VaKo Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 MCFARLAND (WKOW) -- Abbie Schubert paid more than $1,100 for a Dell laptop hoping to enroll in online classes at MATC. But something stopped her: Ubuntu. That's an operating system for your computer similar to Windows that runs off the Linux system. Schubert says she ordered her laptop online at Dell.com expecting to buy your classic bread-and-butter computer. She didn't realize until the next morning her laptop defaulted to the Ubuntu operating system. "It's been a mess," she said. "I regret ordering the computer." Schubert says she never heard of Ubuntu before learning that's when she accidentally bought. She called Dell the very next day and says the representative told her there was still time to change back to Windows. But she says Dell discouraged her. "The person I was talking to said Ubuntu was great, college students loved it, it was compatible with everything I needed," said Schubert. So she stuck with it. Later, she discovered Ubuntu might look like Windows, but it doesn't always act like it. Her Verizon High-Speed Internet CD won't load, so she can't access the internet. She also can't install Microsoft Word, which she says is a requirement for MATC's online classes. As a result, with no internet and no Microsoft Word, Schubert dropped out of MATC's fall and spring semesters. She also says Dell claimed it was now too late to get Windows and any changes she made herself would void her warranty. "I'm extremely frustrated," said Schubert. "I wanted to get back to school, but I needed a computer to be able to do that." 27 News contacted Dell, but the company has not responded to us yet. However, we think we've helped her get back to school. Verizon says it will dispatch a technician to try to assist her accessing the internet without using the Windows-only installation disk. MATC also says it promises to accept any of Schubert's papers or class documents using whatever software she has installed. http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9...;nav=menu1362_2 I haven't stopped laughing yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DingleBerries Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 And Im sure no one at the university would help her... 1 announcement over the intercom "Girl needs help setting up Ubuntu", would have brought geeks from near and far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loony Guitarist Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullArray Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Here's what happened: When she bought her computer, she looked to save money wherever possible, one way was OPTING TO REMOVE WINDOWS. She must have known what she was doing. Either way, she didn't seek any help nor even think about offering to buy windows for what, $99 for home basic? Almost all colleges have on campus computers she could have used, this was not worth dropping out of college for. If it was such a problem, why didn't she speak with her professors?, why didn't she ask other students?, why did she wait until she failed all her classes to get a copy of Windows.? It's clear she barely tried to do anything to get this computer working. I bet she looked around, didn't see "Microsoft Word" and gave up with that. As for internet? Rather than calling verizon, she just put the disc and when "setup.exe" didn't work, she gave up on that too. What I see is a dumb bitch who failed out of college because she's dumb (wanting to party, not to homework/study, skipping classes), not because of her computer and is looking for a convenient excuse to get out of it. But these are all wild accusations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vector Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 this is why theres windows. everyone bitches about windows being monopoly and forcing their OS onto people, but this is exactly the type of problem average users will run into when theres 50 different fuckin OS's. there needs to be one main standard for the majority computer users. you cant have your work using one OS your freinds using another OS, you using a different OS at your house, etc ,etc. So while all the linux weenies love to bash the shit out of Windblows, windoze, M$, and MicroShaft just think about all the other people that dont know how how to compile a kernal, patch a driver. Now i agree that, that dumbass lady shouldve just asked someone to help her and it wouldnt have been an issue, but common sense is not that common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DingleBerries Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 there needs to be one main standard for the majority computer users. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razor512 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I have been using verizon dsl for like almost 10 years, I never knew you needed to install software to use it, the modem/ router handles everything. while the first modem I got from them was a westell crap that required software to connect, windows had the needed stuff built in and so did many versions of linux (it was just annoying to get it setup. for internet she should have just called verizon and ask for the free router. they pass out free routers like nothing. when a worker doesn't feel like dealing with you on the phone, they offer you a free router it is easy to get one from verizon she is either stupid or lazy or both. while ubuntu does have it's problems, it does have open office which does most of what ms office does it is also faster since dell isn't able to install all of their resource hogging crapware on it and she could have also installed wine it works ok for some windows apps (while it may not perform as well, many of them will work ) for dumber college students, the best OS for them is either ubuntu or mac OS since it is really hard to mess them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Gerling Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 FAIL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keiyentai Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Wow....just wow...my side hurts now from laughing.... "Linux destroyed my life!" lol. Next anti-linux campaign with her on it lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparda Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 What do verizon send to there customers? Those super rubbish USB 'modems'? She is trying to blame Dell/Ubuntu, but in this case it is probably more her fault than she would ever admit. When you click on the "open source PCs" button on Dell's website you are met with a "Not sure Open Source is for You?" which does say The main thing to note is that when you choose open source you don’t get a Windows® operating system. If you’re here by mistake and you are looking for a Dell PC with Windows, please use the following link. On top of that, when you are selecting what your computer should have there is no "What version of office do you want?" section and she knows she needed that. It is entirely possible to skip this section, but then she would only have a copy of MS Works which of course would mean "Dell is ripping her off because they sent her the wrong version of Office." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKo Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 For me, the joke is that she was going to do an online collage course. Part of education at that level is the ability to figure out things on your own, even if the eventual conclusion is "I need to pay someone who knows what they are doing to fix this for me". The fact that she just threw a temper tantrum and quit at the first point of resitance will pretty much decide the rest of her life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seshan Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Hmmm. Drop out of school.... Spend $200 to fix your computer.... Drop out of school.... Spend $200 to fix your computer.... Witch would you pick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vector Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 What do verizon send to there customers? Those super rubbish USB 'modems'? She is trying to blame Dell/Ubuntu, but in this case it is probably more her fault than she would ever admit. When you click on the "open source PCs" button on Dell's website you are met with a "Not sure Open Source is for You?" which does say On top of that, when you are selecting what your computer should have there is no "What version of office do you want?" section and she knows she needed that. It is entirely possible to skip this section, but then she would only have a copy of MS Works which of course would mean "Dell is ripping her off because they sent her the wrong version of Office." i'm guessing it might have been an installation disk for a laptop connect card from verizon wireless or some shit like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machstorm Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 She could have got a free copy from the University. That would have solved the problem. Most of the Universities I have been have always had a free copy for students and faculty. I must agree though she knew what she was doing, because if you go to Dell's website you have to click on the drop down list at the top of the page and scroll all the way down to "open-source PCs" (Just like Sparda said). She could not have got there any other way (i.e clicking on the pretty pictures). The stupid kid just wanted to get out of college to do whatever. Anyway, it's was just an excuse to tell mom and dad why she dropped college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazaruswws Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 If she had windows she would just have every computer virus she could find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machstorm Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Well, she would if she was like everyother user and not installed an Anti-virus. Don't be complacent in your belief that there are no viruses for Linux, because their are, end of story. Anyone who tells you that there are no viruses for Linux is selling snake oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h3%5kr3w Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 1.paid more than $1,100 for a Dell laptop hoping to enroll in online classes at MATC. But something stopped her: Ubuntu. FAIL!-When the f&*K have you ever seen or even WANTED to buy a computer for how much? With ubuntu on it.. i mean cmon, it runs solid on low grade hardware 2. verizon wireless/nic FAIL!- if your going to college, and especially if it's online, you would probably rather have a dsl line. same price (sometimes cheaper) ez to use with ANY OS since no driver to be installed, and if it is distance education, then usually you just do that at home because THAT IS WHAT DISTANCE EDUCATION IS PARTLY FOR. 3.She didn't realize until the next morning her laptop defaulted to the Ubuntu operating system. FAIL! Know your os. it has an option ya know *or major disclaimer on dell website as sparda quoted and DOUBLE FAIL for the fact that the media used the word 'defaulted' nothing defaults when you buy something unless it states clearly that that is the only choice for that pc. What if it came with a scribble board instead of an LCD screen?! "oh i didnt know till the next day that it defaulted to a SCRIBBLE BOARD" 4.But she says Dell discouraged her. "The person I was talking to said Ubuntu was great, college students loved it, it was compatible with everything I needed," said Schubert. FAIL! Would you buy an a/s400 server not knowing wtf it is? NO! you dont buy shit you dont know about unless you want to know about it. PERIOD. 5. DONT BLAME DELL! This is uber failure of a defunct person that doenst know what the f%^k she is doing. Could she do everything she needs on this laptop? Pretty sure... IF she knew HOW. I dont use a mac. One reason (besides my usual apple ramblings that I wont bring up right now) is cause I dont know HOW to use one in the sense that I know how to use a windows or linux pc.... price point too, but thats just me. Hell this isn't even lame or even fail! This is going so far as to pull out the english(as in england) version... WANKER! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DingleBerries Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Honestly it not all her fault. She tried to remedy this by contacting dell and asking for a windows version laptop and that is a plus for her, but what gets me is that is the only place she contacted. It is possible some one sent her a link and it went right past the dell disclaimer. I use linux and still run windows VMs so linux isnt the solve all/save all for everyone. OpenOffice is ok at what it does but Word is still the standard. There are a few online programs that can come close, google docs, but its still not a full featured program. Still the blame lies with the consumer. It is the responsibility of the consumer to educate them selves when buying a new product. Do not expect a company selling you the laptop to hold your hand every step of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWFu Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Errr... Install windows on it? You could probably pick up an OEM copy of Vista Ultimate cheaper than the savings she's made! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iyeman Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Errr... Install windows on it? You could probably pick up an OEM copy of Vista Ultimate cheaper than the savings she's made! With dell warrenty if you install an OS besides the one it shipped with it voids the warrenty. So as stated in the article she couldnt put windows on without voiding warrenty. Still its the customers fault for not paying attn to what she bought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingo Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Stuff like this makes me really sad, sure Ubuntu isn't the same as any of Microsofts OS (mainly because it's not Microsofts OS), but still learning to use Ubuntu (and linux for that matter) shouldn't be overhelming task for anyone specialy if one is going in any IT/Computers class/course. Tbh, people should just learn to use Google and live their lifes happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparda Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 http://entertainment.slashdot.org/article....1%2F15%2F158216 I think the title sums this up rather well. The tags make it more clear. From the most neutral point of view I can achieve: The 'normal' news outlets depicts her as some one who got scammed (in some way). The realistic news outlets that have the cynical views of every thing reported (i.e. 'geek news' outlets) depicts her as the 'idiot' she is trying to get publicity for some thing/reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etftw Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 ROFL!! That was amusing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbath12 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 what a noob she is I have use linux for two years now I can do almost what windows can do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWFu Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 With dell warrenty if you install an OS besides the one it shipped with it voids the warrenty. So as stated in the article she couldnt put windows on without voiding warrenty. Still its the customers fault for not paying attn to what she bought... OK sorry, I guess i missed that bit, what dell'ish bullshit! My Dell XPS had to be sent back due to display issues a while back, which had 4 OS's at that point and they replaced with a slightly better model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.