Author: Slater Wold
Date: 22:34:11 04/24/02
The name of this forum is Computer Chess Club. Therefore, I usually consider any post on computers, chess, or computer chess to be relevent discussion. This is a rant about one of the biggest computer chip manufacturers, if you don't want to read this kind of thing, stop now. ;) So I am installing RH 7.2 on a rackmount server today, when I run into a problem; RH 7.2 won't see the RAID card. Ok, no problem. The card is an Intel SRCU31L (System is an Intel Server Mobo SCB2, Dual Intel PIII 1.13Ghz, etc., etc.) so I shoot over to Intels website. Well, they only have the drivers for Linux 7.1. Well, they should work right? WRONG. Ok, no problem, call Intel. The first call was one of the most pleasent I've ever had. Explained the guy my problem (I needed a driver that they said they had) and he got me to a Tech. The tech told me that they had not released a 7.2 driver on the website, but they had given RH a 7.2 driver and it's on the RH CD. HOWEVER, I must flash the RAID cards BIOS (destructive, of course) in order for that driver to work. Ok, no problem, I can do that. One problem, I don't have the Intel System Resource CD that came with the mobo (and system) and I need to boot to that. Ok, well, it's just a DOS prompt, I should be able to use a DOS boot disk, (or Windows if need be), but I want to make sure. So I give Intel a call back, this is where the trouble started. Upon calling back, I gave the guy on the other end my previous case number. Simply asked, "Can I use a boot disk?" Well, seems I am not a Channel provider, and they had made a mistake in letting me speak with a tech in the first place. NO SUPPORT. I tried to plead with the guy, it was a 10 second question that was not "technical" at all. He said, "$25 per incident. Consider yourself lucky, you got the first call free." I immediatly hung up. So basically, if you buy an Intel product, and want to call them with a question, it's $25 a call. Simple questions like, "Where's the driver for this card?" or "Your instructions on the web say this, can I do this instead?" are $25 a call. He told me that I had Web and E-mail support for free, so I e-mailed them with the simple question, "I am flashing the BIOS on my RIAD card, instead of using the System Resource CD, can I use a Windows 98 boot disk?" 72 hours for a response. This is the 3rd strike for Intel. No more Intel for me. Their chips are slow, too expensive, and if I have ANY question (after paying some ridiculous price for them) it's $25 a call. No thanks.
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