Author Topic: Apple Declares Smoking Near Apple Computers Voids Warranty (Read 12889 times)

Innuendo · « **on:** November 23, 2009, 05:09 PM »

According to an article in The Consumerist if Apple finds evidence that there's been people smoking around your computer when you take it in to be serviced this will void your AppleCare warranty.

http://consumerist.c...azard-voids-warranty

Mac users better start erecting clean rooms for their computers & buy some air purifiers as well.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2009, 05:36 PM »

Not only that but if you notice the computer smoking, then you're really in for it!!

rgdot · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2009, 06:00 PM »

Not only that but if you notice the computer smoking, then you're really in for it!!

-MilesAhead (November 23, 2009, 05:36 PM)

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #3 on:** November 23, 2009, 06:02 PM »

Ya know, The last thing I need is yet another reason to hate Apple and their insanely (unwarranted) pious nonsense. But this is completely Over-the-Top. I will never buy anything from a company that is that pathetically stick up there ass retarded.

Second hand cigarette smoke is no more (or less) dangerous that any other smoke like that coming off a camp fire, or book burning.

@MilesAhead - Thanks, love the smiley, it got me to start laughing before I went ballistic...

JavaJones · « **Reply #4 on:** November 23, 2009, 06:09 PM »

I dunno, I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if Apple (or many other companies) would void your warranty for, er, book burning or camp fire smoke too.

- Oshyan

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #5 on:** November 23, 2009, 06:23 PM »

I seem to remember there was an iPod a while ago that smoked - does that mean the warranty on the owner is invalid too?

MilesAhead · « **Reply #6 on:** November 23, 2009, 08:41 PM »

@MilesAhead - Thanks, love the smiley, it got me to start laughing before I went ballistic...
-Stoic Joker (November 23, 2009, 06:02 PM)

Glad you enjoyed it. I'm on a crusade to find new good smiley sites. I've been using this one for years:

http://www.clicksmilies.com/

and just found that smoking one here:

http://emoticonizer.info/
(there's a great "pull your hair out" one there too)

but I'd like to find someplace where I could make my own that aren't just the tiny standard ones. I'm not artistic. Making my own from a paint program is futile. It needs to be wizard-based.

lanux128 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 23, 2009, 09:37 PM »

yet another Apple idiosyncrasies..

Darwin · « **Reply #8 on:** November 23, 2009, 09:45 PM »

Ya know, The last thing I need is yet another reason to hate Apple and their insanely (unwarranted) pious nonsense. But this is completely Over-the-Top. I will never buy anything from a company that is that pathetically stick up there ass retarded.
-Stoic Joker (November 23, 2009, 06:02 PM)

app103 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 24, 2009, 05:19 AM »

Why stop at smoking? Why not void the warranty if there is any evidence that you may have been drinking, too. We all know that alcohol and computing doesn't mix very well and people make more stupid mistakes when they are drunk than when they are sober...so why not?

If you get drunk and screw up your computer, they shouldn't have to fix it. </sarcasm>

tomos · « **Reply #10 on:** November 24, 2009, 05:41 AM »

[...]
If you get drunk and screw up your computer, they shouldn't have to fix it. </sarcasm>
-app103 (November 24, 2009, 05:19 AM)

excuse me ma'am, have you been drinking and computing

Of course,
I find my attitude affects my computer - if I'm impatient or stressed computer problems go up accordingly (magnetic energy maybe? or just the negative )))vibes((( or just pressing those damn keys too quick

). So maybe they should give me a personality test or put a hidden camera in my computer with sensory testing equipment to make sure I dont void the warranty aaaaghhh... :-)

JavaJones · « **Reply #11 on:** November 24, 2009, 01:03 PM »

Honestly I see both sides of this, and I think everyone is really overreacting and very polarized on the issue (not necessarily here, I mean on the wider web in general). Unnecessarily so.

Yes, I think Apple screwed up by not making this issue clear in their warranty terms. I presume they have a "toxic substances" clause of some kind in there, or at least one that is broad enough to cover that, but I don't think most smokers would really make that leap. So it should be spelled out since it's something they're likely to run into a lot given how many people smoke.

That being said, I don't see any problem with the grounds upon which they are refusing service, provided it is within the terms of their original warranty contract. As I said above, they should have been more clear, but nonetheless nicotine *is* a hazardous substance, and I think it's fair for technicians not to want to work on systems that are covered in smoker's tar.

People are talking up the potential legal action here in terms of the possibility that owners might sue. Well what about the possibility of Apple's workers suing for hazardous working conditions? In that light I think Apple is probably making a sound decision. The most they could lose from a suit regarding their warranty coverage is the cost of warranty or maybe the machine (plus legal fees), unless it turned class action, and even then it would still be relatively low overall damages. Whereas if the worker's union sued for hazardous working conditions? Could be big money.

Anyway the problem here is not the policy. I for one think it's perfectly reasonable, and even if you don't, no one is forcing you to buy Apple products or warranties. The problem is that they didn't let anyone know in advance (as far as I have read). If it's not in their terms, even if they have a general clause for "health hazards" (which they may well), it's still not clear enough to the average person without an explicit clause exempting machines in smokey environments. Such an exemption would clear up the whole mess in my opinion. Just don't buy Apple if you're a smoker and want warranty service. Or, you know, SMOKE OUTSIDE YOU IDIOT.

note: parts of this post are also posted on Betanews.

- Oshyan (the non-smoker)

app103 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 24, 2009, 01:28 PM »

How much training is Apple going to give their employees about telling the difference between tobacco tar film and the grease film caused by keeping a computer in a kitchen?

rgdot · « **Reply #13 on:** November 24, 2009, 01:31 PM »

Next thing you know using certain 'cpu intensive' programs will void the warranty...

JavaJones · « **Reply #14 on:** November 24, 2009, 02:02 PM »

How much training is Apple going to give their employees about telling the difference between tobacco tar film and the grease film caused by keeping a computer in a kitchen?
-app103 (November 24, 2009, 01:28 PM)

I don't know about you, but I could *smell* the difference quite easily. Are you all smokers, or what?

Personally I loathe dealing with anything that has ever had long-term contact with a smoker - clothing, furniture, anything. I bought a used dresser on Craig's List and the smell was so bad we had to keep it in our garage for a month, and then ultimately just repainted it, and I can *still* faintly smell it if I actually put my nose to the thing. Thankfully I don't have much call to do that.

- Oshyan

PPLandry · « **Reply #15 on:** November 24, 2009, 02:29 PM »

I've never smoked, but as far as I know, tobacco is legal and as such, I see no reason for refusing to honor a warranty.

Apple can easily supply an extra-ventilated environment which would be safe for workers repairing "contaminated" computers. After all workers in the chemical industry work with much more hazardous substances than tobacco tar everyday. You just need the proper environment.

MilesAhead · « **Reply #16 on:** November 24, 2009, 09:56 PM »

Why stop at smoking? Why not void the warranty if there is any evidence that you may have been drinking, too. We all know that alcohol and computing doesn't mix very well and people make more stupid mistakes when they are drunk than when they are sober...so why not?

If you get drunk and screw up your computer, they shouldn't have to fix it. </sarcasm>
-app103 (November 24, 2009, 05:19 AM)

Yeah, just the other day I was stopped at a road block. The officer told me it was determined I had published software with a known bug in the code. Apparently Mothers Against Dumb Debugging has determined the general public has for too long been victimized by promiscuous programmers who publish new programs before the old ones they've already written are perfect.

I tried to explain that none of my software was designed for battlefield use or keeping planes in the air. They through me in the slammer anyway. I had to post bond and sign a binding contract that any users of my free software could get double their money back if they found a bug.

app103 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 25, 2009, 05:45 AM »

Yeah, just the other day I was stopped at a road block. The officer told me it was determined I had published software with a known bug in the code. Apparently Mothers Against Dumb Debugging has determined the general public has for too long been victimized by promiscuous programmers who publish new programs before the old ones they've already written are perfect.

I tried to explain that none of my software was designed for battlefield use or keeping planes in the air. They through me in the slammer anyway. I had to post bond and sign a binding contract that any users of my free software could get double their money back if they found a bug.
-MilesAhead (November 24, 2009, 09:56 PM)

f0dder · « **Reply #18 on:** November 25, 2009, 10:40 AM »

Oh come on, JavaJones, you gotta be kidding. I'm a non-smoker myself and really dislike the stench of stuff that's been subjected to smokers for a while... but Apple is clearly (once again, no surprise) being total crapholes, and they're obviously only doing it to avoid fixing some of their broken crap. No, second-hand smoking isn't exactly healthy, but dealing with nicotine grit isn't really the same thing.

What's next?

Sorry, sir, we found pubic hair and semen in your laptop keyboard. Apart from the mere morality issues of what you've been doing, which could taint the minds and souls of our pure fragile engineers, this could be a big health risk!

We found traces of cocaine on your laptop lid and the monitor, so we cannot fix the machine. By the way, your DJ set at the rave last Thursday sucked, go blow yourself.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #19 on:** November 25, 2009, 12:04 PM »

What's next?
-f0dder (November 25, 2009, 10:40 AM)

Fluff?

JavaJones · « **Reply #20 on:** November 25, 2009, 12:39 PM »

I'm sure the line is drawn somewhere. What if they found human feces inside the computer? Just put on some gloves and a mask and go to town? Yes, I am indeed equating nicotine tar to human feces.

- Oshyan

MilesAhead · « **Reply #21 on:** November 25, 2009, 01:05 PM »

I'm sure the line is drawn somewhere. What if they found human feces inside the computer? Just put on some gloves and a mask and go to town? Yes, I am indeed equating nicotine tar to human feces.

- Oshyan
-JavaJones (November 25, 2009, 12:39 PM)

Adds a whole 'nuther level to the "garbage in, garbage out" cliche.

40hz · « **Reply #22 on:** November 25, 2009, 01:20 PM »

I'm guessing this was all brought about either: (a) a service tech with a personal anti-smoking agenda, or (b) a disgruntled employee who is trying to create some hassles for Apple.

And Apple...ever conscious of potential insurance liabilities (since the jury is still out on many of the "second hand" health risk claims)...decided to sidestep the issue and leave it up to the individual employee as to what to do. Notice how they refuse to comment specifically about cigarette smoke residue? That's Apple doing a classic 'duck & cover' and hoping the whole thing will go away.

Personally, I'm betting it's a pissed-off Apple employee who found a way to create a hassle that his management group can't just dismiss out of hand.

I knew a copier tech that hated to go out on the road. Of course, that posed a bit of a problem since that's what she was hired to do. So she decided that exposure to the "fumes" coming from a photocopier posed a significant health risk to her and unborn children. (This might sound crazy, but there were a bunch of irresponsible news stories circulating about such "potential risks" at the time she made her claim.)

So after some "back & forth," the company gave her an office job (at a higher salary) just to shut her up.

I asked her boss why they let her get away with it. He said that it just wasn't worth it to the company to get tied up in court for the next 20 years defending themselves in what would probably end up becoming a class action lawsuit. It was just too expensive - even though they were sure the case would ultimately be dismissed for lack of scientific proof.

Then he shot me a wink and said: Besides, there's always that slim chance she could be right.

zridling · « **Reply #23 on:** November 25, 2009, 02:06 PM »

Hey Apple, I'm fat. Void me!

Just saw on Twitter that farting near your Apple computer will void the warranty, too.