chris%rand-unix@sri-unix.UUCP (12/14/83)
After Osborne filed for limited bankruptcy in September, Xerox picked up the service vacuum, and those of us with Osbornes breathed a little easier, knowing that somebody out there would fix the machines when they blipped. Well, Xerox will, but they extort the last drop of blood while they do it. My friend has an Osborne with the double-density upgrade. In June, just after the warranty on his double density upgrad ran out he had the logic board and the power supply for about $350, including labor. [Moral 1: don't get upgrades unless you know somebody who builds comuters and will fix it for you. My Osborne with its pokey drives has never been sick since it came out of warrenty 18 months ago]. Two weeks ago his Osborne developed a sick logic board, which manifested itself by spinning both screaming disks and filling the CRT with snow immediately upon power-up. He took it into Xerox and requested that they let him know if it would cost more than $350. Several days later he called to see what was happening, and was told the work had been completed and it would cost $500: $50 in labor and $419 for the logic board, plus tax. This was over twice what the logic board cost when it was replaced six months ago by Osborne. It is not clear whether Xerox has upped the price because it is the only game in town, or whether the supplier is trying to recover losses. Moreover, in order to get a service contract from Xerox, one must pay a $35 inspection fee which is non-applicable to the $285/single year maintenance fee if the computer passes the inspection. They will no longer offer the 2-year contract advertised recently. Moral 2: If you take a computer into Xerox and want an estimate, better get it in writing that they agree to call you before performing the work. Moral 3: [Sigh] If you get a chance to pick up an Osborne cheap (and they are going for less than $1000 with everything thrown in) think twice about it. Maintenance may double the cost of your machine. Which is too bad, because in many ways, the Osborne is a good computer. Moral 4: If you want to make a fortune these days, skip law school, don't go into medicine, and don't wait to be discovered as a rock star. Just open a computer repair shop.