So I went to Futureshop after work, today, to send my laptop off to get serviced (again). My first service experience with them wasn’t very great: they took a super long time when filling out the papers; the salesman wasn’t really friendly; and after the 6 weeks they quoted had passed, I got no phone call to say my laptop had returned from it’s travels. After calling them, myself, it turns out my laptop had been ready for an undetermined amount of time. Yeah,.. thanks.
I’m pleased to report that my experience today was much better. Once the services guy was ready, he helped me out. He was friendly, didn’t ask me the same question a million times, and seemed to know what he was doing with the required paperwork (read: it didn’t take very long). Plus, he quoted two weeks (not six)… I’m guessing this is because I had gone at a busy time, previously. Oh, and talk about just in the nick of time! My three-year extended warranty expires March 19th. 😮
After that surprisingly pleasurable experience, I headed over to the VanDev (link) meeting at UBC Robson Square. I had never been before, but it was really enjoyable! It is stressed primarily as a network for developers to meet other developers, etc, but it had an interesting presentation and lots of discussion. The gathering started at 7pm and I was still talking to people at 9:30pm (when the room was booked until) and 9:45pm on the way to the bus.
Also, on Monday, I went to MoMoVan (MoMoVan.org) which was held at Take5, on Granville. This was much more cozy and casual (about 10 of us?). I went thinking it would be a debate about mobile music among different representatives of the music/tech industry… I don’t know where I got that information, but it wasn’t correct. It didn’t matter, though, I think it turned out better! 🙂 Again, really friendly and interesting people with lots to say. Phones and smart phones aren’t my forte, so I learned a bit. Plus, I got a free salad! Yes! 😀
Anyways, if you’re bored, want to meet some like-minded people, or you just want to network for jobs, I highly recommend finding a community that interests you. I’m mulling the idea of starting an OSS Developer / Advocacy group (suggestions welcome). Stay tuned.
I went to Futureshop (Downtown) with my laptop at around the same time, too! They gave me a new ac adapter (no paper work).
Oh btw, have you been to the new Korean supermarket (near futureshop)?
Really?! I was there around 6:30. 🙂
Didn’t see the new Korean supermarket… but I was in a hurry. Where is it, exactly?
From FS: One block down towards the library, right across telus.
Great to hear that your laptop service experience was much better this time. March 19th… wow, you’re sure cutting it close. Lets hope they don’t tell you that it’s hopeless to fix. Getting a new laptop is NOT without a catch.
ps: that floppy+cardreader link you provided is the exact one that I am waiting for (gotta get that black 3.5″ drive to match my oh-so-expensive case! :-D)
If i’m in your situation i’d be starving to get a new laptop. This extended warranty is such hinderance.
actually it’s great that you get to use the warranty almost till the last day. Those protection plans are one of those few things that are painful to buy. gotta squeeze them. 😈
that ‘supermarket’ has a name and it is H-Mart.
On the subject of ‘extended warranties’ the salespeople make a comission or receive some sort of incentive bonus if they sell enough warranties in a day/week/whatever. When buying a 40$ DVD player, not…not worth it. On a laptop, yeah obviously it’s worth it. If you bought yourself a jumbo plasma hi-def TV, call in the warranty every year because they will actually send a repair guy to come out to your place and ‘tune’ it. I suppose they could tune your laptop, but I’d be hairy about the idea of something going awry when there’s valuable information at stake. A tv can be replaced, 3 years of files, not so easy.