Contest #4 - "A Product That Sucked" - Discussion Thread

[Rob Williams]

Use this thread to discuss our fourth contest. This is -not- the submission thread, but rather one for you to chat up a storm, comment on the content, or flame me.

You can find the actual contest thread here:

http://forums.techgage.com/showthread.php?t=1616

[werty316]

Excellent addition to end the contest Rob :techgage:

[DarkKai]

Seems like fun, plus a nice shiny prize *_*!

[NicePants42]

How many times can one person enter?

[Rob Williams]

Two entries are fine. I'll add that to the rules. Each one should be in a separate post for easier tracking though.

[JacKz5o]

Another great contest and prize, thanks a lot :D

[Tech-Daddy]

ROCK ON!!!!

[Rory Buszka]

ROCK ON!!!!

Oh, we are.

[moon111]

Does Windows count as a tech product? We could be a potential winner! (Besides that small group of mac users hiding in the corner.)

[zachig]

GREAT contest and a very nice idea, I must admit! ;)

Let me thing of something as I had few "bad" products over the years. I can surely come up with something to write about...:D

Anyway, GOOD LUCK everyone! :)

[Enigmachine]

Could it be an ASUS product? :eek:

Not that I have any that sucked; I'm still on my old overclocked P4P800... :)

On the other hand, if ASUS wants to send me newer products, I'll be happy to tell wether they suck or not! (hint! hint!)

[aeromaestro]

I had a lot of fun writing my entries. I'd love to write more rants! Keep bringing on the contests!

[Rob Williams]

Great entries so far guys, this is turning out to be a great contest! I can't take credit for the idea... that one was ASUS. Matt and Rory helped refine the rules though, so kudos to them :techgage:

[tomato]

Another fine idea for the contest ;) I will have to put on my thinking cap for this one :P

[slugbug]

One entry down, one to go.:)

[linnerd40]

Put in my submission yesterday :)
Great contest idea! I knew I had to write about my first system... where just about everything went wrong :( But, with the help of some more skilled friends, I got through the issues, and the components of it still live on, scattered around in other computers I have built :D Still, it was just one of the those purchases that just really sucked!
Good luck to everyone!

[slugbug]

Submitted my second entry last night.

[Rob Williams]

Thanks guys, this contest it turning out to be a good one :-D

[aeromaestro]

It sure is!

By the way I wrote about my headset being a POS --- Well UPS is bringing the Replacement today, so we'll see how long that lasts! Maybe I'll start a collection of broken AHS-515s! HAHA

[NicePants42]

aeromaestro, if you have broken AHS-515's to spare, tape one up and send it to Rob so he can get an X-fi.

I'd also like to thank you (in public) for your story. I saw your review at an online store and as a result did not buy those cans. I am thankful for people who are willing to spend time relating their experiences to other consumers, and I am thankful for sites that allow customer reviews.

Heh, I'm glad to see that the reviews of the Kama-Meter on Newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16811998011) are getting to the point.

[brajko2]

Well I've posted my first entry... and experience with my Presc(h)ott processor.
Rob: I wanted to ask you just one thing. Since I work in IT department, about two weeks ago I had an 'interesting' phone conversation with one tech-support centre. So my won't be called "A Product That Sucked". It would be called "tech support person that sucked" :-)
Ok to post that?

[Tech-Daddy]

Well... my experience is with a company with a multitude of products... I could not cram in all of my tech stuff in 500 words of less! ;)

But I realized that the common thread was the "company" that I was buying from... so, that is my first entry!
;)

[BlindMonk]

Fry's? Really? The only bad experience I had with a product they carried was the story I submitted for this contest. Beyond that solitary example, they've saved me thousands of dollars over the last eight years of computer and tech-related purchases and nothing else has outright failed (and that can't be blamed on the retailer if it did anyway, wtf?). And even when things weren't quite right the return/rebate/checkout processes all were rock solid and have been so for nigh on a decade. No other franchise of its kind has managed to compete against Fry pricing or availability, especially considering the beastly size of the thing.

Will grant one thing, though; I tend to research ahead of time what I'll be getting so I hardly ever talk with employees beyond the point of sale, so I can't say anything to the topic of shady advice.

[Tech-Daddy]

My last mobo return that I went through, I overheard the clerk talking to the manager stating that this was the second time the exact motherboard had come in (I am assuming because they capture the serial numbers upon sale), and the manager asked, "Well... what was noted on the previous return?" The clerk made a few statements and the manager asked, "Did they test it?" Clerk stated, "Apparently not." So... from that questionable exchange, my motherboard had already been returned, the complaint had been logged regarding it's performance, and it was returned to the floor stock as an "open box" return item to be discounted.

*blink* *blink*

....

I'll fully support your assertion that, "if you do your research, Fry's cannot be beaten". It is sometimes hard to beat them online with some of their Fryday ad specials. But you *must* know what you are going in there for. And for that purpose, Fry's has a special place in my heart for having almost everything I have been looking for.

Been buying from them for years, and will continue to buy from them. But that is not to say that I have not lost hair over my dealings with them. No way.

[Rob Williams]

Thanks to everyone who entered. The winner will be revealed in the coming days.

[PapaMambo]

Well, this was a fun contest.. I kind of wish we had a little more space to rant and rave (I'm famous for that!) Oh well..

After I submitted my second post for the contest, I realized I could have submitted my latest fiasco in computer assembly.. My video card just had to be replaced - but before I was able to isolate it, I ended up replacing my power supply, and I almost ended up replacing my motherboard. To top it all off, when I finally DID figure out that it was my video card, I had the frustration of trying to find a decent card to replace my venerable old 9800pro.. AGP cards are difficult to come by in this day and age - at least for a decent price. Surfing the forums close to home, I spoke with no less that 4 different people who had comparable cards (performance wise) to my 9800, but not one of them could cough it up when I produced the money. When it came down to it, I was able to finally pick up a 7600 GS at a local computer shop used..

I had a hard time justifying dropping money on a system that is essentially 4 years old - especially considering I had plans to upgrade in the summer.. Oh well - at least the kids will have a decent gaming rig for the games that they play.

Here's hoping we all have less of these types of stories to tell in the future. While they make for great reading, they can sure be a drain on our collective sanities. Good luck to everyone who entered!

[Tech-Daddy]

I guess the pain was so great that I blocked it out. I knew it was there, I could feel it like a splinter in my mind...

"What is it? What one, single tech product has caused me the most pain?"

Then it hit me 10 minutes too late to submit....

IBM "Deathstar" hard drives. the 75GXP (more so) and the 60GXP.

Absolutely the *worst* tech experience in my IT career.

I had just started working for a company, and the Sys Admin was snatching those drives up! I saw his orders and I immediately therew up a flag warning him and our boss that these drives are starting to cause problems. "Probably because they are selling so well..."

"No... there is a real problem. I would not buy any more if I was you. "

They continued to buy them, and then a few months later... down came the house of cards. My worst nightmare came true. Every, last drive.... every single one.... failed over the span of 2 months. I had a stack of about 20 hard drives on my desk... EVERY one of the drives was a IBM Deathstar. They found a few more a few months after I left. Oh what havoc they created, and THANK GOD for a good backup strategy (for the critical ones at least).

They recognized my hardware prowess after that debacle! ;)

:D

*smacks head*

[Gvidix]

Thanks everyone, especially Techgage for such a great Birthday party! :D It was really great to share the experience what turn out to be very ludicrous! I enjoyed it! Good luck to everyone and lets wait for the results!

[moon111]

These have been good contests. Now I'm a little disappointed because I wanted to keep on wanting to read new submissions.

[werty316]

Then it hit me 10 minutes too late to submit....

IBM "Deathstar" hard drives. the 75GXP (more so) and the 60GXP.

Absolutely the *worst* tech experience in my IT career.

I used to own one of those 75GXP Deathstar HDs but I felt my WD story sucked more.

Good luck everyone :techgage:

[slugbug]

I had a few other items that sucked, but those two were the best of the worst :rolleyes: Good luck everybody :)

[stracy]

Good luck guys and thanks Techgage for running such a cool contest i usually don't enter things like this, but a friend of mine forwarded me your site and i thought of the time i had that nightmare ram. I just had to write that one up.

Good luck everyone!

[Tech-Daddy]

Excellent submissions by all, best of luck to all who participated!
:)

[CoolAlex]

thank you

[peti1212]

Alright Guys, Contest ended 2 days ago, now all we can do is wait. Good luck everybody who entered. :)

[Rob Williams]

Announcement in the coming days... sorry for the delay guys.

[slugbug]

Ooh, who will win, who will win :eek:

[stracy]

Oh the suspense!!!

[peti1212]

Take you time Rob, no rush or anything. :D

Edit 2 days later: Haha, now I am getting more and more anxious because we don't know the winners yet. Hope I win! Good luck everybody else who entered.

[stracy]

Yeah i can't wait to see which submission takes the gold! This was a very cool contest so much more fun that...enter email here...and good luck lol. Anticipation is just so much fun ;)

[Babrbarossa]

I hear the Final Jeopardy music in my head when I visit this thread.

[slugbug]

Jeopardy is on in 2 hours :rolleyes:

[madmat]

We'll have an answer soon but it won't be in the form of a question.

[peti1212]

The winner is peti1212. 10 seconds left!
Ding.... Slugbug: Who is the winner?
Congratulations Slugbug $500 for you.

[slugbug]

I'm sorry peti1212, you forgot to phrase your answer in the form of a question :rolleyes:

[peti1212]

Well I am sorry slugbug, I don't really know jeopardy but I know the song that goes with it. I don't know the game really well because I came from Hungary and I didn't watch Jeopardy, just once in my life. Good luck guys.

[DarkSynergy]

After a long discussion among the staff, we have chosen Babrbarossa and his Epson tale. I think we all have had or fair share of frustration in the printer field and while his story hit home to a lot of us, it was also very well written.

Thank you to everyone who participated in not only this contest, but the others as well. This truly ends our second year celebration on a high note. Congrats to all the winners and we highly encourage, and sincerely hope that everyone who entered will stick around in the forums. Over the past month, you all have shared your stories, experience and advice with everyone else and we can't thank you enough.

Congrats!

[madmat]

Congrats Babrbarossa and while it's not a better printer I think whichever board you choose will make the pain of your Epson experience fade away.

[Tech-Daddy]

Congrats bro! Enjoy that kick ass board!
Great story too!

[peti1212]

Congratulations Babrbarossa! Enjoy this kickass product.

[PapaMambo]

Congratulations you lucky dog! Put it to good use, and post your system build after you receive the board.

[Babrbarossa]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! The only thing I've ever won was a turkey from Sobeys!! I've been frantically msn-ing my wife in ALL CAPS since I found out, but I can't seem to get her as excited about it as I am :p

Thanks everyone for kudos! and thanks to TechGage for having these contests, and being an incredible site in general!

Since I entered I had my eye on the Commando, as Intel just can't be beat atm, and I have an e4300 here that's just screaming to egt in that board. But I just found out that the Barcelonas will be compatible with the am2 chipsets, so now I'm torn! what would y'all do? (Don't worry TechGage- going to decide within the next hour ;) )

Thanks again- Made my month!

[madmat]

If you've got the Core2 I'd say go for the Intel board. They're kicking butt now and the cheaper quads will be coming out for them too so it's a win/win situation. You've got a board you can use right now to OC the pee-pee out of a chip you own and upgrade to the latest and greatest mainstream when it comes out and you'll have some time with the board under your belt so that you're not flying blind.

[slugbug]

Congrats Babrbarossa, which board are you choosing? My guess is the Asus Commando :)

[Babrbarossa]

Well, it looks like I'm going Commando!!!!!:p

[NicePants42]

Congratulations, Babrbarossa. Office Space, ftw.

[DarkSynergy]

Thats honestly a great choice. It's a killer overclocker and with that E4300 and it's 9 multiplier to compliment the boards high FSB ability, you should be in business. WORD!

[Babrbarossa]

Thanks, D.S.- big Cake fan too btw!

[Rob Williams]

Grats Babrbarossa, that was a great entry. Hope you enjoy the board!

[DarkSynergy]

Thanks, D.S.- big Cake fan too btw!

Cake FTW!

[werty316]

Congrats Babrbarossa and enjoy the new mobo :techgage:

[linnerd40]

Quite the competition going on here :)
Just wanted to congratulate Techgage again on 2 great years. Awesome reviews, great reading.
Again, good luck to all who entered, there sure were very many products that sucked! Aren't we all winners? :D

Still the tension mounts....

[madmat]

Well, it looks like I'm going Commando!!!!!:p

Put yer underwear back on damnit.

[MakubeX]

Congrats Barby, you truly have a nack for writing. Good read. :)

[linnerd40]

Congrats!
Great read! I wish that my "product that sucked" was just a printer instead of a whole computer, but I do suppose that a product that keeps living, just to annoy the heck out of you really does suck!
Enjoy the board!

[Rob Williams]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! The only thing I've ever won was a turkey from Sobeys!!

Oh, for the record. Sobeys is a piss-poor supermarket in some parts of Canada. I know this, because I was the reason it became piss-poor ;-)

[MakubeX]

Oh, for the record. Sobeys is a piss-poor supermarket in some parts of Canada. I know this, because I was the reason it became piss-poor ;-)

That literally made me LOL! http://www.3dgameman.com/forums/images/smilies/lmao.gif

[Babrbarossa]

Oh, for the record. Sobeys is a piss-poor supermarket in some parts of Canada. I know this, because I was the reason it became piss-poor ;-)

HAHA- I've gotta hear that one sometime!

Thanks again everyone- already have some nice Buffalo Firestix on the way for it! I'll keep y'all filled in.

[Tech-Daddy]

ooooo.... thar be a story!