BRAVE NEW WORLD PART SEVEN, TRANSCRIPT FROM "CHAT WITH DELL"
David Beckerman: "Is it possible to upgrade the processor in my Dell 8100?"
Agent (Pradumn_011139872):"Thank you for contacting Dell Consumer Hardware Warranty Support Chat. My name is Pradumn. Please allow me a moment to review your question.
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "Hi David, How are you?"
David Beckerman: "I'm fine. How you are you."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "I am fine. Thank you."
David Beckerman: "I'm a photographer in New York. I'm doing a lot of more intensive processing in Photoshop and the current system is too slow. I'm wondering whether I'm going to need to buy another pc; or whether this one can be upgraded."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "Thank you for the information. As per the records you have a Dell Dimension 8100 model and Windows Millennium Operating System. Is that correct?"
David Beckerman: "I'm running Win2K"
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "All Right. I would be very glad to offer assistance regarding your issue."
David Beckerman: "I have 3/4 gig of ram."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "As I understand the issue, the system is slow. Is that correct?"
David Beckerman: "Yes. Processing an image is slow."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "Since when have you been experiencing the issue?"
David Beckerman: "My Photoshop files have become larger; probably starting about 6 months ago. I think that I need a faster processor."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "May I know if any computer technician advised you for a faster processor?"
David Beckerman: "No. But I have computer programming and hardware experience."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "All Right. That's great."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "Dell does not offer processor or motherboard upgrades for purchase as discreet items, nor does Dell recommend upgrading the processor or motherboard in any given system; therefore, Dell cannot support systems in which the motherboard or processor has been upgraded."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872) sends page which says same thing:
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "May I know if you are able to locate information on the link?"
David Beckerman: "Yes. So Dell can't tell me whether the processor or motherboard is upgradable?"
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "We do not advise processor and motherboard upgrades. However, you may upgrade memory, Operating system etc. to improve the speed of the system."
David Beckerman: "Okay. Thanks."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "Thank you. Do you think I have helped you in resolving this issue and answered your questions properly?"
David Beckerman: "Yes and no. You have done your best, but I think Dell should be able to tell me whether a system is upgradable or not."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "Thank you."
David Beckerman: "Bye."
Agent Pradumn_011139872): "Is there any other Hardware related issue I may assist you with?"
David Beckerman: "No thanks."
Agent (Pradumn_011139872): "Please spend a minute of your time in providing us with your valuable feedback. This would help us in improving -- "
Connection terminated..
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2 comments:
I felt as if I were talking with what I think was called the Turing Test (Alan Turing the code breaker). It's up to you to decide whether your questions are being answered by a machine or a human being. If you can't tell the difference, than your machine has demonstrated intelligence. In this case, I'm not actually sure whether there was a computer on the other end or not.
No. I'm not going to really upgrade, but I was curious about whether it was possible or not. I guess I can track that down but nah.
Okay. One more Dell story. I bought a DVD R/W from them - maybe two plus years ago. The thing couldn't write to any of the DVDs I had. So after several similar calls with "tech support" they sent me another DVD Writer (same model). That "didn't work" either. Then a "tech" guy to my house who installed a new DVD writer. Same problem. He couldn't figure it out. (I also had a free extended contract). I didn't know at the time that there were different types of DVD writers, i.e. some wanted DVD+RW and others wanted DVD-RW. Long story short: after the "tech guy" left, I noticed the +R on the DVD media I had and began to wonder what that meant. And so I found out about the various media and writer types and went out and got the proper media for the DVD writer and voila, problem fixed.
What always amazed me was that: a) the support people didn't even think to ask what media I was using and b) the "tech guy" couldn't figure out the problem. It does give you pause though. I may buy the next box from a smaller company that specializes in building fairly high-end PCs and nothing else.
I do begin to wonder whether the fear of science fiction writers about computers taking over the world was wrong; the problem is with people being turned into computers.
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