3 RANT LOAD

[vakkotaur]

I ordered, or so I think, parts of my next (fast!) linux computer. You'd think buying computer parts on the net would be easy. After all, computers, net, there should be some experience there. In the words of a rental car advertisement, "Not exactly..."

I did manage to order all but the HDD and RAM from Wal-Mart. They had decent prices, overall, and while some choices might make gamers or video editing types cringe, I won't be pushing it hard enough to notice. The CPU pricing was maybe a bit high, but included the cooling fan/sink so I wasn't too put off. This all went rather easy, which is to be expected. Wal-Mart didn't big as it is by not letting people buy from them. And that was the last positive web-experience I've had in this whole process.

Today jmaynard informs me that due to a SPEWS listing, an email for me from Wal-Mart was rejected. Oh joy, I'm dealing with spammers. Grumble. Well, the order was placed and I have a confirmation number with which I can check the order status. I shouldn't need any email updates. So I go to the Wal-Mart web site and enter the number. I get asked to sign in. Which I do. Correction: which I attempt to do. I get thrown back to the login screen. Repeatedly. Yet another page insists I am logged in. Huh? And yes, I tried refreshing the page. Evidently this part of the system isn't profitable enough and hasn't gotten any attention to do a simple thing, like actually work and be useful. I've even tried this on IE (which shows just how desperate I've gotten) and it still fails. And no, I did not forget my password or correct email address, thank you very much. And password recovery? That uses email. You know, the email rejected because they spammed whoever is SPEWS and took no corrective action. So I don't really want their mail very badly.

I did however just use the automated telephone system they have and find the order is confirmed and delivery is scheduled for March 20. A bit later than I'd expected, but tolerable. And the phone system? Just Worked. No sign in bullshit, just go through the first couple options and punch in the order number and get the result. Like the web system ought to work.

But the fun doesn't end there, no, for that would be far too easy. See, I still need RAM and HDD. Well, the RAM can wait until I have the system here and documentation so I know exactly the right thing to order, and overnight shipping shouldn't be too bad. But a hard drive is a hard drive, for IDE, so long as the quality isn't too low. So I can order that. Well, after placing the first order, I went to the web again and tried to order a specific drive. 120GB and a 3 year warranty made this model rather appealing. I went to PriceWatch and looked it up. One place listed it for a decent price. Great! But they didn't have it in stock. Bah. Well, the next place had it for a couple bucks more. But their web form would hang. Another buck or two for the next place.. which at least suggests drive cooling fans and a decent cable. Well, that's nice. But their web form doesn't work either. I can't order all three, it keeps forgetting things - or remembering the wrong things, I only want one of each, thanks. Go to the next place, same price. Did you know that Fairmont, MN 56031 isn't in the United States of America? Some bozotic web form in California claims that.

It used to be that I didn't order things over the net as I didn't have a credit card. Well, I have a card (more than one) now, so I figure I've done my part of the deal. But it seems many places on the web just don't want me to spend my money on their merchandise. If it was just one or two places, I might call it a fluke. But when four places (five really) get things wrong, have broken forms, and fail even when I permit cookies, have javascript on, and my browser ID doesn't matter, and even if I use the real (*gag*) IE.. well, what happened to competence?

Lesson learned: Use the phone. At least that method works.