ASUS FTW!
While I’ve largely retired from the practice, I used to build all my own computers. It’s not an awesome accomplishment, but it was fun and it felt pretty good to be working on something I bolted together.
Back then I used ASUS motherboards exclusively. This was partially because tccomputers.com (which has now been sucked up into cdw I think) featured them pretty largely in their “wonderful, therefore clearly had to be killed” part-picking ‘design your own box’ website.
I had used other boards early on (we’re talking about a total of a couple dozen machines over 5 years or so) and almost always had problems. So ASUS became my board company.
So when ASUS started putting out laptops and such I was thrilled. Their components always performed particularly well and the price point was quite reasonable, so I figured they’d (read: hoped) they’d follow through.
Well, fast forward to 2008 when the EEEs started really maturing. I picked up the 1000 (running linux) as a writing machine (no windows, no games, no distractions.) It’s got this great solid state drive, long battery life, small screen, and full size keyboard for my big ol’ mitts.
Eventually I was pretty careless and left it open at a party, down at knee level where there were several “5 and under”s. The price for my negligence was a broken keyboard.
I looked online for someplace I could take it in NYC (should’ve been an easy win) and found that DataVision, the last remaining “computer superstore” in midtown was on their “certified asus repairblahblah.”
I took it in to DataVision last week where I had to dodge throngs of remarkably smarmy salesmen to the repair desk. I opened the laptop up, explained the problem and the Indian gentleman behind the counter smiled and nodded at me while I went through showing him the bottom of the keycap (that it was broken, not just popped off) etc. When I was done he said “Oh, I’m sorry. We aren’t servicing asus netbooks here.”
“But it said on the ASUS website you were a cert…”
“Oh, that’s just for notebooks.”
“You just stood there and let…”
“Yes, I’m sorry. We are not servicing those…” Still smiling like he was getting a blowjob from his brother under the desk.
Rather than sending him to meet Brahma I packed everything up and walked away. The most rude thing I could manage was to simply not say another word. But I do still fantasize about how many times he’d flip in the air before hitting the ground if I hit him with a right uppercut to the jaw.
It took me a couple days of cooling off before pursuing the issue again because I’m like that. (Knowing it has kept me out of jail and many people out of the hospital.)
I just got off the phone with ASUS support and realized the error of my ways. I should’ve called them first. I dealt with two particularly helpful people: Dwayne and Lorraine. They both had mildly southern accents. They’re sending me a replacement keyboard in a couple days.
ASUS is one of those companies I put on a shelf next to Amazon. I’d pay more if I had to because they do what they do so well.