Reminder, make note to self, etc. I need to be blasted for the following decision. Last year, I was in a fix. I was just starting my second semester of school, and my then computer crapped out. I won't go into what kind it was, because that would open old wounds that I am trying to close! 
Anyway, my company was promoting a program whereby they would give us the money for a computer (up to $2,000) and we would pay it back interest free, taken out of our check for x amount of dollars per pay period. Great! 
I was so happy 
that this program came along when it did! The only stipulation was that we buy this system through a Dept. of Defense affiliate- which happens to be AAFES. (AAFES is the Army & Air Force Exchange Service shopping service) They have a contract with a few computer companies to grant special deals not offered through the manufacturer's web sites. The companies that are in this program are HP 
and you guessed it- Dell 
Well, of the 2 evils, I chose Dell. I got a great spec system for a phenominal price- under the $2,000 cap. I wound up later on buying a system I really wanted- an AW Area-51, and use that one primarily. The Dell has been relegated to the Mrs. for her to do her own thing with. Anyway, we have had the Dell for about a year now, and it's still under warranty. My wife tells me (about 3 weeks ago) that it won't start up. I check it out, and come to find out that it has the amber blinking light, which means that there is a power supply problem. But, in order to utilize the warranty, I have to go through the nightmare that is Dell customer service. I get passed around to three different tech support people, spanning 2 different divisions. All of this is because even though I bought through there special website, it shows up in there ID system as being bought by someone who works for AAFES. Well, This whole time, I am on the phone for 2 HOURS, just to find out that it is the power supply(which I already new) that went bad. I got set up with a work order, and they were supposed to send out the power supply the next day, with the promise that "I will have it in 2 business days." A week later, I still don't have the power supply, and now the mobo has started to crap out, affecting the amount of RAM I am using- I am down to 512 mb from 1GB(I have two 512mb RAM). I placed an e-mail to Dell asking the status of the first order, and to tell them that I now have a mobo problem. Their response (several days later) was to tell me that I needed a mobo and a new RAM.(I already know this) They will be shipping it out overnight and I will have it the next day. (ha! 
) Well another week goes by and still I have nothing. I had to take time out during my work to call and get placed with a different division of tech support, where this person told me that they shipped out the parts to the owner- (some guy) at AAFES! AAFES didn't know what was going on, so they sent the parts back! I had already thought that I straightened this out with Dell when I registered the system, and again when I called the first trouble in. It has now been three weeks since I first called in the power supply, and I have not seen ANY parts. I am VERY glad that I wound up purchasing the Area-51 a while ago, as I would not have any computer to complete my assignments. I have not had a problem with the Area-51 to date, and it's performance is stellar. This story is a prime example of why people should buy Alienware!
Anyway, my company was promoting a program whereby they would give us the money for a computer (up to $2,000) and we would pay it back interest free, taken out of our check for x amount of dollars per pay period. Great! I was so happy that this program came along when it did! The only stipulation was that we buy this system through a Dept. of Defense affiliate- which happens to be AAFES. (AAFES is the Army & Air Force Exchange Service shopping service) They have a contract with a few computer companies to grant special deals not offered through the manufacturer's web sites. The companies that are in this program are HP and you guessed it- Dell Well, of the 2 evils, I chose Dell. I got a great spec system for a phenominal price- under the $2,000 cap. I wound up later on buying a system I really wanted- an AW Area-51, and use that one primarily. The Dell has been relegated to the Mrs. for her to do her own thing with. Anyway, we have had the Dell for about a year now, and it's still under warranty. My wife tells me (about 3 weeks ago) that it won't start up. I check it out, and come to find out that it has the amber blinking light, which means that there is a power supply problem. But, in order to utilize the warranty, I have to go through the nightmare that is Dell customer service. I get passed around to three different tech support people, spanning 2 different divisions. All of this is because even though I bought through there special website, it shows up in there ID system as being bought by someone who works for AAFES. Well, This whole time, I am on the phone for 2 HOURS, just to find out that it is the power supply(which I already new) that went bad. I got set up with a work order, and they were supposed to send out the power supply the next day, with the promise that "I will have it in 2 business days." A week later, I still don't have the power supply, and now the mobo has started to crap out, affecting the amount of RAM I am using- I am down to 512 mb from 1GB(I have two 512mb RAM). I placed an e-mail to Dell asking the status of the first order, and to tell them that I now have a mobo problem. Their response (several days later) was to tell me that I needed a mobo and a new RAM.(I already know this) They will be shipping it out overnight and I will have it the next day. (ha! ) Well another week goes by and still I have nothing. I had to take time out during my work to call and get placed with a different division of tech support, where this person told me that they shipped out the parts to the owner- (some guy) at AAFES! AAFES didn't know what was going on, so they sent the parts back! I had already thought that I straightened this out with Dell when I registered the system, and again when I called the first trouble in. It has now been three weeks since I first called in the power supply, and I have not seen ANY parts. I am VERY glad that I wound up purchasing the Area-51 a while ago, as I would not have any computer to complete my assignments. I have not had a problem with the Area-51 to date, and it's performance is stellar. This story is a prime example of why people should buy Alienware!
) I am purchasing a Sentia. We'll both need it as Terri (my wife) will be returning to school like I am doing right now. I'll need the Sentia for my schoolwork when my company sends me out six times a year to some very odd military places. There's nothing like a small thin-and-light form factor with beautiful alien eyes!
