OLPC Crisis: Customer Data Lost

[Bill McGonigle]

Update.  I got this e-mail:

> Dear Donor,
>
> Please accept my apologies for the delay in receiving your XO  
> laptop.  Give One Get One was such a phenomenal success that we  
> over-taxed our order processing and payment systems.  Demand  
> exceeded supply.    Additional XO laptops are being built now and  
> will be delivered in 30 to 45 days.  If you wish to reconsider your  
> contribution in the face of this delay, we will issue a refund to  
> you.  We have set up a dedicated phone line for these requests.   
> The number is 1-800-201-7144. In the meanwhile, please know that  
> laptops are in the process of going to Mongolia, Cambodia,  
> Afghanistan, Rwanda and Haiti as part of the "give one" side of the  
> equation.  Fortunately, OLPC's mission of getting laptops to the  
> children in these countries has not been delayed.  In Mongolia, the  
> children are already enjoying themselves and learning new things  
> with their XO laptops. Please see: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/ 
> Ulaanbaatar.  Eliminating poverty through learning is gaining wider  
> acceptance thanks to support like yours.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Nicholas Negroponte
> Chairman
> OLPC Foundation


So far I've been told that I'd have the laptop for Christmas, by the  
middle of January, by the middle of February, and now maybe by April  
1st (how appropriate).  I don't believe them anymore.

So, I called the 'dedicated' number they set up to get a refund and  
got their standard voicejail.    After I got disconnected once I  
called back and was connected with a (nice enough) person who was  
unfamilar with this e-mail and had to go get approval for a refund.

Googling finds that this number is the same one they've had forever.  
There is no 'dedicated' line, that was another lie.

Then she tells me it'll take three weeks(!) to process the refund  
request.  I'm not even sure I believe that they'll do that.  OLPC is  
behaving just like many of the scams out there, that try to string  
people along with un-sent hardware and un-processed refunds.  I asked  
them politely to expedite my refund and that I'll be looking into  
PayPal's Buyer Protection early next week if they can't.  I don't  
want to have to do that, but I also can't be out the money either.

I feel stupid for buying into this quasi-governmental/quasi-academic/ 
quasi-charity project in the first place.  I'm going to get an EeePC  
for my daughter instead and I expect NewEgg can get it here 3 days  
after I get the refund/place the new order.  It'll still have linux  
and with actual availability quite a community is growing up around  
them.  I'd like to learn about how I might be able to help local  
schools use them, and this situation is only driving home the point  
for me that the market is best suited to solve this need.  Plus they  
come in pink.

Rule #1 of any charity I've been involved with: treat your donors well.

-Bill

-----
Bill McGonigle, Owner           Work: 603.448.4440
BFC Computing, LLC              Home: 603.448.1668
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