Dell Patents "Reboot and See If That Fixes It"

[chiburb]

Round Rock, TX - Dell announced that they had been granted a patent for the "reboot and see if that fixes it" technical support process, which they pioneered.

"We're really taking our cue from other industries," said CEO Michael Dell. "The American Medical Association patented the 'let's see if that hurts tomorrow' treatment plan and General Motors patented the 'turn it off and start it up again' fixing process for automobiles."

Dell has quickly integrated this patent win into their advertisements for technical support. Their new slogan: "Dell: Where rebooting to fix the problem is our solution."

http://www.bbspot.com/News/2003/08/dell_tech_support.html

[Divernan]

1. Patent enforcement won't be limited to large corporations.

"Dell is requesting wire taps on any customer whose mother or father owns a computer."
Well that hits close to home! I rely on my kids for their computer expertise and they ALWAYS say, reboot and see if that fixes it.

[AntiCoup2K4]

2. Microsoft sues for copyright infringement

I'm pretty sure it was M$ tech "support" who invented the "reboot and see if that fixes it" process. Usually because of those annoying .dll crashes.

[Interrobang]

3. Woah woah woah woah, guys, guys!!

Check the source! Always, always check the source! BBSpot is not exactly the Onion, but when it comes to parody sites, #2 tries harder.

In other words, anyone who answered this post like it was real (or posted it) has been royally had!

[xJlM]

4. I thought it was a joke

Although Microsuck may have already patented this one...

[chiburb]

5. Umm...Isn't it obviously a joke?

Sorry if anyone took this seriously. If it was real (cough) I'd have posted it in LBN.
I thought it was FUNNY and wanted to share it.
To have to explain it takes all the fun out of it.

[DemNoir]

6. Actually Microsoft pioneered

"reinstall windows and see if that fixes it"

[TXlib]

9. According to The Onion

M$ patented ones and zeros.

http://www.theonion.com/onion3311/microsoftpatents.html

[Occulus]

10. Benn there, done that

more times than I can count. Linux usually follows.

[newyawker99]

12. Congrats rpalochko!! 200 posts

:toast:

[markus]

7. Sorry Penguin heads: it's still easier than...

"rebuild and see if that fixes it".

[LynneSin]

8. I hope that's not the next title of Al Franken's book???!!!

:eyes:

[zbdent]

11. What? You mean that his next title will be

"Sorry, Penguin Heads"?

Now that would be a strange read.

[Plaid Adder]

13. Dell. Don't GET ME STARTED.

Writing nasty letters to Dell has become a major pastime of mine since my computer began failing in April, 4 months after I bought it. It came back from its second trip to the depot a couple weeks ago and appears to be functioning normally, but I fully expect it to go supernova again any day now. The thing is a lemon, and that is all there is to it.

Plus, the first time I sent it to them for service they returned it with two problems that it hadn't had when I mailed it to them...but I said I wasn't going to get started.

@#$!,

The Plaid Adder