Deep depression!!!!!
Bruce was so close to getting a Hewlett-Packard computer system to replace me. It was Gary's comments about the HD size that keep him from ordering the system.
As Bruce was snooping around the internet Bruce happened upon the Sony site.
www.sonystyle.com/vaio/promotion_refurb.shtml
scroll down and click on PVCRX550/B.
This computer was picked by PC magazine as one of the top 10 home computers for 2001.
Best buy has it for 1100, Fry's 950 (plus tax). Sony would also charge him tax.
He called up Sony and ordered the system.
The operator offered not only free delivery but would give him free 2 day delivery.
She also told him Bruce would get a rebate on the computer and that Bruce could print the rebate form off of the internet.
Then she told Bruce that he had to pay tax. They got in a discussion over that seeing that HP did not charge tax. But Bruce found out that tax on that internet site is actually added at the last step on internet purchases.
He figured the rebate on the computer would pay the tax and the rebate on the printer would net out free. Turns out the system comes to about 100 less than a new one. No monitor. (Although an operator Bruce later talked to (see below) gave him some figures saying it was a good bargain. But Bruce wasn't listening by then.)
He figured for 100 Bruce did not need the 1.7 GHz that the 560 offered. It had a 5400 rpm HD but Bruce did not think was going to make a difference in whether the new system could handle FS2000.
You can find a write up for a new one at:
http://www.sonystyle.com/vaio/promotions/ds_total.shtml
Bruce was so happy with the purchase that he even sent an email explaining the details along with the specs on the system to Gary.
Then after the email had been sent, Bruce got on the internet to print out the rebate coupon. After many attempts Bruce never could get the display to come up.
He called up Sony, explained the situation, and asked them to send the rebate form to him.
Here came the rub. This operator informed him that rebates do not apply to new systems. In short Bruce cancelled the order.
He was depressed all day.
Then while Bruce was walking the dogs in a park that late afternoon Bruce had a flash. Bruce called Sony up again, asked to talk to a supervisor, and explained all the circumstances to him.
Well the supervisor than checked with someone else and the net result was Sony would not follow through and uphold the rebate. So Bruce ended up with no computer.
He ended up moping around all day even with two football playoff games and tennis on TV.
Now he is going to have to dig out all the research notes that Bruce had thrown away thinking he was not going to need them anymore.