying in his spare time.

if they're going to complain about someone downgrading their windows to a different version, then that's just lazy of them. >>;;

[Bella]

After dealing with the drama of my eMachines m6800 (a model that ALSO had overheating/mobo issues) I'm never touching a computer that's "known to have cooling issues" again (well, unless i can get my hands on an Apple III, but that's beside the point).

As for software warranties - it's annoying but the more I think about it the more I grasp WHY some companies do it. For instance, Best Buy has a software warranty, and I happen to know for a fact that they send machines in need of repair to huge, factory-like repair centers, instead of fixing them on-site or whatever. If a computer came in that had some really exotic OS installed on it I imagine it could put a serious wrench in the diagnostic process by being incompatible with whatever software they use.

It's also fun to note that Apple, a company long criticized for imposing uniformity and giving users a lack of options when it comes to the software they can run, has no software warranty whatsoever. OSX, Windows, Unix, Linux, no matter what you install or how many times you partition your HDD to run another OS, it's not going to void the warranty.