Re: Apple threadjack
Do you know the number of MacBooks with the widely-reported but unfixed "non-responsive keyboard/mousepad" glitch? Apple has not/will not provide a fix for an acknowledged hardware fault. Their answer? "Yeah, we know about that. Buy a new one with the AppleCare ".
Citation?
The arrogance is iMazing.
Yup, from the company that replaced the mother board on my out of warranty notebook. Granted, Nvidia screwed the pooch and shipped a ton of defective CPUs - but Apple still replaced it without even batting an eye. Two years after my initial problem, I finally gave up with Dell and the infamous bad capacitors. Simply wasn't worth it any longer. And while Apple was repairing my machine they replaced my well worn case - top and bottom - too. I basically got a new MacBook Pro. It was a trivial expense on their part (just a case after all), but such a gesture greatly endears me to them. As good service does for any rational person when they receive it. More often than not, whenever I have had an inevitable issue with one of my Apple products they go above and beyond what other companies have ever done for me. And yes, I now do buy Apple care on most of my products - but mainly because unlike just about every other extended warranty out there, I more than get my money's worth out of it. You wan't to talk frustration, let's talk Dell, HP or Acer. And BestBuy? Ha!
There's a reason Apple consistently comes in number one for customer satisfaction ratings for well over a decade, and it's not from behavior you are citing above and trying to ascribe as their normal business practices.
Much like we have seen in Behringer aggressively and positively dealing with issues that are identified in forums like this one, a reputation is built, trust is gained and loyalty is earned. Reputation can't be gained through marketing, buying people off or even inane conspiracy theories trying to ascribe a companies success to brainwashing or religious fervor. Yet for some reason, especially when it comes to Apple and techies, this bizarre alternate universe where the rules are different seems to magically materialize and rationality goes out the window.
I'd prefer my vote go to a more responsive organization with ethics based on more onservice than profit.
Where does Apple have an issue with ethics? Furthermore, where is their supposed ethical problems that much more egregious than any perceived ethical problems of other similar companies? Again, please be specific and spare the broad generalizations. Apple has time and again been at the forefront in sustainability, recycling, reduction of waste, pushing of adoption of new technologies in spite of the "quest for the almighty dollar". The tech press was quick to jump on that troll that tricked PBS into publishing his completely fabricated story on "labor abuses" - never mind that Apple is far from alone in using the same contract manufacturers as the rest of the consumer electronics industry - that was always conveniently left out. Not that it would have excused such behavior - except
it never happened. Funny how the retractions for such erroneous reporting is never at the same hype level.
And as for support, Apple's reputation is legion for going above and beyond. They don't always hit - no company bats 100%. But in my extensive experience not just with them but a wide range of companies they are definitely in the top 1% when it comes to liberal repair and service - even for out of warranty stuff. There has to be more to your story.
I guess my feelings in this area come from a severe disappointment in the economic shift from producing something useful
Funny, I'm far more productive with my Apple products than any I owned previously.
That's why I'm a raving Apple fanboy. Not because Apple is Apple or some other cult of personality reason that's often cited as the sole reason for Apple's success. If Apple went back to sucking like the did in the craptastic Performa days of the 90's, I'd drop them again just like I did back then. It's like SnapOn tools. Some people see them as overpriced status symbols - but for those who's livelihood rely on their tools, SnapOn quality and their standing behind their product with no questions ask make them far more valuable then the "same" tools you can get from harbor freight. It's the same reason I will visit Sears for Craftsman tools ahead of anyone else - their unwavering support of their product has earned that loyalty (that and I'm not a professional mechanic and don't need SnapOn level tools).
to packaging information for use in marketing crap to the (increasingly) uninformed.
Again, please be specific in how Apple "markets crap" [sic]. Nice parting shot with tacking the "uniformed" on the end - implying people are being snookered by that evil Apple. I can't believe you really think that such statements have the least bit of credibility with rational people? Then again, there are plenty who would say I'm not rational for even attempting to engage you given your obvious bias.
Your complaints are hollow. You have an irrational dislike for a company. Fine. We get it. But it doesn't track; Apple would not have the customer satisfaction ratings or sales they do if your vague accusations had any amount of substance to them whatsoever.
