Unlimited software warranties

[Peter da Silva]

In article <8501 at rsiatl.Dixie.Com> jgd at Dixie.Com (John G. DeArmond) writes:
> peter at ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
> >OK, we'll drop the Sears bit... but I have never seen this behaviour from
> >any merchant that I have done business with. Unless I've got a *recent*
> >receipt or the merchandise is in "like new" condition, you can't return
> >it. Period.

> Haven't been shopping much lately, huh, peter?  About the only company I've
> ever had any problems returning merchandise to in an interval not in
> contention with my concience has been Service Merchandise.

OK, how long is this "interval not in contention with your conscience"?
This isn't a quibble, John. I have never had satisfaction beyond a couple
of months, even when the product has been sitting in a box for most of
that time. The point is, why are you trying to hold the software vendors
to a stronger standard than the real world.

> >I wouldn't. J Random corporate purchasing agent, with no causal connection
> >to the product... sure. 

> Of course, it does not get back to the purchasing agent until the technical
> group decides that the product does not fit the bill.  And my experience is
> that engineers and programmers tend to take junk products and deposit them
> in the boneyard rather than hassling with the paperwork required to 
> return products.  In other words, not really an issue.

Must be a really well-off company, if they can afford to toss money away
like that. I haven't had the luxury of working for one like that.

> I'm not sure what your point is, peter.  Are you arguing against better
> warranties and the implied increase in quality.  I don't think that this
> is the message you are trying to send but that's what's comming across.

I don't believe in these "money back no questions no time limit" warranties.
Anywhere. That's my point. I'd love to see them, but I don't believe they
exist. "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back" is just a slogan outside
organizations that raise their prices a factor of two or more to cover the
fraud. And those companies are getting rarer.

Sears is no longer twice as pricey as Fingers, and they don't provide their
old level of service. Would you pay $4000 instead of $2000 for UNIX if you
knew you could take it back?
-- 
Peter da Silva.  `-_-'  peter at ferranti.com
+1 713 274 5180.  'U`  "Have you hugged your wolf today?"