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From: Adam.Frix@p2.f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Adam Frix)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Dumb Question-Where to get sys soft
Message-ID: <151751.27C15E75@cmhgate.FIDONET.ORG>
Date: 17 Feb 91 19:42:08 GMT
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About the rumor floating around that Apple was planning on charging money for
upgrades to system 7.0, stanfiel@testeng1.UUCP (Chris Stanfield) writes:

CS> I got this information from my local Apple dealer. I spoke to 
CS> them again last week (a new salesman, who seems more knowledgable) 
CS> and he tells me that Apple now say it will be free, as with all 
CS> other systems, but that at one time they were told that we would 
CS> have to pay, and that a couple of different prices were mentioned, 
CS> on nominal, and one expensive! Maybe someone at Apple could comment. 
CS> I hope it's free - to my mind Apples's free system software upgrades 
CS> are one of the things that really set them apart from "them". 

Aha!  "Apple _now_ says it will be a free upgrade."  You got caught in the dreaded
"authorized dealer" trap.  I'll bet my wife that Apple never, ever even hinted
that it wouldn't be free.  You just got a typical salescreature the first time
around, and the second time around you got someone who was covering up for the
first one (and not for the first time, either).

A couple of years ago, my local dealer told me--when I went in to upgrade from
system 5 to system 6--that they "weren't allowed to do that anymore.  We _just_
got a memo from Apple two weeks ago telling us we could lose our authorization
for doing that."

Six months later, I hear at the user group meeting how someone else got the
exact same story that very day.  Funny how this dealer seems to get memos "just
two weeks ago" all the time.

Anyway, I called another dealer, a business-oriented dealer, explained what
had happened, and he invited me in with open arms to come and copy whatever
system software I needed.

I have a suggestion which I know will work:  call the new Apple customer assistance
center at 1-800-776-2333 and tell them just what you told us here today.  Apple
will contact that dealer and make sure he's straightened out.  Methinks Apple
has come to realize what bullshitters their dealers have turned out to be, and
are eager to make sure that customers don't call Apple with "Well, my dealer
told me this..."  It's important that Apple dealers know what their rights and
obligations are under their Apple authorization.  As it stands, Apple authorized
dealers are allowed--but not obligated--to allow you to copy System disks. 
They are allowed to make it conditional, like bringing in your current Apple-labeled
disks (to discourage the emulator people, I guess), or they can tell you flat
out "no."  But to lie to you about what Apple has told them is unforgivable.
 Number one, it doesn't do anything for the relationship that dealer has with
the customers, and number two, it's waaaaay too easy to uncover that lie and
confront the dealer with it.  (I did that two years ago--even had an Apple customer
service rep on the phone line--but the dealer, Satan love his grubby soul, held
firm to his original "Apple memo" line.)

I encourage anyone having problems with a recalcitrant dealer to get the salesman's/service
rep's name and call the above Apple toll-free number, and be prepared to explain
_exactly_ what went wrong in such a situation.  The Apple customer service rep
on the other end will probably put you on hold to call the dealer right then
and there.  One simple call like that from Apple can save Apple a whole bunch
of heartache (as opposed to Apple ignoring the problem and having bunches of
people calling in with the same complaint).  WE all know what the story is,
and generally we're all self-supporting, but occasionally we need some help
from the dealer (to get that latest printer driver or whatever off of AppleLink,
or to verify the serial numbers of the under-warranty drives for repair, or
whatever)--and when he just refuses to do what we know he's supposed to do,
that's where the Apple customer assistance line comes in.  And it works.

--Adam--
 
--  
Adam Frix via cmhGate - Net 226 fido<=>uucp gateway Col, OH
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