[GLLUG] dell computer

[Richard Houser]

> how much would it cost now to keep that from happening? $200? more?

As I had already offered Julie the use of my power supply tester and 
made no implication of payment, the cost would have only been about 60 
seconds of our combined time plus some effort to bring the unit in for 
testing.  This was all stated earlier in the thread if you care to go 
back and actually read it.


 > It's either the fan or the
 > mobo. I'm hoping fan. I've seen those die on the job. it worked when I
 > turned it of and wasn't working when I turned it back on.

If you had already confirmed that the fan was physically broken, you 
should have said so instead of continuing on with a charade.  If you 
thought that the above text means "I discovered that the fan is 
physically broken", even in that broken grammar, you are quite mistaken.


 > but generally you don't get
 > anything onscreen if the powersupply is dead

Trying to prove a point by providing unjustified statements like this 
doesn't get you anywhere in the face of reason.  When I replied with 
examples of a failure mode that you were obviously not familiar with, 
you had to stoop to using your "trump card" for petty insults.  That 
behavior is really childish, and frankly pathetic.


I'm an engineer and have basically always thought like one.  All 
engineers know that things don't become true just because you want them 
to be.  I'm perfectly willing to admit to being wrong, but only when 
confronted with a reasonable argument against my view, evidence contrary 
to that view, or the combination of a statement from someone in the 
field whom I greatly respect and no evidence to the contrary.

It doesn't seem like you even tried to develop a coherent argument. 
Think of a real argument for why it's a good idea to skip the simple, 
quick, diagnostics in a case like this in favor of jumping from "it's 
the motherboard" to "THE FAN IS IN 2 PIECES" and "lets assume the 
hardware is cheap and will blow up a year from now".  If you do that, 
I'll actually read your argument and give it whatever consideration it 
deserves.


Julie started this thread with a simple request looking for information 
about a replacement motherboard (which you apparently thought was the 
problem).  If you think it's not worth it for Julie to invest some of 
her time to get a system up and running properly, make an argument for 
it.  In the end, just let Julie make up her own mind based on the facts, 
not some whining about the free help costing $200 or more.