D-Link Router

If you use bigpond cable though the router then connect to bigpond with your computer, it will disconnect the router and ultimately kill the connection (takes 20min or so). I am unsure if this is the only cause of router disconnections but it definitally does it. Best option is to uninstall the bigpond login client – I found it quite hard to simply disable (when I thought I had done it – it managed to come back).

Will.

The Dell Conclusion

Today I witnessed a flock of pigs (or where they sheep ;-) ) fly past my window.

About to send another letter to Dell, I checked my bank account and believe it or not, my final refund for $99 was there. This then concludes my dealings with Dell. As they did refund the total amount paid, I won’t publish my entire correspondance history as I would have had they denied the refund, but, as I have absolutely no confidence in the company to provide a quality service, I feel it is my duty to warn other potential customers about the danger they may face. So here it is – a summary of my treatment as a customer of Dell.

The Dell Timeline

• 2004-06-02
  Ordered Computer (costing over $4000 which in hindsight was way too high for what I was getting)
• 2004-06-05
  Rang to cancel order
• 2004-06-09
  Order officially canceled with cancellation fee of $99 (generously reduced from $175)
• 2004-07-01
  Dell claimed to have processed the refund (with proof), but there was no sign of the money.
• 2004-07-13
  Refund finally processed – 34 days after it was cancelled. To get this I had to ring Dell several times a week and even had to fax (with serious misgivings) a copy of my Credit Card statement to prove I hadn’t received the funds! The delay was in the end blamed on inputting my credit card number into the system incorrectly.
• 2004-07-14
  Letter of complaint written (sent using registered post)
• 2004-07-20
  In response to my letter, Dell apologised and offered to refund final $99 as sign of good faith. I accepted.
• 2004-08-16
  No sign of the refund – follow up letter written (sent using registered post)
• 2004-09-01
  Dell claimed to have processed refund. No sign of funds in my account (de ja vu?)
• 2004-09-20
  Refund finally received

The whole experience cost me a massive amount of time and effort. It took Dell nearly four months to process my entire refund. Their incompetance is truly amazing. Based on this, I award Dell the strongest possible blacklisting I can.

What kind of company makes you fax a copy of your last Credit Card Statement just to process a refund anyway? Talk about an invasion of privacy not to mention a security risk!

Will.

1000km

This year I have travelled on my bike a distance greater than the distance between Brisbane and Sydney.

Will.

saved!

I had a narrow escape yesterday, went and saw The Bourne Supremacy and we got the last two tickets. The alternative movie was *shudders* “Suddenly 30″.

Will.