[Jas]

I was recently at a large Computer store. One that ACTUALLY carries some decent stuff, not your typical COMP-USA crap. Anyway, I was there looking for some new CC lights, and some fans.

Well this section happens to be right next to the Heat sinks, and various "cooling" accesories. This place carries some top of line stuff when it comes to Air cooling (TR, Zalman, Coolermaster, etc), however a more detailed look showed that whiel they do carry water cooling equipment, it was shall we say, lacking?

Anyway, Joe blow "I'm building a new computer" is over there looking at various cooling products, and seems intrigued by this "water cooling" stuff. He is drooling over a demo machine that was setup with a Zalman Reserator (very poorly I might add).

So Bubbles the Tech Monkey comes over and does the "Do you have any questions" please make me feel liek I know what im doing aproach. So Joe Blow says he is building a new system, and wanted to make it look cool. And thought the whoel water cooling thing was neat.

So of course at this point, I had to pretty much spy on this whole situation....

So Bubbles the Tech Monkey takes him over to the water cooling systems, and shows him <GASP> a TT Aquarius setup. I could swear I heard some brakes squeaking right then. Now rather than say, "This is a cooling solution designed more for quiet operations that performance cooling" bubbles the Tech Monkey proceeds to tell Joe Blow this is "one of the best performing coolers on the market (direct quote there).

So Joe Blow having some brain cells starts asking questions, namely how does that compare to the Zalman reserator, or the Big Water kit next to it. Well Bubbles the Tech Monkey who obviously doesn't know a hole in a molex conector from his butt spits out some garbage.

Bubbles the Tech Monkey goes on to say how the Big Water and Zalman reserator are EXTREME coolers, and according to him can basicalyl leap a tall building in a single bound.

Ok...

I'm not knocking any of the products here, but its exactly this type of misguided information that causes people to hose their computers or spend money on things they shouldn't be. The guy actually bought the Aquarius kit, after the Tech Monkey assured him it would cool many times better than any Air cooled solution they had. And this place has every damn TR heat sink not 2 feet from the water cooling kits.

So I followed this particular Tech Monkey some more, and his next endevor was helping someone buy a PSU. The guy in a nut shell needed a cheap PSU for a fairly new P4 system. Bubbles the Tech monkey handed him a $19.99 250 watt PSU......

Luckily for this guy bubbles the Tech Monkey went to help someone else, and I recomended to this person they spend the 49.99 for the 450 watt PSU, assuming they didn't want to be comming back.

I plan on going back tonight, and seeing if Bubbles is working, just to screw with the guy.......

[Sentential]

<sigh> just cant get good help anymore

[9mmCensor]

Damn. I guess I should sell my setup and by an Aquarius.

[MameXP]

gee..... thats why my gf love me so much .... She used to listen to those bestbuy/futureshop crappy technie

[bluediamond]

I love going into large retail computer stores and having the sales people try and sell me something that I really don't need, or is completly wrong. I love being treated as if I know absolutely nothing about computers, even though the salesmen know less than nothing about computers. When I was originally getting into building computers I was pricing out a computer, very basic setup, athlon 2500, stock everything, one hd, one optical and a floppy and they salesmen then tried to sell me a $120, 600 watt psu. I didn't know too much about computers at the time, but I knew enough to ask if I really needed all that power, and he replied that I definately would need at least that much.

[Jas]

yeeeesh

If you want to have some fun....

Go to pretty much any large chain store that sell computer components. And start asking technical things, about the worng products.

For instance, ask how many Vertex Shaders a sound card has.
Or if a DVD burner is SLI capable.

I asked a guy a few eeks ago if a PSU was a single or double pass, and if it took 1/2" barbs.

He said he was sure it was a double and yes....

[ctrl_alt_del_]

Originally Posted by Jas

yeeeesh

If you want to have some fun....

Go to pretty much any large chain store that sell computer components. And start asking technical things, about the worng products.

For instance, ask how many Vertex Shaders a sound card has.
Or if a DVD burner is SLI capable.

I asked a guy a few eeks ago if a PSU was a single or double pass, and if it took 1/2" barbs.

He said he was sure it was a double and yes....

LMAO - I just spilled coke all over my desk at work... thanks!

[Jas]

YW

Seriously, you have to try it.

[unreal]

yeah, i also did the same thing when picking up some quick parts for a client at comp-usa, after the sales guy walked away i redirected the customer to the 1 device he needed instead of 3 the techie said, he comes back and said no you need this, i then got into an argument on how stupid he was and explained why. he then proceeded to make a quick exit and said "ill have to check up on that." and didnt return..

[Albaholic]

Originally Posted by Sentential

<sigh> just cant get good help anymore

lol... when could anyone ever get any good help in stores like these. besides the one or two remotely knowledgable ppl they have to hire.


messing with crapusa employees is fun

[bluediamond]

When I used to work at a small local Ace Hardware we used to call up Home Depot and talk to someone in the tool department. We would then ask for things like a Metric adjustable wrench, or a board streatcher or a johnson rod we usually got a response that they were all out of what we needed.

[Jas]

Johnson rod, lol. I had an uncle who was a mechanic, who actually started dating my aunt though the sly misuse of a non existsant johnson rod on her car.

Long ass story, but thats funny.

[Aphex_Tom_9]

well...if you arent overclocking, a Reserator is an "extreme" cooler...

still, id love to see the look on one of those guy's faces if he saw my comp...

[Jas]

Oh god yeah, hrmm I wana go to comp usa and ask where the phase change cooling dept is...

[Quattro]

You should find the guy who bought the watercooling setup and handed him a bit of paper with www.ocforums.com written on it....

[Jas]

If only people would research.....

You know, if you know what you are buying its one thing. The Aquarius is perfectly fine if you just want a quiet cooling solution that costs $100. But when a tech monkey.....

[sunrunner20]

Yup, they can never be trusted, I also would not be suprised if somebody bought some overpriced RAM w/ a CAS of like 4 or something over a reasonabley priced RAM that was onsale w/ a CAS of like 2 or 2.5 "Well, this number is bigger and it costs more...."

[Quattro]

Originally Posted by Sentential

<sigh> just cant get good help anymore

Hence the forums....

I wasn't very clever before I came here, I knew how to build a pc and thats it really. Now I feel I've learnt so much I might even have a career change at some point.

[Aphex_Tom_9]

Originally Posted by Quattro

Hence the forums....

I wasn't very clever before I came here, I knew how to build a pc and thats it really. Now I feel I've learnt so much I might even have a career change at some point.

yeah, really. ive picked up so much useful info here in the past year.

[Dylruss]

As sad as it sounds, when they usually ask me if I need help (assuming if/when I even go to those places), then I just flat out say no. It saves me a headache, and them feeling useless.