[Ubuntu-Au Dinner]

[Andrew Swinn]

On Monday 08 January 2007 19:39, SMOK wrote:
> I went to Dick Smith shop and (of course) one of the sale guys asked me
> "can I help you?".
> I asked for a laptop with the Linux installed.
> Robert

Expecting any staff member of any Dick Smith store (now owned, along with 
Tandy, by the Woolworths Corporation) to provide sound advice is a pointless 
mission. I am surprised that he even knew what a Mac was.

There are probably a few employees left that do know their stuff, but 
unfortunately as a whole in my experience with many stores is that their 
staff quality level has dropped to rock bottom. It's now on par with walking 
into Big W and expecting to get informed advice on their range of laptops 
that they sell.

Unfortunately however, most people are driven by the almighty discount dollar 
and not by the quality of the individual who is providing the 'advice'. So at 
the end of the day we are dealing with a retail computer industry that is 
overpopulated with individuals of questionable experience, if any at all. An 
unexperienced industry, selling an inferior product to an ignorant society.

Sadly there is not one single computer retailer in this town that contains 
anyone with what I regard as 'computing knowledge'.

Regards,

Andrew Swinn (Phlosten)