# Watch big dept. stores if you take your computer in...



## Cruentus (Dec 3, 2007)

I just bought a laptop from the evil best buy (just wanted one for overseas business and I took advantage of the "black friday" deals, so keep the jerk-off techie-elitist responses to yourself please, or I'll send the jocks over to break up the world of warcraft party  ). 

Anyway, I go to pick it up. The guy brings out the computer. I look at it, and I exclaim, "cool... I didn't know my computer has an alien on it!" The guy just looks at me like I'm insane. Then he is like "We have to put in your fingerprint." 
 I say, "Really....this is pretty sweet, dude, but are you sure this is mine." I am thinking, I don't remember mine having that security feature, or an alien on it. 

The dude looks at the computer, then looks back at me, and does this a few times. Then he sort of looks at me in horror and slowly walks away with the computer. When he comes back with my laptop, he says, "Sorry...that wasn't yours. That was someone elses $3,000 gaming computer..." Mine was about 1200 retail (a lot less on black friday though). I laughed and jokingly said, "Well, screw this piece of crap then, can't you go find me something else that I can sneak out of here with?"

Anyway, the moral is that the dude was about to let me walk out with the latest and greatest Alienware, which is a gaming computer that starts at about 2800 and works its way up. They don't even sell those at best buy, so some dumbass had to have brought it to the 'geek squad' to get it worked on. Had I have known what the hell the computer was that he had, and had I have been a bit more dishonest, I could have not said anything and walked out with someone elses 3,000 dollar computer, with the security settings set to my specifications. And who's ever it belonged to would be SOL.

Could you imagine? The moral here is: if you buy a $3,000 plus computer, take to a reputable person to have it worked on. The "geek squad" has it's place to do warranty work and to cure simple problems for housewives and the uninitiated, but they aren't for handling more expensive pieces.

I am glad I didn't screw someone and walk out with that thing on accident.

But really, what if I had? What would anyone have been able to do about it?

It gets you thinking...


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## Bob Hubbard (Dec 3, 2007)

I'm thinking the Geek Squad should be demoted.


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## newGuy12 (Dec 3, 2007)

I would think that users who have Alienware laptops would do their own working on them.  Those people are usually the "powerusers" who are really INTO computering.

Yes, Geek Squad costs too much money, and are lame!  The company that I work for is going to give them a run for the money, too!  We beat them, BAD, on the price point, and our techs are truly elite!

Congratulations on getting the good price at Best Buy, Cruentus.  But, it has been said on this board before, and I will say it again now -- the real techs do not work for BestBuy.  They go on to bigger and better things!  There is no room for advancement within a company such as Best Buy!

We are going to cut into BestBuys market SO BAD here locally!  We are gonna put a hurt on!  Hahahahaha!!!


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## tellner (Dec 3, 2007)

Tiger Direct. Fry's. Pricewatch. And so on. Cheaper, and they won't pretend that you'll get service like a service station when you'll really get service like the cow gets from the bull.


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## Cruentus (Dec 4, 2007)

newGuy12 said:


> I would think that users who have Alienware laptops would do their own working on them.  Those people are usually the "powerusers" who are really INTO computering.



Oh, I know. That's what I would have thought too.

BUT, although I live out in the boonies, the area below me with all the stores is a very ritzie area. It woudn't be unheard of to have some rich dildo  to buy a 3G Alienware  for his overprivlidged kid without having a clue as to how to use it. Given that the machine was at best buy, that is what I am guessing happened.


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## Kreth (Dec 4, 2007)

I just commented on this in another thread. Keep in mind that the "Geek Squad" and other big box "IT" drones are barely a step up from the pimply-faced 16 year old at the register. Any technical question beyond "What's this gonna cost me?" is beyond them.


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## Empty Hands (Dec 4, 2007)

Plus they'll steal your pr0n.


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## MA-Caver (Dec 4, 2007)

Well kudos to you for being honest anyway. 
I'd seriously thought about it then probably would've taken it for a day then brought it back directly to the manager and told him what happened. 
Imagine the reaction on several fronts; the store manager realizing what a colossal mistake their employee made (can you say... fired?), and the customer returning for their computer only to find out that it was given to someone else by mistake? Whoo. 
Now granted it wouldn't been nice to get someone fired but considering that they could've given someone else YOUR computer by making the same simple mistake... hrmmm. 

I'd thawt about taking my ailing computer over to Best Buy/Geek Squad but read the stuff here on MT and realized that I'd be screwing myself... haven't I done that enough already? So managed to get a pro to take care of it and now... heh all is well.


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## Shicomm (Dec 4, 2007)

Even the "geek squad" has to start soemwhere right ? 
Most of the geeks that i get in my store ( and the numbers are small since all the geeks shop on the net and service themselves...  ) don't do the "stupid" talk.
The one's that do try get a nice talk but if they slip up they're toast.... 

Got one in store last week.
This guy was bragging about how good norton was as an anti-virus product and that it was just stupid that we couldn't sell him that.
After i showed him these screenshots: 









( caps with Dutch language but you get the point  ) 

he was gone in less then a minute...


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## Cruentus (Dec 4, 2007)

Shicomm said:


> Even the "geek squad" has to start soemwhere right ?



I will say that the "Geek Squad" has their place. I don't shop often, but when I do at Best Buy I've always been happy to have them help me if I am buying something at Best Buy, or need some general questions answered.

So, I am definatily not dogging them. For what they are getting paid to do (and as I understand it they don't make a whole assload of money more then the rest of the BB staff, keep in mind) they do a good job. They are great for answering questions and installing things for the NOVICE person who wouldn't know how to install their own anti-spyware for example (and there are a lot of people out there like that). But the thing is, they have their place; and that place probably isn't working on a 3,000 dollar alienware.

I am really dogging on the moron who bought such a pricey computer that definatily is not for 'beginners' into Best Buy of all places to get work done. Basically, I see this sort of thing all the time. People just don't value certain services, and IT is one of them. So they take it to the geek squad kid who would be lucky to be out of his teens and making over $10 an hour, and expect him to perform a miracle on their computer. And usually, they have the nerve to be really pissy and rude to them too (I see it literally every time I am in the store) because by-golly, they aren't getting what they want done with their 3,000 dollar machine when they aren't willing to pay for the service.

Well, anyway, done with my rant. Just don't be "that guy." If you make a substancial INVESTMENT in your computer (like 3G's) then at least take the time to learn how to use it, or take it to a real expert to get it serviced. Don't take it to some kid at Best Buy for half the price and expect to get anything useful out of it.

You get what you pay for!


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## diamondbar1971 (Dec 5, 2007)

hey, dude,,,
i disagree with you...it depends on which geek you take it to. obviously this wasn't a team member of a geek squad....you were most likely talking to a sales person. anyone knows that a true geek would never get any kind of computer mixed up...and our local geek squads are college grads and do a hell of a lot more than fix pc's for housewifes...most of the ones i know do a lot of work for NASA over at JPL and there is not only $3,000.00 computers in the buildings there, but billion dollar ones as well...


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## Kreth (Dec 5, 2007)

diamondbar1971 said:


> and our local geek squads are college grads and do a hell of a lot more than fix pc's for housewifes...most of the ones i know do a lot of work for NASA over at JPL and there is not only $3,000.00 computers in the buildings there, but billion dollar ones as well...


I find it hard to believe that someone working at NASA is moonlighting at Best Buy... :idunno:
Oh, and would you mind using proper punctuation in your posts......using nothing but....ellipses makes them painful.....to read.


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## diamondbar1971 (Dec 5, 2007)

i didn't say they were moonlighting at best buy...how did you come up with that one....if my posts are hard to read...then don't read them....


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## Cruentus (Dec 5, 2007)

diamondbar1971 said:


> hey, dude,,,
> i disagree with you...it depends on which geek you take it to. obviously this wasn't a team member of a geek squad....you were most likely talking to a sales person. anyone knows that a true geek would never get any kind of computer mixed up...and our local geek squads are college grads and do a hell of a lot more than fix pc's for housewifes...most of the ones i know do a lot of work for NASA over at JPL and there is not only $3,000.00 computers in the buildings there, but billion dollar ones as well...



I realize it depends on which "Geek" you talk too, because different people will have different qualifications.

But the fact is, to be a member of the "geek squad," you start between 10-11 bucks an hour. I have heard that there are people with CCNA certs who are "Super Agents" who do networking with larger companies (although I have serious doubts that anyone is working with NASA other then through a college internship). BUT THAT IS NOT WHO YOU ARE GETTING WHEN YOU STOP BY THE STORE. Your getting 10-dollar-per-hour guy. You should have NO reasonable expectation that at that pay rate, your going to get an expert who is knowledgeable enough to work on your system if it is complex. And when you drop your 3 thousand dollar computer off at the store, that is who you get to work on your crap, not the "Super Agent" with proper IT certifications. If you bring your Alienware to the store like that, you are an idiot.

It is also unfounded to say that someone from the "real" geek squad couldn't make a mistake and give out a wrong computer. BB is a huge department store, and there in lies the problem. Simply printing out the wrong work order could lead to such a mistake in ANY large dept. store, and this has nothing to do with IT qualifications.

So say what you want. I still maintain that the Geek squad has there place, but Buyer Beware; unless you know the 'geek,' you'll be getting what you pay for...


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## diamondbar1971 (Dec 5, 2007)

thats ok, you are entiltled to your opinion just as i am to mine..i guess you have never heard of Cal Tech, its a part of JPL and NASA where the real geek squad works....and as being unfounded to say someone from the geek squad would'd give out the wrong computer, you bet they wouldn't, because  they would know what is was by looking at it no matter what the work order showed. With all the computer stores available there is no valid reason to ever purchase a computer from Best Buy in the first place....maintain that


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## Cruentus (Dec 6, 2007)

diamondbar1971 said:


> thats ok, you are entiltled to your opinion just as i am to mine..i guess you have never heard of Cal Tech, its a part of JPL and NASA where the real geek squad works....and as being unfounded to say someone from the geek squad would'd give out the wrong computer, you bet they wouldn't, because they would know what is was by looking at it no matter what the work order showed. With all the computer stores available there is no valid reason to ever purchase a computer from Best Buy in the first place....maintain that


 
Cal Tech.. right... a university. Like I said:



> although I have serious doubts that anyone is working with NASA other then through a college internship


 
Plus, Bill Gates himself could look at a work order and think that I am the person on the order; it has nothing to do with product knowledge or technological abilities.

And further, you buy from Best buy because of their prices. That doesn't mean you take your 3,000 dollar computer that you didn't purchase there to be worked on (unless you know and trust the person working on it).

But here is the real question: Why are you so verbally combative over this thread? I really have to wonder if you would display the same attitude if I was in front of your face vs. over the net...


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## Kacey (Dec 6, 2007)

diamondbar1971 said:


> thats ok, you are entiltled to your opinion just as i am to mine..i guess you have never heard of Cal Tech, its a part of JPL and NASA where the real geek squad works....and as being unfounded to say someone from the geek squad would'd give out the wrong computer, you bet they wouldn't, because  they would know what is was by looking at it no matter what the work order showed. With all the computer stores available there is no valid reason to ever purchase a computer from Best Buy in the first place....maintain that



I do believe the confusion here is over the term "geek squad", which was being used, initially, in the context of the highly publicized "Geek Squad" that currently operates out of Best Buy.  While other organizations might use, or be referred to, by that term, the group at Best Buy is the one that most people generally think of - the one being discussed in this thread,  		  			 			 			 			 			 			Geek Squad goes Kaboom! - the perspective expressed in the article the thread refers to is that held by many people who have knowledge of how Best Buy operates this program.  If the Best Buy Geek Squad is not the one you're referring to - as seems to be the case, given your references to NASA and Cal Tech, you might consider differentiating between the two groups when discussing them; remember, even moreso on a bulletin board than in live conversation, people know _only_ what you say, not what you mean.


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## diamondbar1971 (Dec 6, 2007)

it dosen't surprise me that you wonder about anything and why would i not want to say the same anywhere........


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## diamondbar1971 (Dec 6, 2007)

you are correct, i didn't realize he didn't understand, and thats ok too, he is still entitled to his opinion just as i am.


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## Carol (Dec 6, 2007)

[playnice]Carol Kaur[/playnice]


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## Cruentus (Dec 6, 2007)

diamondbar1971 said:


> you are correct, i didn't realize he didn't understand, and thats ok too, he is still entitled to his opinion just as i am.


 
No..you obviously didn't understand. I was clear in the initial post about who and what I was talking about. You, however, apparently decided to have a different conversation then everyone else was having, which I find..... strange.


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## diamondbar1971 (Dec 6, 2007)

well, you will just have to get over it.


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## Tames D (Dec 6, 2007)

Guys, Please respect the Moderator warning Carol has given.


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## jks9199 (Dec 6, 2007)

diamondbar1971 said:


> thats ok, you are entiltled to your opinion just as i am to mine..i guess you have never heard of Cal Tech, its a part of JPL and NASA where the real geek squad works....and as being unfounded to say someone from the geek squad would'd give out the wrong computer, you bet they wouldn't, because  they would know what is was by looking at it no matter what the work order showed. With all the computer stores available there is no valid reason to ever purchase a computer from Best Buy in the first place....maintain that


No valid reason to ever purchase a computer from Best Buy?

How about price?  How about convenience?  How about simply wanting something off of the shelf, now, not something custom in two weeks?  Or not wanting to have a computer that only the computer store that made it can service?

There're are plenty of reasons to get a computer at Best Buy, or at Sears, or Walmart, or anywhere else.  In fact, sometimes, the argument may be strongly against the computer store for the *average* user.


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## diamondbar1971 (Dec 7, 2007)

i stand corrected, you are absolutely right, everyone has their own reasons as to where they purchased their pc.


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## Bob Hubbard (Dec 7, 2007)

Were drifting a bit but....

I've built my own gear since 1996.  Last year I said the hell with it, and bought a laptop. Now first, you can't easily build those from kit. So I did some research and ended up at CompUSA to buy it.  Having previously worked for Computer City and casually knowing some of the techs at USA, I felt ok buying from them.  It was convenient, affordable and comfortable. 

Having been behind the counter myself, I can say that mistakes do happen. Tags, papers, all get misplaced on occasion.  Most places have systems they use to track things, but those systems are only as good as the person handling them.  Get a rush, have something fall and be misplaced, don't pay attention, it all breaks down.

All that said, I refuse to shop at Best Buy, because of their labor practices, poor overall tech knowledge, the large number of consumer complaints I've seen about them, repackaging of used and damaged equipment reports, and their most recent scandal with the "Geek Squad".


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## Cruentus (Dec 7, 2007)

jks9199 said:


> No valid reason to ever purchase a computer from Best Buy?
> 
> How about price? How about convenience? How about simply wanting something off of the shelf, now, not something custom in two weeks? Or not wanting to have a computer that only the computer store that made it can service?
> 
> There're are plenty of reasons to get a computer at Best Buy, or at Sears, or Walmart, or anywhere else. In fact, sometimes, the argument may be strongly against the computer store for the *average* user.


 
Exactly. You know, it's funny, because in the 1st post on this thread I said this: 



> I just bought a laptop from the evil best buy (just wanted one for overseas business and I took advantage of the "black friday" deals, so keep the jerk-off techie-elitist responses to yourself please, or I'll send the jocks over to break up the world of warcraft party  ).


 
 So I was pretty clear as to why I picked best buy, and why it was a good choice for me. It was basically all about the deal I was getting. And considering the chances I will take traveling around with a laptop, I just don't feel comfortable spending thousands of dollars knowing that I may very well destroy or lose the machine through my travels and will have to replace it anyway (and this is beyond any warrenty policy offered, or any type of resiliancy that a macbook or toughbook would offer). Not to mention, I had $260 worth of gift certs to Best Buy that I had compiled over a 3 year period. So...for me it was a good choice.

But, I am telling everyone, buyer beware. That is all I am saying.

As to what Bob posted; I don't expect them to have technical knowledge beyond the basics, so if I get anyone with a brain, I feel like I have come out on top. I will not take anything to the geek squad unless it is free (warrenty work). If I am going to pay for some work, I'll take it elsewhere. Downloading people's porn....well, I really would expect nothing less from them. I don't know anything about their labor practices however; so perhaps you could elaborate on that one.


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## Sukerkin (Dec 7, 2007)

Perhaps the biggest problem with stores trying to sell computers as 'white goods' is that, sadly, they are not.  It's as simple as that in the end.  

Like the people who bought cars in the early years of the automobile development, unless you have a certain degree of IT know-how then having a PC is ever going to be a roll of the dice.

So, I suppose, buying your PC from a corporate monstrosity actually makes a certain amount of sense - at least you have the reassurance of the suppliers reputation to draw on ... oh ... reads earlier posts ... hummm ... maybe not .

Sadly, I have a massively elitest-techie chip (yeah, computing pun attack !) on my shoulder about non-proficient computer owners so I'll have to bite my lip before I blurt out "If you don't understand how to use it and fix it then you shouldn't have one! It's not an effing washing machine!"

{runs and hides behind a rock}.


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## newGuy12 (Dec 7, 2007)

Sukerkin said:


> Sadly, I have a massively elitest-techie chip (yeah, computing pun attack !) on my shoulder about non-proficient computer owners so I'll have to bite my lip before I blurt out "If you don't understand how to use it and fix it then you shouldn't have one! It's not an effing washing machine!"



I so totally understand what you said here!  It is NOT some appliance, some washing machine or a refrigerator.  It can do logical anding, oring, it is the w0000----$@$!@#$!  !!!!!!!!!!

BUT -- I also know that not everyone is interested enough to dive into learning more about them.  I, for one, thing that Cruentus did the right thing.  He got a reasonably priced, adequate computer for what he needs, and if it ends up falling off of a helicopter or something, well,,, its not the top of the line, so its an acceptable risk.

Now, I did not have a computer until about, oh, 5 years ago.  I did not know how to turn one on!  But, I went to the public library as I was saving up money to buy hardware, and I read every freaking single book on computer hardware that there was, and even bought one book new.  

So, I bought the parts from this totally righteous guy who immigrated from China and he has the best computer hardware store around, totally leet!  Everyone in the "scene" around here knows him.  He's got a possie!

Then, I built the rig!  And I did it in a 1337 way! 

50% humidity
anti-static protection
naked!  (haha -- just kidding, but no shirt on either -- don't wish to have any static charges anywhere on my BABY!).

That rig is now colocated, but is dear to me, 'speeder' was my first! 

I think that everyone who is inclined should get some old rig, any P4 grade processor or above would be fine.  Then, TRASH IT!  That's right!  Hose that box!
Then, reinstall.  Choose a BETTER OS.  Do the GNU/Linux like Mr. Hubbard did on the server!  Get r0wdy!!!   Hahaha!!!  Yes!

It is so much easier to learn about these computer machines than it is to learn about, say, automobiles!   Then, you can always fix your own computer, and it is interesting to learn about them, too!

But, the bottom line of this thread is, no, you should not take some very expensive computer to any kind of shop like this.  Just get to know some people in your area who are computer enthusiasts instead, and they can recommend someone who is more reliable!

BestBuys are good for buying hardware at cheap prices, though, but,... haha!  newegg.com is a very good vendor, too!  Fast, cheap, reliable!


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## Kreth (Dec 8, 2007)

newGuy12 said:


> I think that everyone who is inclined should get some old rig, any P4 grade processor or above would be fine.  Then, TRASH IT!  That's right!  Hose that box!
> Then, reinstall.  Choose a BETTER OS.  Do the GNU/Linux like Mr. Hubbard did on the server!  Get r0wdy!!!   Hahaha!!!  Yes!


And this is how most computer geeks who really know their **** got started. Trial and error is a great teacher. Then you have the paper MCSEs who can show a nice resume, but are pretty worthless in RL, so they go to work for the Geek Squad. :lol:


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## Sukerkin (Dec 8, 2007)

It's how I learned after the PC revolution started (having been an 8-Bit geek build-your-own-computer-and-software before that).

I had an SX-25 (oooh!) running Windows for Workgroups 3.11 and essentially poked it 'till I broke it and then fixed it again.

There was noone to tell me how to do it (no interwebs) and no books on hand to learn from - I just hammered at it with raw mental horsepower and inquisitiveness until I had solutions.

Which is why I've always said that someone who learned from scratch in the commandline days is someone knowledgeable about how computers work and someone who learned in the 'graphical' age is someone knowledgeable in how to make Windows not break for five minutes.


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## newGuy12 (Dec 8, 2007)

Sukerkin said:


> (having been an 8-Bit geek build-your-own-computer-and-software before that).



Yes!  Old School!
:bow:




Sukerkin said:


> There was noone to tell me how to do it (no interwebs) and no books on hand to learn from - I just hammered at it with raw mental horsepower and inquisitiveness until I had solutions.



My gosh, Sukerin!  That's hard core brute force!



Sukerkin said:


> Which is why I've always said that someone who learned from scratch in the commandline days is someone knowledgeable about how computers work and someone who learned in the 'graphical' age is someone knowledgeable in how to make Windows not break for five minutes.



That's why I prefer to use the CLI myself!  You can always make the changes through ssh to the remote boxen, and it should be fairly consistent even across distros.  BASH is my choice, because it is the choice of the gnu-generation!  And I use the venerable vi editor because it is supposed to be ubiquitous, not to mention the choice of "cool users"!  Yes, given enough practice, I can even start to guess ahead of time switches to commands, and the man pages no longer intimidate me.  I can see now a certain method behind the madness.  I think that I am starting to "get it"!


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## newGuy12 (Dec 8, 2007)

Hahaha!  No one ever codes in asm such that they can fit it onto a 1.44 MB floppy drive.  Those days are gone!  Nowadays everyone can code with the interpreted languages and such, use the power steering and lay into it with the processing power, its insane. 

But, still, homie does not forward X!  No!  I'm in there, Mr. Sukerin!  I respect the ways that you mention!


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## Cryozombie (Dec 12, 2007)

You wanna know somthing funny about the Geek Squad?  I have a friend who does contract work for various companies doing warranty work on various peices of computer equipment, printers, and plasma/lcd televisions.

Geek Squad techs don't fix things that break in their office.  He does.


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## BrandiJo (Dec 12, 2007)

lol thats great.


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