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Such things +aren't interesting to me, and nor do I have much knowledge +about them. However, sometimes, ripples from these areas make their way +into my life, and this is one such instance. Let me tell you +{{< sidenote "right" "source-note" "a story" >}} +I originally wrote about this in +a thread on DELL's support website. Some of this post is +going to be adapted from the support website, but some things have happened +since. You will probably notice the change between the terse language I used +in the original post and the fresh text that I'm writing now. +{{< /sidenote >}} of +my experience with DELL and their XPS 2-in-1 laptop, which has gone on since +around January of 2020, and is still going at the time of writing, in July +2020, half a year later. + +I was, until recently, an undergraduate student in Computer Science. I will +soon be starting my Masters in Computer Science, too. I say this to make one +thing clear: I need a computer. Not only is it a necessity for my major, +but the majority of my hobbies -- including this blog -- are digital, too. +Since my university is a couple of hours from my home, I travel back and forth +a lot. I also have a cozy little spot in the +{{< sidenote "right" "offices-note" "graduate student offices" >}} +They're a bunch of cubicles in a keycard-protected room, really. Nothing fancy. +{{< /sidenote >}}at my university, but travel by bus, so I find myself spending +roughly equal portions of my work time at home and 'elsewhere'. A laptop +as my primary machine, I thought, made sense. But it had to be a decent one. +Persuaded by one of my instructors, who stressed the importance of vision and +a decent screen, I settled on a DELL XPS, which at the time came with a 4k +display. + +As is commonplace, things went great at first. The screen _was_ really nice, +all of my code compiled swiftly, and even the games I occasionally played ran +at a solid 60fps. I was happy with my purchase. + +There was one hiccup before things went really downhill, a sort of +foreshadowing of things to come. My trackpad didn't work at peculiar times. + +### Prologue: Trackpad Hiccups +While working, booted into Linux, I noticed that my trackpad was having some +trouble. It was stuttering, and occasionally wouldn't work at all for seconds +at a time. I assumed that this was a problem with the trackpad drivers on +Linux, or perhaps the whole system was freezing up. I rebooted, and the +problem went away. + +Until it came back. + +A few days later, my trackpad was freezing virtually every minute. +It was strange, but fortunately, I'm used to a keyboard-based workflow, and +the malfunctions did not affect me too much. It was just a little troubling. +What soon made it more troubling, was that I noticed this exact same issue +occurring on Windows. To me, this meant one dreadful thing: it was a hardware +issue. + +I poked and prodded for a little bit, and finally discovered the cause: +whenever I put my hand on the left palmrest, the trackpad would reliably stop +working. Knowing what the issue was, I called DELL. I spoke to a guy on the +other end, who had me run through diagnostics, driver updates, and BIOS +settings (I imagined this was procedure, so I didn't mind doing the extra +work to make the other guy's job easier). Finally, he scheduled a repair +appointment. A technician came into my house, took off the laptop cover, +and said something along the lines of: + +> Now look. They gave me a whole new motherboard and case to replace yours, +but in my personal opinion, this is a bad idea. Things are bound to break +when you do this. See how the replacement case has an insulating piece +of fabric under the left palmrest, and yours doesn't? Why don't we rip +the fabric off the replacement case, and tape it in place on your machine, +without any reassembly? + +This man was wiser than any of the other DELL technicians, I now understand. +The repair went without a hitch. He grilled me for going to college instead of +just picking up a trade, which was cheaper and offered more job security. +In the end, I felt a little weird about having a piece of fabric duct taped +inside my computer, but the trackpad had no more issues ever since. All was +well. + +### Service Request 1: Broken D Key +All was well, that is, until the middle of winter term. I was typing up an +assignment for a university class. I was working as usual, when I suddenly +noticed that the "d" key stopped working - it had to be pressed rather weird +to register on the computer. I looked down, and discovered that the key had +snapped in half. The top part of the key fell off shortly thereafter. + +{{< figure src="brokenkey.jpg" caption="The broken D key shortly after the above events." >}} + +At that point, I was more surprised than anything. I hadn't heard of something +like this ever happening, especially under circumstances as normal as typing. +Regardless, I contacted support, and set up a repair appointment. Things only +went downhill from there. + +Again, the appointment was scheduled, and only a few days later, another +technician arrived at my house. The only way to repair the key, he said, +was to replace the whole keyboard. They keyboard happens to be located +underneath all the other hardware, and so, the entire laptop had to be +disassembled and reassembled from scratch. He worked for about an hour, and +eventually, he put the machine together. The words of the previous +technician, who wanted to avoid doing exactly what had just been done, echoed +in my head: + +> Things are bound to break when you do this. + +I asked him to test it, just to make sure everything works. Sure enough, +not everything did work: the machine no longer had sound! + +### Service Request 2: No sound +During diagnostics, the laptop did not emit the "beep" it usually does. This +was the first sign. Booting into Windows, the sound icon was crossed out in +red, and no sound was present. Booting into Linux led to similar results. +The microphone on the machine did not seem to work either. The service +technician said that he didn't have the parts to repair it, told me he'd call +it in, and left. Soon after, I got an email asking for times I'm available to +call: I said "any time except for 1-4 pacific time". DELL support proceeded +to call me at 3pm pacific time, when I had no service. Unable to reach me, +they promptly notified me that they are archiving my service request. + +This all occurred near finals week at my university, so I had to put the issue +on hold. I had to maintain my grades, and I had to grade heaps of assignments +from other students. Though the lack of sound was annoying, it wasn't as +pressing as preparing for exams, so it was during spring break that I finally +called again, and scheduled the service appointment. By then, +{{< sidenote "right" "pandemic-note" "the pandemic was in full swing," >}} +Just for posterity, in 2020, there had been an outbreak of COVID-19, +a Coronavirus. Many states in the U.S., including my own, issued +the orders for lockdown and social distancing, which meant the closing +of schools, restaurants, and, apparently, the cessation of in-person +repairs. +{{< /sidenote >}}and DELL told me they'd mail me a box to put my laptop in, and +I'd have to mail it off to their service center. Sure, I thought, that's +fine. If it's at the service center, they won't ever "not have the required +parts". I told the tech support person my address, he read it back to me, and +so it was settled. + +Until, that is, the box arrived at the wrong address. + +I had received the machine as a gift from my family, who purchased the +computer to arrive at their address. The box arrived at that address too, +despite my explicit instructions to have it deliver to my current residence. +Since my family and I live 2 hours apart, it took 4 total hours to get the box +to me (a drive that couldn't be made right away!), and by the time I had it, +DELL was already threatening me again with closing the service request. +Eventually, I was able to mail the machine off, and about 5 business days +later (business days during which I did not have a working machine, which is +very necessary for my school and job) I received it back. I was excited to +have the machine back, but that didn't last very long. As I was using the +computer with Wolfram Mathematica (a rather heavy piece of software running +under Linux), I noticed that it was discharging even while plugged in. I +booted into Windows, and was greeted with a warning, something along the +lines of: "you are using a slow charger. Please use the official adapter". +But I was using the official adapter! I also tried to plug my mouse into the +relevant USB-C port, only to discover that it did not work. I had to make +another service requests. + +### Service Request 3: Broken Charging Port +This time, I made sure to tell the person on the other end of the support +call to please send it to my address. I asked if there was anything I can do, +or anyone I can contact, and was told "no, just mail the computer in again." +I obliged. The box arrived at the right address this time, so I was able to +ship it off. + +In the "describe your issue" field on the provided form, I begged the +technicians to send me a working machine. "Please", I wrote "Last time I got +a machine back from support, it was still broken. I really need it for school +and work!". 5 business days later, I received the machine back. I plugged it +in to make sure it worked, only to find out . . . that the very same charging +port that I requested be repaired, is still broken! It would've been funny, +if it wasn't infuriating. How is it possible for me to receive a machine from +repairs, without the thing I asked to repair being as much as improved?! + +Worse, a day after I received the machine back (I was able to keep using it +thanks to it having two USB-C ports capable of charging), the LCD suddenly +flashed, and started flickering. Thinking it was a software glitch, I +restarted the machine, only to discover the same flickering during the boot +animation and menu. Not only was the charging port not repaired, but now my +LCD was broken! (in the below picture, the screen is meant to be blue, but +the bottom part of the display is purple and flickering). + +{{< figure src="brokenlcd.jpg" caption="The broken LCD." >}} + +### Service Request 4: Broken LCD +I called in to support again, and they once again told me to ship the machine +off. What's worse, they accused me of breaking the port myself, and told me +this was no longer covered under basic warranty. I had to explain all over +again that the port worked fine before the fateful day the D-key snapped. They +told me they'd "look into it". Eventually, I received a box in the mail. I +wasn't told I would be receiving a box, but that wasn't a big deal. I mailed +off the machine. + +The UPS shipping was always the most streamlined part of the process. A day +later, I was told my machine was received intact. Another day, and I was +informed that the technicians are starting to work on it. And then, +a few hours later: + +> __Current Status:__ +> The part(s) needed to repair your system are not currently in stock. +> __What's Next:__ +> In most cases the parts are available is less than five days. + +A few days is no big deal, and it made sense that DELL wouldn't just +have screens lying around. So I waited. And waited. And waited. Two weeks +later, I got a little tired of waiting, and called the repair center. +An automated message told me: + +> We're currently experiencing heavy call volumes. Please try again later. Goodbye. + +And the call was dropped. This happened every time I tried to call, no matter +the hour. The original status update -- the one that notified me about the +part shortage -- came on May 8th, but the machine finally arrived to me +(without prior warning) on June 2nd, almost a month later. + +The charging port worked. Sound +worked. The screen wasn't flickering. I was happy for the brief moments that +my computer was loading. As soon as I started vim, though, I noticed something +was off: the fonts looked more pixelated. The DPI settings I'd painstakingly +tweaked were wrong. Now that I thought about it, even the GRUB menu was +larger. My suspicion growing, I booted into Windows, and looked at the display +settings. Noticeably fewer resolutions were listed in the drop-down menu; +worse, the highest resolution was 1080p. After almost a month of waiting, +DELL replaced my 4k laptop display with a 1080p one. + +### System Replacement: Worse LCD Screen + +I admit, I was angry. At the same time, the absurdity of it all was also +unbearable. Was this constant loop of hardware damage, the endless number of +support calls filled with hoarse jazz music, part of some kind of Kafkaesque +dream? I didn't know. I was at the end of my wits as to what to do. As a last +resort, I made a tweet from my almost-abandoned account. DELL Support's Twitter +account quickly responded, eager as always to destroy any semblance of +transparency by switching to private messages: + +{{< tweet 1268064691416334344 >}} + +I let them know my thoughts on the matter. I wanted a new machine. + +{{< figure src="dm_1.png" caption="The first real exchange between me and DELL support." >}} + +Of course we can proceed further. I wanted to know what kind of machine I was getting, +though. As long as it was the same model that I originally bought, +{{< sidenote "right" "replacement-note" "it would be better than what I have." >}} +At least in principle, it would be. Perhaps the wear and tear on the replacement +parts would be greater, but at least I would have, presumably, a machine +in good condition that had the 4k screen that made me buy it in the first place. +{{< /sidenote >}} +Despite this, I knew that the machine I was getting was likely refurbished. +This _had_ to mean that some of the parts would come from other, used, machines. +This irked me, because, well, I payed for a new machine. + +{{< figure src="dm_2.png" caption="Ah, the classic use of canned responses." >}} + +Their use of the canned response, and their unwillingness to answer this simple +question, was transparent. Indeed, the machine would be made of used +parts. I still wanted to proceed. DELL requested that I sent an image of +my machine which included its service tag, together with a piece of +paper which included my name and email address. I obliged, and quickly got a response: + +{{< figure src="dm_3.png" caption="If it was me who was silent for 4 days, my request would've long been cancelled. " >}} + +Thanks, Kalpana. Try to remember that name; you will never hear it again, not in this post. +About a week later, I get the following beauty: + +{{< figure src="dm_4.png" caption="Excuse me? What's going on?" >}} + +My initial request was cancelled? Why wasn't I told? What was the reason? +What the heck was going on at DELL Support? Should I be worried? +My question of "Why" was answered with the apt response of "Yes", +and a message meant to pacify me. While this was going on, I ordered +a +{{< sidenote "right" "pinebook-note" "Pinebook Pro." >}} +The Pinebook – a $200 machine – has, thus far, worked more reliably than any DELL product +I've had the misfortune of owning. +{{< /sidenote >}} It was not a replacement for the DELL machine, but rather +the first step towards migrating my setup to a stationary computer, +and a small, lightweight SSH device. At this point, +there was no more faith in DELL left in my mind. + +Soon, DELL required my attention, only to tell me that they put in +a request to see that status of my request. How bureaucratic. Two +more names -- Kareem and JKC -- flickered through the chats, +also never to be seen again. + +{{< figure src="dm_5.png" caption="Not much of a conversation, really." >}} + +Finally, on July 9th (a month and six days after my first real message to DELL +support), I was notified by my roommates that FedEx tried to deliver a package +to our house, but gave up when no one came to sign for it. On one hand, this +is great: FedEx didn't just leave my laptop on the porch. On the other hand, +though, this was the first time I heard about receiving the machine. I got +to the house the next day, unpacked the new computer, and tested all the things +that had, at one point, failed. Everything seemed to work. I transfered all my +files, wiped the old computer clean, and mailed it off. I also spent some +time dealing with the fallout of DELL PremierColor starting on its own, +and permanently altering the color profile of my display. I don't have the +special, physical calibration device, and therefore still suspect that my +screen is somewhat green. + +Today, I discovered that the microphone of the replacement machine didn't work. + +### Am I The Problem? +When the mysterious FedEx package arrived at my door on July 9th, I did some +digging to verify my suspicion that it was from DELL. I discovered their +HQ in Lebanon, TN. This gave me an opportunity to +{{< sidenote "right" "reviews-note" "see" >}} +See, of course, modulo whatever bias arises when only those who feel strongly leave reviews. +{{< /sidenote >}} whether or not I was alone in this situation. I was genuinely +worried that I was suffering from the technical variant of +[Munchausen Syndrome](https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/munchausen-syndrome#1), +and that I was compulsively breaking my electronics. These worries were +dispelled by the reviews on Google: + +{{< figure src="reviews_1.png" caption="Most of the reviews are pretty terse, but the ratings convey the general idea." >}} + +There were even some that were shockingly similar in terms of the apparent +incompetence of the DELL technicians: + +{{< figure src="reviews_2.png" caption="Now, now, Maggie, I wouldn't go as far as recommending Apple." >}} + +So, this is not uncommon. This is how DELL deals with customers now. It's +awfully tiring, really; I've been in and out of repairs continuously for +almost half a year, now. That's 2.5% of my life at the time of writing, +all non-stop since the D-key. And these people probably have spent considerable +amounts of time, too. + +### It's About the Principle +The microphone on my machine is rather inconsequential to me. I can, and regularly do, +teleconference from my phone (a habit that I developed thanks to DELL, since +my computer was so often unavailable). I don't need to dictate anything. Most +of my communication is via chat. + +Really, compared to the other issues (keyboard, sound, charging, USB ports, the broken or low-resolution screen) +the microphone is a benign problem. As I have now learned, things could be worse. + +But why should the thought, _"It could be worse"_, even cross my mind +when dealing with such a matter? Virtually every issue that has +occurred with my computer thus far could -- should! -- have been diagnosed +at the repair center. The 'slow charger' warning shows up in BIOS, +so just turning the computer on while plugged in should make it obvious something +is wrong; doubly so when the very reason that the laptop was in repairs +in the first place was because of the faulty charger. I refuse to believe +that screens with different resolutions have the same part identifier, +either. How have the standards of service from DELL fallen so low? +How come this absurd scenario plays out not just for me, but +for others as well? It would be comforting, in a way, to think +that I was just the 'exceptional case'. But apparently, I'm not. +This is standard practice. + +### Tl;DR +Here are he problems I've had with DELL: + +* The machine shipped, apparently, with a missing piece of insulation. +* The "D" key on the keyboard snapped after only a few months of use. +* While repairing the "D" key, the DELL technician broke the computer's sound and microphone. +* While repairing the sound and microphone, the DELL technicians broke a charging port. +* The DELL technicians failed to repair the charging port, mailing me back a machine +exhibiting the same issues, in addition to a broken LCD screen. +* The repair of the LCD screen took almost a month, and concluded +with me receiving a worse quality screen than I originally had. +* The system replacement that followed the botched LCD repair took +over a month to go through. +* The replaced system was made partially of used parts, which +DELL refused to admit. +* The microphone on the replacement system was broken. + +### Closing Thoughts +I will not be sending my system in again. It doesn't make sense to do so - +after mailing my system in for repairs three times, I've measured empirically that +the chance of failure is 100%. Every service request is a lottery, dutifully +giving out a random prize of another broken part. I no longer wish to play; +as any person who gambles should, I will quit while I'm ahead, and cut my losses. +However, I hope for this story, which may be unusual in its level of detail, +but not its content, to be seen by seen by someone. I hope to prevent +someone out there from feeling the frustration, and anger, and peculiar amusement +that I felt during this process. I hope for someone else to purchase a computer +with money, and not with their sanity. A guy can hope. + +If you're reading this, please take this as a warning. __DELL is a horrible +company. They have the lowest standards of customer support of any +U.S. company that I've encountered. Their technicians are largely incompetent. +Their quality assurance is non-existent. Stay away from them.__ diff --git a/content/blog/dell_is_horrible/reviews_1.png b/content/blog/dell_is_horrible/reviews_1.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..248c3bf Binary files /dev/null and b/content/blog/dell_is_horrible/reviews_1.png differ diff --git a/content/blog/dell_is_horrible/reviews_2.png b/content/blog/dell_is_horrible/reviews_2.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7dd921d Binary files /dev/null and b/content/blog/dell_is_horrible/reviews_2.png differ diff --git a/themes/vanilla/assets/scss/style.scss b/themes/vanilla/assets/scss/style.scss index 4f445a1..94712a5 100755 --- a/themes/vanilla/assets/scss/style.scss +++ b/themes/vanilla/assets/scss/style.scss @@ -242,3 +242,7 @@ figure { text-align: center; } } + +.twitter-tweet { + margin: auto; +}