Yess... another multi-day "Product return pending" is in store for me. Perhaps it will take me months to get my laptop back. I wrote an e-mail to sjobs@apple.com. I was pissed. I couldn't help myself. This is total bullshit.

Here's my letter to Jobs:

Mr. Jobs,

I recently purchased a MacBook through my employer for use here at the university. It's ass. I have sent it in to get the down arrow key repaired twice now. The first time it was in the repair shop for 2 weeks. This time it's been in the repair shop now for 3 days. As a technology enthusiast, I find it quite frustrating to be teased with this new hardware time and time again. First I open the box and get most of my software installed to find that the down arrow key doesn't work. After a few frustrating programming sessions I decide that it's worth sending in my brand new laptop to get serviced. So I send it in.. thinking it will be like every other time I send a laptop in to Apple. Instead it comes back 2 weeks later (http://mike.mg2.org/article/archived/690/). I excitedly open the box, software-in-hand ready to finally move my stuff onto this laptop. Down arrow key _still_ doesn't work. This doesn't seem like rocket science to me. Perhaps a misplaced sensor? (some kind of board fabrication error...) A piece of insulation where one shouldn't be? A spring-too-tense? There are several things that would cause a down arrow key to be under sensitive. All of these things should have / could have been tested in the TWO WEEKS your support staff had to look at a BRAND NEW piece of hardware.

I have only been a Mac user for a few years now, since 2001. So I don't have an irrational love for your products. I simply fell in love with the union of a decent UNIX & a fine, consistent, and streamlined graphical user interface. I have put up with the shitty hardware as a trade off. It wasn't that bad as your support department seemed to be staffed with some excellent technicians who got the job done in an acceptable amount of time. This has not been true as of late. So far BOTH of my recent repairs have taken longer than any other repair I've ever had with Apple in the 5 years I've done business with you (and there have been quite a few).

Software and support are supposed to be your strong points. So quit fucking around and get my laptop back to me in working order.

Dispatch #1: CENSORED

Dispatch #2: CENSORED
SN: CENSORED

Michael Gregorowicz
Wayne State University
C&IT Internet Services
313-CEN-SRED

So that's that. Bunch of crap if you ask me. Stay tuned for more Apple failings.

--_-