A Dell Dimension 4550 Pentium 4 Processor at 2.53GHz, 512MB DDR SDRAM at 333MHz, 18.1 in 1800FP Dell Ultrasharp Digital Flat Panel Display. For the past 9 years I have been getting a new PC like clockwork every November; 1993 a 386-33, in 1996 a Pentium 100 and in 1999 a 500 Mhz Pentium III, but this last November I didn’t really need a new PC so I skipped it. I still don’t really *need* one, but my wife offered that I get a new one, so without really arguing against it, I bought one. Ships next week with arrival scheduled for the week after. I applied for a Dell credit card online and purchased the PC with it. They were offering 90 days same as cash so that is the way I want to go. After applying it said I should select that option at checkout. When I got done configuring and went through the check out I never did see the 90 day offer, but I did use my Dell CC.

After I received my order confirmation I called the number for Dell because I wanted to be sure I got the 90 same-as-cash deal. Attempt one, follow the voice mail options a couple levels down and it asks for my customer number or order number. After I punch in my order number, I get a recording saying that I’ve reached a number that no longer works and please dial 1800mmmmmm – disconnect. The number went by so fast that I didn’t get it memorized or written down. Attempt two, follow the voice mail options again and this time I try entering my customer number, same recording, but I’m ready this time and get the number written down. Attempt three, new number with a new voice mail trail. Only there doesn’t seem to be a correct option for me, they were all about companies with x number of employees, etc. Crap. I hang up. Then I notice that there is yet another number for Dell Financial Services in one of the emails, this has got to be it. Attempt four, still another different set of voice mail options that I try to follow correctly. It asks for me to punch in my customer number or order number. Oh no, not again. This time I get a message that my call s being transferred and I will here two tones and not to hang up. I then get two very LOUD beeps ( I see why they have to tell you about them) I am finally connected to some one in the Bangladesh office I think, as her Indian accent is thick that I can not really understand mush of what she is saying. After several attempts to get my question to her in a way that she can give an answer that I can understand, I say thanks and hang up. I think what she was trying to tell me is that if I was told I qualified for it that that is the way it is assumed I want to do it. We’ll see.