Vin, Gateway's Expert: "We do not support Linux".35 minutes to find this out...

18:07 New party ('frank underdahl') has joined the session
18:07 You have been placed in queue. An advisor will join soon to
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18:08 New party ('Vin') has joined the session
18:08 Vin Hello frank underdahl. Thanks for contacting Gateway.com,
home of America's Top Selling Plasma TV and our Awesome New Line of
Digital Cameras. My name is Vin and I will be your eSales Advisor
today. All prices discussed in chat do not include applicable tax and
shipping and handling. Can I get your phone number in case we get
separated?
18:08 frank underdahl snip
18:09 Vin Thank you, and how are you doing today?
18:09 frank underdahl not really that great
18:09 Vin So what can I do for you today?
18:10 frank underdahl i was looking at the 675
18:10 frank underdahl we were looking at a toshiba
18:10 frank underdahl as well
18:10 Vin That is an awesome system, did you have a question about
the 675?
18:11 frank underdahl well, what kind of display does it use?
18:12 Vin The 675X has a 17.1" WXGA+ TFT Active Matrix w/ ATI
Mobility Radeon 9700 8x AGP w/ 64MB DDR video memory
18:12 frank underdahl are linux drivers available for that chipset?
18:13 Vin Linux can be installed on the system, we do not support it
though.
18:13 frank underdahl what does that mean?
18:14 Vin Are tech support reps will not assist you with any problems
you might have with Linux.
18:14 frank underdahl do you have drivers available?
18:15 Vin No we don't.
18:15 frank underdahl yeah
18:15 frank underdahl thats a problem
18:15 Vin But for the most a generic driver would probably work..
18:15 Vin I know someone who installed it on a desktop system, but
not a notebook...
18:15 frank underdahl the generic driver is 640x480x16
18:16 Vin Anything else I can assist you with Frank?
18:16 frank underdahl well, here's the issue
18:17 frank underdahl Most Linux distributions are put together and
tested on either Toshibas or IBM ThinkPads
18:17 frank underdahl so they are well supported by the distributions
18:17 frank underdahl Dell has drivers for d/l
18:21 Vin Ok.
18:22 frank underdahl ok?
18:23 Vin We do not support Linux.
18:23 Vin I do not know of any drivers for it on our systems.
18:23 frank underdahl ok
18:23 Vin Anything else I can assist you with?
18:23 frank underdahl Does GW want Linux users business?
18:23 frank underdahl And, if not,
18:24 frank underdahl shouldn't we use someone that does?
18:24 Vin We do not support Linux.
18:24 frank underdahl Put yourself in my position...
18:24 frank underdahl what am I supposed to think?
18:26 Vin If Linux is something that you will be using and what
support, Gateway might not be your best choice.
18:27 frank underdahl well, I really don't need a lot of support,
18:27 frank underdahl but drivers are a courtesy item
18:27 Vin We sell systems with Windows Operating Systems.
18:27 frank underdahl as they are freely redistributable
18:27 frank underdahl we have established that, yes,
18:28 Vin If you want to put your own operating system on it, you
have that right, but we only support Windows.
18:29 frank underdahl it sounds as though GW is saying we really
don't want your business
18:29 frank underdahl the sad thing is that we have many Windows
systems as well
18:29 frank underdahl and our experience is that with Windows
18:30 Vin I would love to sell you a system. But if you want to put a
different operating system on the machine, Gateway not be the best for
you.
18:30 frank underdahl you wind up buying Microsoft support on top of
the vendor
18:30 frank underdahl as well
18:30 Vin Ok.
18:30 frank underdahl M$ software simply does not offer the ability
to do many tasks we have
18:31 Vin Ok.
18:31 frank underdahl despite the fact M$ literature says it does
18:31 Vin Anything else I can assist you with?
18:31 frank underdahl I am a M$ MCP for Win 2000, myself and daresay
I can outtech 90% of your guys
18:31 frank underdahl but it seems as though GW is just truculent
18:32 frank underdahl Intransigent maybe
18:33 frank underdahl and last quarter, like the last dozen there in
cow spot land perhaps
18:33 frank underdahl reveals it's time to do things differently.
18:34 frank underdahl Wouldn't you agree, Vin?
18:34 frank underdahl Honestly?

(Bashful, Vin is, because he takes his time.)

18:41 frank underdahl take your time, if you feel the need...
18:42 Vin Take my time for what?
18:42 Vin Is there something I can help you with?
18:42 frank underdahl well, thanks for replying
18:42 frank underdahl I'm on this website
18:42 frank underdahl
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...7&ccid=1291021
18:42 frank underdahl M2-S530
18:43 frank underdahl I'm at CDW and am ready to give 'em the credit
card:
18:43 frank underdahl told'em Vin at Gateway sent me
18:43 Vin Okay
18:44 Vin Thanks for chatting with Gateway and have a wonderful day.
18:44 frank underdahl be honest-I tried
18:44 Party ('Vin') has left the session
18:44 Attention! Agent left this chat room. It will be closed soon.

While it may seem like it, a sales rep may not be the person to talk
to if your intention is to have Gateway, or anyone for that matter,
change their inventory.
Many of them are not there long enough to see such a change even if
they pushed for it.
So there is little incentive for them to do anything.

Hopefully you are also corresponding to the appropriate department if
your desire is a change for Gateway.
Otherwise it seems like you wasted your and the sales rep time on more
than half the post.
There is no point for him to have a link since he may not even be able
to view because of IT restrictions.
You established early Linux was not supported.

--
Jupiter Jones
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"Cal Cerise" wrote in message
om...
18:07 New party ('frank underdahl') has joined the session
18:07 You have been placed in queue. An advisor will join soon to
assist you. When you choose to finish your chat, please use the EXIT
CHAT button on your right.
18:08 New party ('Vin') has joined the session
18:08 Vin Hello frank underdahl. Thanks for contacting Gateway.com,
home of America's Top Selling Plasma TV and our Awesome New Line of
Digital Cameras. My name is Vin and I will be your eSales Advisor
today. All prices discussed in chat do not include applicable tax
and
shipping and handling. Can I get your phone number in case we get
separated?
18:08 frank underdahl snip
18:09 Vin Thank you, and how are you doing today?
18:09 frank underdahl not really that great
18:09 Vin So what can I do for you today?
18:10 frank underdahl i was looking at the 675
18:10 frank underdahl we were looking at a toshiba
18:10 frank underdahl as well
18:10 Vin That is an awesome system, did you have a question about
the 675?
18:11 frank underdahl well, what kind of display does it use?
18:12 Vin The 675X has a 17.1" WXGA+ TFT Active Matrix w/ ATI
Mobility Radeon 9700 8x AGP w/ 64MB DDR video memory
18:12 frank underdahl are linux drivers available for that chipset?
18:13 Vin Linux can be installed on the system, we do not support
it
though.
18:13 frank underdahl what does that mean?
18:14 Vin Are tech support reps will not assist you with any
problems
you might have with Linux.
18:14 frank underdahl do you have drivers available?
18:15 Vin No we don't.
18:15 frank underdahl yeah
18:15 frank underdahl thats a problem
18:15 Vin But for the most a generic driver would probably work..
18:15 Vin I know someone who installed it on a desktop system, but
not a notebook...
18:15 frank underdahl the generic driver is 640x480x16
18:16 Vin Anything else I can assist you with Frank?
18:16 frank underdahl well, here's the issue
18:17 frank underdahl Most Linux distributions are put together and
tested on either Toshibas or IBM ThinkPads
18:17 frank underdahl so they are well supported by the
distributions
18:17 frank underdahl Dell has drivers for d/l
18:21 Vin Ok.
18:22 frank underdahl ok?
18:23 Vin We do not support Linux.
18:23 Vin I do not know of any drivers for it on our systems.
18:23 frank underdahl ok
18:23 Vin Anything else I can assist you with?
18:23 frank underdahl Does GW want Linux users business?
18:23 frank underdahl And, if not,
18:24 frank underdahl shouldn't we use someone that does?
18:24 Vin We do not support Linux.
18:24 frank underdahl Put yourself in my position...
18:24 frank underdahl what am I supposed to think?
18:26 Vin If Linux is something that you will be using and what
support, Gateway might not be your best choice.
18:27 frank underdahl well, I really don't need a lot of support,
18:27 frank underdahl but drivers are a courtesy item
18:27 Vin We sell systems with Windows Operating Systems.
18:27 frank underdahl as they are freely redistributable
18:27 frank underdahl we have established that, yes,
18:28 Vin If you want to put your own operating system on it, you
have that right, but we only support Windows.
18:29 frank underdahl it sounds as though GW is saying we really
don't want your business
18:29 frank underdahl the sad thing is that we have many Windows
systems as well
18:29 frank underdahl and our experience is that with Windows
18:30 Vin I would love to sell you a system. But if you want to put
a
different operating system on the machine, Gateway not be the best
for
you.
18:30 frank underdahl you wind up buying Microsoft support on top
of
the vendor
18:30 frank underdahl as well
18:30 Vin Ok.
18:30 frank underdahl M$ software simply does not offer the ability
to do many tasks we have
18:31 Vin Ok.
18:31 frank underdahl despite the fact M$ literature says it does
18:31 Vin Anything else I can assist you with?
18:31 frank underdahl I am a M$ MCP for Win 2000, myself and
daresay
I can outtech 90% of your guys
18:31 frank underdahl but it seems as though GW is just truculent
18:32 frank underdahl Intransigent maybe
18:33 frank underdahl and last quarter, like the last dozen there
in
cow spot land perhaps
18:33 frank underdahl reveals it's time to do things differently.
18:34 frank underdahl Wouldn't you agree, Vin?
18:34 frank underdahl Honestly?

(Bashful, Vin is, because he takes his time.)

18:41 frank underdahl take your time, if you feel the need...
18:42 Vin Take my time for what?
18:42 Vin Is there something I can help you with?
18:42 frank underdahl well, thanks for replying
18:42 frank underdahl I'm on this website
18:42 frank underdahl

http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...7&ccid=1291021
18:42 frank underdahl M2-S530
18:43 frank underdahl I'm at CDW and am ready to give 'em the
credit
card:
18:43 frank underdahl told'em Vin at Gateway sent me
18:43 Vin Okay
18:44 Vin Thanks for chatting with Gateway and have a wonderful
day.
18:44 frank underdahl be honest-I tried
18:44 Party ('Vin') has left the session
18:44 Attention! Agent left this chat room. It will be closed soon.