Play "Magical Mystery Tour" if you like! :))
(In MSIE you may need to hit either ESC or the MSIE Stop button to kill it;
or maybe you'd like simply to turn your volume way down.)
Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 15:10:37 -0400
From: njoy <njones@bway.net>
Reply-To: njones@bway.net
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: ziphelp
Dear Steve, I have been looking a few hours now trying to find some
help from iomega for zipdrives and I have found no help - I was just
wondering if by chance you know of some way I can get through to someone
there about my nonworking zipdrive. I'd sure appreciate it. thank you-
I like you site Nancy
[Hi, Nancy! :))
Thanks for writing, and thanks for your kind words! However, I am sorry to say that I have no clues to give you other than those already given on related site pages, especially those at
If you find something that works better than anything I already posted, please share it, OK? :)) --SL, 4 May 1997]
X-Sender: pjk@mail.fiber.net Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 13:26:06 -0600 To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com> From: Pete Kadish <pjk@fiber.net> Subject: Iomega Complaints - The Saga ContinuesSteve:
Just F.Y.I
Here's an attachment of
(Document is in WordPerfect 6.0/7.0 format)
and also to:
Kim B. Edwards CEO Iomega Corporation 1821 West Iomega Way Roy, Utah 84067 Beth E. Kearsley Complaint Analyst - Consumer Rights Office of the Attorney General State of Utah 160 East 300 South Box 140872 Salt Lake City Utah 84114-0872 Better Business Bureau 1588 South Main St. Salt Lake City, UT 84115 I'll keep you posted if anything comes of it all. Pet Attachment Converted: C:\IomegaSu.wpd Officer Pete Kadish Alpine / Highland Police Department 20 North Main St. Alpine, Ut 84004 pjk@fiber.net http://www.fiber.net/users/p
From: wpb@best.com Date: Sun, 04 May 1997 19:19:59 -0800 To: s@TheRiver.com Subject: Class Action LawsuitSteve
I notice that the prominent link to the class action site
I continue to hang in there. Am writing catalogue companies that
continue to offer rebate on Iomega products to warn them.
For your visitors who have AOL account check out msg board at Iomega
Forum under topic 'rebate'. It's even more impressive, than what I read
here (if that's possible).
Nine months and counting. (will have to use my toes soon!).
Bill Bieber
[Gee, Bill, :))
I was wondering whether or not anyone would ever comment on that change to this site! You win the Gold Star Award [which means the display (by kind permission of Owsley Stanley) of this image; sorry, but I can not afford to give you the original! ;) ]:
might well capture your interest (please come back here, when you finish seeing what Owsley has been doing!). This "Gold Star" is labeled sun.gif and can be seen, together with others of Owsley's enamel works, at
http://www.crl.com./~zbear/pieces.html
It was a tough decision to move the link to the rebate-class-action site into the CONTENTS section, but that made sense to me because I am trying to simplify the site and to ensure that people stay at it long enough to learn what they need to know from it. I have been getting lots of mail that indicated to me that people were not taking time to read what is here, before firing off questions that indicate their expectation that I should do all their work for them. I thought that this might be because they were going off to fill out a rebate-issue form and coming back only to ask a question. So, I moved the link and downgraded the prominence of that still very important hotlink and issue. If you really look for it, you'll still find it! ;)
Another reason for downplaying the rebate-lawyer site at this point is that my own site had as its original purpose trying to call attention not to rebate problems (important and disturbing though those are), but to problems with getting service from iomega. At least some lawyers have now tackled the rebate questions, but nobody that I know of has followed through with filing a class-action lawsuit against iomega due to its poor record with respect to service. I am simply trying to keep things into perspective and to restate my opinion that some lawyers really ought to be going after iomega and all other corporations who treat their own customers so cavalierly as to lead to questions about not just ethics but also about legalities.
Thanks for your aiming aol readers to that AOL SITE. Too bad it is not accessible to the rest of us.
I hope you have feet! ;) Thanks for writing again, Bill! --SL, 6 May 1997]
the other day we got it in the mail, were we surprised I suppose that they
are getting there act together slowly but sherly. I hope that the other
people out there have had such luck.
take care & best wishes
Sinserly Phil.S
[Hi, Phil! :))
Thanks for sharing this good news! Perhaps there is hope for others, as well. --SL, 6 May 1997]
[Hi, Bill! :))
Thanks for adding your story to the saga. --SL, 6 May 1997]
Desperately awaiting the 120MB Floppies, cheaper and easier to use..
Regards, Burnt Iomega Customer.
[Hi, Gerald! :))
I can not believe that you do not have a strong case for consumer fraud, here. If this does not wake up some lawyers, I don't know what will!
Thanks for writing, Gerald. Best wishes. --SL, 6 May 1997]
Dealing with idiots, some of time, goes with the territory of owning a
computer. I think we all have products that we love and others hate. But
Iomega is different. I loved my Jaz for over a year, until that fateful
day when a disk failed. I now share the nightmare of other contributors to
your site. And never has it been so nightmarishly difficult
to speak to someone AND get the result promised. It's only when something
goes wrong with one of their products that we really get the full flavor of
Iomega as a company. It's pretty awful.
I'll keep doing my part to "notify" the unsuspecting public and magazine
editor's until Iomega cleans up their act. You're doing a great job
encouraging people to voice their complaints. One voice in the wind can be
ignored or misunderstood, but many thousands of voices cannot forever be
ignored.
Carol
[Hi, Carol! :))
Thanks for your kind words! :))
I appreciate people telling others of my Home Page's URL, thanks, Carol! No Problem!! ;)
I appreciate your points about customer service being part of what users should expect as part of a product, when they buy it. I also appreciate the point that magazines should run tests on products before endorsing them. Few do, it seems.
Carol, thanks for doing your part to warn other potential customers away from iomega. --SL, 6 May 1997]
[Hi, Norman! :))
Thank you for adding your sound to the fury of the storm, here!! Best wishes. --SL, 7 May 1997]
[Hi, Amy! :))
I can't argue with your surmise! To the rest of the potential charges is added theft, I guess.
I wish you a change in luck. Thanks for writing. --SL, 7 May 1997]
[today]. feel free to post it if you wish.
*snipped body of letter to kim edwards*
This is funny - both of us have the same name and have had nightmare
experiences with Iomega. Mine are just about sorted out now - after
months! Anyway, I just wanted to tell you thanks for putting up the site -
nice to know I'm in good company! I also made use of the phone numbers on
your site in my continuing effort to get my rebate and to get the technial
support charge off my mastercard.
Steve
[Hi, Steven! :))
Gee, are you the Langford who ruined my credit rating in Honolulu when using a MasterCard, one of which I never owned? ;)
hehe
Not to worry, that finally got straightened out. :))
Or, perhaps, the one who is involved in TV productions? ;)
Seriously, I am pleased to meet you, glad to hear that your problems with iomega are pretty much history, and happy that you were able to put my site to constructive use!
Thanks for writing! --SL, 8 May 1997]
Any one sueing the shit out of these parasites whould get the National
Justice award for the year award.
I personally think we should send the AFT to do a WACO WACKO on their
home office, but I quit sure campaign contributions took care of that.
solardan@gator.net
[Hi, Dan! :))
Actually, I would hope that anybody suing iomega would get more than that out of them! ;)
Sorry that they owe you so much money and I hope that you have availed yourself of the
I would rather trust in the legal system to surprise me by doing something meaningful about such problems than to become even worse than those whose injustices I am fighting, here.
Thanks for writing. --SL, 8 May 1997]
To tell you, I would rather have not got this disk... it's just another
insult after all the effort I have been through (waiting since sept. 96)
to meet the terms and condition. Anyone else receive the zip disk? I
got 2 of them, I have 2 rebate submissions being denied. I want to toss
them in the garbage - but that would be to easy... so I will use them
and wait for the law suit to hit the fan.... Later.... Steve
[Thanks for the update, Steve! :))
The law seems to grind awfully slowly. Meanwhile, iomega stock is edging up, again. If their stock prices were supposed to reach "hat sizes" (as was predicted some time ago), these guys must have really fat heads! ;)
Consolation prizes that do not meet the terms of the rebate agreement iomega made with its customers is a pretty cheesy way to do business, IMHO. I share your distaste for the iomega brand of cheese.
I wish that the lawyers would have a greater impact than they seem to be having, and I'm not sure what I or anybody else can do except to keep on complaining to authorities and to keep on sending your own info regarding rebate problems to
Thanks for writing again! --SL, 11 May 1997]
[Dave,
I gather that this article (which I just saw for the first time) appeared in the Standard-Examiner, but I think that you should indicate the date it appeared. Also, can you point to the URL (if any) where iomega's own press release on the subject appeared?
I note from that article that users are warned away from using jaz disks with dates of manufacture between 13 March and 20 April 1997 and that they should send
{RIGHT! GOOD LUCK!!}
or should
for more information. I'll be eager to learn whether anybody happens to get good help from either of those options. It would be good to see a break in the trend of lousy iomega support for its own customers.
Incidentally, I did call that 1.800 number and learned that when you are put on hold it is by "iomega consumer affairs," so this may be a number for people to call with other problems, too. --SL, 12 May 1997]
Today, my girlfriend and I were
having breakfast at this restaurant, and a friend I knew at Iomega
told me that it's because Malaysia didn't make the disks right, it
had NOTHING to do with the suppliers!! Why not the suppliers??
Because ROY get's the SAME parts from the SAME supplier and they
haven't had any bad disks go out.. [They] just sent more trainers,
Quality Auditors, and the Director of Jaz back down there to retrain
those 15 year olds!! Woo hoo!! This should definately go on your
page.. Danke!!
P.S.
[Bitte, Dave! :))
You'll soon be zipping right by my own counter, I guess, Dave! :))
Thanks for the update! --SL, 12 May 1997]
... just another screwed iomega customer here. I appreciate your
diligence and am beginning my own communication cruscade and notice...
there is no way to get the name of an individual to address a letter
to at Iomega. I've looked through their site. I've combed through the
dissident sites, I've looked through the brochure, I've asked customer
services. No names of persons. Nowhere. Hmmm.
Also, is this really an American Corporation?
I hope your endeavors are successful.
[Hi, Lorraine! :))
Thanks for your kind wishes and for adding to the story here! You can find some names at this site, by starting with a visit to the page where I offer
I hope that this helps.
Thanks for writing, Lorraine! --SL, 12 May 1997]
Where do I start. I got your address because my Ditto 420 tape backup
started locking up no matter what I did. I tried to reload the software
and the computer, an IBM Aptiva I Love, told me the floppy wasn't working.
I tried to call Iomega and discorvered they have no tech support. When I
first baught my IBM I knew nothing about what I was doing and depended on
the salesman at Circuit City. Big mistake. Circuit City, I discovered,
sells mostly defective products. I bought the tape drive so I could back
up all of the software crammed in the IBM. I returned the first tape drive
I bought because I could not get tapes for it without ordering them. The
tapes Circuit City sold me were not the correct ones. I took the drive
back and got the Ditto 420 which uses the tapes they sold me. I installed
the drive and then discovered the software was not compatable with Windows
95. The salesman, who was very sharp since he quit soon afterward, managed
to get the correct software from the net and installed it for me. I made
my major back-up and then didn't use the tape drive for quite a while
because I could floppys for my back-ups and they were easier. I receintly
bought a digital camera and needed the capacity of the tape drive for my
pictures. It lasted two months, three back-ups, and started locking up on
me. After reading all of the responces to your warning I am thinking of
using the tape for target practice and buying a new one. I went through
massive frustration and headackes from other products I got from Circuit
City and I would not take a product from them now if they gave it to me for
free. I thank you from saving me from another bout. You are providing a
great service and if you could put Iomega out of business I would love to
see it. We could help each other by also mentioning companys with
excellent service. I recommend IBM. They have helped me a number of times
for free on problems that were not even theirs. Texas Instruments is also
very good. You can use anything I've said if it helps in any way.
Sincerly,
David Wilson
[Hi, David! :))
Well, I wish you had seen all this BEFORE you bought your iomega stuff. I certainly did not start out to put iomega out of business, but I have become convinced that that would not be a bad result.
I am certainly willing to put a few personal plugs for alternative products and companies on this site, buit I have decided not to accept advertising from any company that might stand to gain from iomega's demise, and I don't think it would be right to give some but not other companies free advertising, so I keep all that to this low-key level.
I appreciate your taking the time to share your story. It all adds up! Thanks for writing. --SL, 14 May 1997]
I am a small self employed person ... who needs every penney out of
every dollar he spends to stay in business. About 6 months ago I bought
a IBM Aptiva and I use it for this business, in the preloaded software
is a copy of Iomega software. Recently I have been worried about backing
up my unit and I was about to go for the Iomaga zip drive.
After reading your material on the web you have just saved me alot of
trouble and expense. I am all by my self here, their is no one to ask
questions and if I need support on a new piece of equipment, and I have
to play games with these people it can really cost me dearly!
Not to say I haven't had problems with IBM, but it's not as bad as the
support you have talked about with Iomega.
Maybe your idea of another hard drive is the answer, I think it would
save me some more gray hairs.
Thank you so much for your article, I'm sure you have saved me alot
of time!!!
Jim Piercy
[Hi, Jim! :))
It is nice to have somebody read these tales of woe and then decide to avoid such problems by simply not dealing with iomega -- rather than adopting the "It can't happen to me" attitude and daring to ignore these warnings.
I am not sure whether getting a hard drive for backup will save you from getting any more gray hairs, Jim! But I think that you are making a wise and informed decision.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Best wishes with your business! --SL, 15 May 1997]
My one remaining cynicism in this affair rests with the matter of
what I perceived to be some, 'Free Software' to be included in the
package. The software that I have received is just another package of
demo software packaged to look like an Iomega version of the same
stuff that I can and have downloaded and ordered from Now Software's
web-site without charge. Indeed what I received from Iomega is an
out-dated version which Now Software updated for me a month
previously.
What remains to be considered, particularly by Mr. Anatoli, is that
I have received the package. I have unpacked and used the items
enclosed. And I have cashed the check. This may well make this
message moot and disqualify my further participation in any
class-action that might be active. If this is so, then I regret my
actions since I remain unsatisfied in my dealings with Iomega.
As I said, I have elected to limit my response to you and Mr.
Anatoli so as to limit it's effect to the arena of my most heart-felt
concern. If indeed I have excluded myself from participating in any
class-action that might be active, then so be it. I will compose my
response to Mr. Briscoe, or whoever it is who answers the mail at
ercet@Iomega.com without affiliation to any class-action that might
be active.
I must leave to the legal eagles decisions regarding questions related to whether or not people still have actionable complaints against iomega when -- after so long ignoring you and others in similar situations -- they finally, under duress of existing legal action, change their colors and act so nicely.
I can only offer my own opinion that iomega has established what to me seems to be a pattern of doing as little as it can for its customers, until the threat of legal action is real enough to demand attention. Whether or not a judge and/or jury would agree with me would depend, I suspect, upon whether or not attorneys are successful in obtaining from iomega records of rebate complaints lodged against it and its subcontractors, in order to establish whether or not a pattern of deceit or fraud exists.
Although it could well be that this site has merely drawn responses from the very small percentage of customers who have real and substantiable claims against iomega, I tend to doubt that this is the case.
Although it may be that iomega has taken to heart the plethora of criticisms that have been leveled against it, regarding rebate and customer-service problems -- and that they really are trying to make 1997 the year when they fix such problems once and for all -- I am enough of a skeptic to wonder whether or not this tiger can so readily change its stripes. I remain firmly ensconced in the "show me" camp.
It seems to me that iomega corporation has done lots of harm to lots of people, during its climb "from rags to riches." I hope that legal redress against iomega will be swift and forceful enough to serve notice not only to iomega but to all corporations in these United States of America that customer satisfaction is more than merely the key to long-term corporative success -- that it is a corporation's legal obligation to live up to its promises and to give customers a reasonable amount of free, initial support ... so that customers are able either to have their products working properly or have their monies back without any hassles and in a timely fashion.
Thanks for this update, Guy! --SL, 15 May 1997]
Thanks for all your help in providing me with the addresses and
information I needed to file complaints about Iomega's rebate 'activities.'
I have written to the Atty. Gen. offices of the states of Iowa, Utah, and
Illinois to formally complain about their refusal to pay rebates. I
included your website as a source of information that led me to think that
my experience was not an isolated incident.
I should also note that after I left voice mail at their "executive
response" team saying that I had complained to my state atty. general, they
actually called and left a msg. on my answering machine. Amazing how that
works.
Thanks again,
Michael Clark
[Michael, you are very welcome indeed! :))
I am delighted to know that putting some legal pressure on iomega has at least gotten their attention for you. I hope that they now come through and make you glad that you have fought for that which should have been without a fight.
Wouldn't it be nice if some state attorneys general were to act in concert to straighten out iomega, after the same fashion as they did against aol?
Your email is timely and substantiates my view that iomega is scrambling now to cover its tracks when (and only because?) legal ramifications are involved.
Thanks for this update! I hope that you gain real satisfaction. --SL, 15 May 1997]
I just got off the phone with Tehnical Support at IOMEGA and was told the
following, "the box reads the same for all versions of our product, I am
here to trouble shoot your system, I am not responsible for what the
Marketing people put on a box". I stated that I was looking at a large lable
on the end panel that is clearly marked "ZIP PARALLEL PORT" and approx. 1/8
inch to the left is the statement " up to 20MB per minute transfer rate".
I was told that the 20MB per minute transfer rate only applies to SCSI
models. The heading for the Specifications list does not say "Specifications
for SCSI", it states "Specifications:" only, and this is approx. 1/8 inch
from a big bold label that reads "zip parallel port".
If I am barking up the wrong tree set me straight. If I am looking at a
Laptop Computer, or a new car and reading the specifications, the
specifications apply directly to the make and model that I am reviewing, the
same holds true with hard disk drives, accessory boards etc, I have never
looked at a Spec. sheet for a product and then been told "well that is only
for our such and such a model but we put it here too".
>From my point of view this is a deliberate effort to misslead me in my
decision making process.
Thanks,
Bill Sutter
P.S. Please feel free to use the above information at will.
[Hi, Bill! :))
Good to hear from you again!
I think that you have a good point, in that the "up to" does not apply to the unit in the box you were holding. Now it is just a question as to who handles false advertising problems. I am not a lawyer, but my guess is that this is one for the
Thanks for writing, Bill! --SL, 16 May 1997]
I've had a problem with a Iomega Ditto 2BG Tape Drive. Installed it on a
recently purchased 6x86-P166 system. Followed all the advice on the Iomega
Web Site. Got "tape is unreadable, probably unformatted" message. Then
removed the Conner 3.2GB Travan tape drive from a new Pentium 166 system,
installed the 2GB and software. Could read and restore Conner QIC-Wide and
TR-3/3.2GB tapes. Still got the same message for the 2GB tapes (4 from two
different stores from two different states).
According to one Iomega tech who left a message on Jim's www.juip.com
website, when you see this problem, it is because you need a tape
accelerator board. Your floppy controller is not fast enough. I am at my
wits end. I don't want to call their $15/call tech support. I haven't
been able to talk to or E-mail someone at Iomega who deals with customer
services or tech support.
I've messed with computers enough to know what I am doing. (Even worked
full-time as a real-time programmer doing process control programming,
assembly language, systems programming. Been working intimately with
computers for the past 13+ years. Installed hard drives, tape backups, I/O
cards, video cards, motherboards, power supplies, memory, floppy units,
wire wrapped cards, modified bios, patched drive parameter tapes on boot
sectors, disassembled utility programs, etc.)
My guess is either 1) bad tapes 2) defective drive 3) poorly, improperly
engineered firmware that requires a faster rate than 3.2GB, or wrong
firmware. 4) Ditto software is wrong version. Since the drive doesn't
format tapes, I cannot correct this problem if it is the tapes.
[Hi, George! :))
Personally, I don't have any direct experience with either tape drives or Pentiums. But it sounds as though you were able to make the Conner Travan drive work in the same system where the iomega one would not. That could be due either to software or hardware problems, or to both, as you know.
I have seen the need for the accelerator board mentioned in previous correspondence, but I forget what the context was. You might want to do some file searches on pages that present older correspondence, if you think that such might be helpful.
My quickest advice is to return the iomega product and get your money back ASAP, if that is a real possibility. I have not yet heard positive feedback about how much good, free tech support iomega is now giving its customers, in light of its recent claims to want to improve its image.
When you say " poorly, improperly engineered firmware that requires a faster rate than 3.2GB" you lose me. Is that a typo or an incomplete thought? I thought that the 3.2GB referred to capacity, not to access/transfer rates.
I guess that if you insist on keeping the iomega tape drive you'll have to experiment by buying their accelerator board.
How manufacturers get away with selling peripherals but not stating clearly what other equipment might be needed to make them work, is beyond me. Isn't that misleading to the point of fraud? Don't we have laws against fraud? Could this be another place where the
Sorry I can 't be of more-direct help, George! Best wishes, and thanks for writing. --SL, 17 May 1997]
After reading in newsgroups about the rebate problems, I made doubly
sure I included all the right documentation, made copies and then sent
my rebate form by Canadian Registered Mail. Lo and behold, I received
my rebate cheque in about 7 weeks... payable to someone else! The
cheque left out half of my last name! Needless to say I won't be able to
cash it. Could be simple human error, couldn't it? But then again...?
And, interestingly, the accompanying letter does not include the usual
company return address and phone number that is standard on most company
letterheads.
And here's a little service story. The IS consultant where I work was
having trouble locating software to make a Mac Zip drive read
DOS/Windows files. After about 10 minutes trying unsucessfully to
explain the problem to Iomega Customer Support, the Iomega rep finally
said something like "I don't have time for this" and hung up! This on a
paid support line!
Are others still having problems like mine?
Mike
[Hi, Mike! :))
I am certain that with the millions of units that iomega has sold and continues to sell, other people are having problems similar to yours. To me, the real question is: "What percentage of iomega customers are having such problems?"! As I have suggested before, only a court order to open the records of iomega and its subcontractors would hold any promise of shedding light on answers to such questions.
I don't know whether or not you could cash such a check as you describe. Perhaps you can sign the name as on the check and then sign your own name. As there is no attempt to defraud on your part, I don't see how you could get into any trouble if your bank lets you deposit such a check to your account; of course, I am no lawyer, and do not offer these thoughts in any way pretending to be one. However, I would try to cash the check, were it in my hands and were the money indicated on it properly owed to me.
You are not the first person to note that iomega seems to be rather reluctant to give out its return address or useful phone numbers.
I hope that the IS consultant or your company will vigorously protest any charges on phone bills or credit cards that derive from such unsatisfactory service. Only when people get fed up enough with such treatment to protest actively, will service improve, I believe.
Also, I suggest that people make it a standard rule to take the time to write down the names of service people, right at the start of a conversation. Then, should such rudeness or incompetence occur, procedures can be followed at least to let the company involved know who in particular treated a customer so poorly.
I am pleased to learn that your readings at comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage seem to indicate that iomega has begun to do better with its rebate program. My feeling is that they never should have let things get so out of hand in the first place. If their negligence is not deemed to rise to the level of criminality, perhaps a civil court would be the place to pursue restitution. I do not claim that I am the first to have thought this or that this idea is mine alone.
One of my central messages at this site is that, in my humble opinion, people doing business have tacit obligations to meet minimal standards of service -- whether that means technical service or the meeting of financial obligations such as those made to customers owed rebates . If companies and corporations do not meet such minimal standards, they can expect and well deserve a loss of goodwill and of customer base ... no matter how good may be the product/s for sale.
Certainly, a great many people have had a great many problems due to a lack of speedy, friendly, and trustworthy customer support from iomega. No wonder people might justifiably (IMHO) wonder whether a botched check might actually be part of a new scheme by iomega to dodge its financial obligations in pursuit of an increased bottom line, at the expense of whatever public goodwill remains. In my opinion, if iomega had done its best all along to treat its customers more as potential repeat customers than as fools whose money should be taken without regard either for their feelings or for whether or not the product ever worked, they would not now have this problem regarding lack of trust from their past customers and from those who read such horror stories as those presented at this site.
It will not be easy for iomega to regain the trust of customers it has treated so very badly, IMHO.
Thanks for writing, Mike! --SL, 18 May 1997]
Mike
[Well, Mike, ;)
Your title "Director of Integrated Media Services" suggests to me that you must have been around long enough for this not to be your first experience of "buyer's remorse"! :))
I have been told that zip drives were actually manufactured in such a way that a profit could be made even if they were to be sold for $70 ($US). If zip drives were to sell for $70 each, I might be sorely tempted to get at least one more, despite all associated risks!
Whether or not I would buy one these days at any price whatever remains quite doubtful, though. I do not want to get stuck with a unit made by a 15-year-old in Malaysia who has received insufficient training, which may be the way things are now, according to
elsewhere. (It may be true that you can not trust all that you read -- and this may be even truer on the Internet than in any other media.) Nor am I eager to lift my own boycott of iomega products; until, that is, I have become thoroughly convinced that iomega has cleaned up its act, once and for all.
But I am glad that since I do have a zip drive it is one of the earlier ones, made and sold before rebates were involved and made at a time when iomega was perhaps more concerned than they have become more recently, with selling products that people really could trust. That is how I keep myself relatively happy to have paid more like $200 than $130 for my zip drive. (One can rationalize almost anything.)
To be sure, if one pays for a peripheral that does not work, one would rather pay $70 than $130 for a paperweight, and one would rather be dealing with a company that is more eager (more eager than iomega seems as yet to have become) to help users make their new iomega purchases work ... and at no additional expense to the user.
Thanks for writing again, Mike. --SL, 19 May 1997]
WARNING:
!
Please skip the following letter,
I went through hell trying to get them to give me my two rebates that I had
signatures for (proving they received them). They claimed that even though
they received them, they were still considered to be "lost mail", which
they were not responsible for! The BBB finally got my money for me.
In the end, I got the last laugh, though. They "discovered my rebate in a
batch of misplaced rebates" and sent me three checks and three free disks.
Keep in mind, I had only sent in two, and had already been paid on them! I
kept it all, because I hate them so much, and it cost me so much to recover
my rightful money.
Their complete lack of tech support blows chunks. I bought a ZIP drive
that wouldn't work right. I called and got the notice of pay only support
- which is bullshit if it's a real problem on their part. I then Faxed to
the number listed in the manual. They responded through Fax, stating that
they wouldn't help me unless I called the pay-for-support line! I finally
discovered the solution in a hard-to-find (at the time) updated driver,
proving it was clearly their fault from the beginning.
They suck, period.
I will NEVER buy from IOMEGA again, and neither will my customers. I
switched to SyQuest.
[Hi, Todd! :))
Feel better now? ;)
Your kind words for SyQuest constitute as much free advertising as any company gets at this site. Your opinion concerning SyQuest v. iomega certainly seems to be shared by a great many people, these days.
What you do with iomega's rebate overpayment is between you, iomega, your conscience, and whoever else wants to get involved, I guess. It sounds to me as though you could defend their "overpayment" as underpayment for your time spent hassling with them, but I am not sure how the law would be interpreted if you were actually in court on that one. Perhaps you could touch bases with
on that.
In all condor, I am glad at least that iomega is beginning to find some of these lost rebates and is doing what they can now to make amends. They can't ALL be bad people! ;)
Thanks for writing, Todd! I hope tomorrow finds you in a better place. --SL, 19 May 1997]
Inn any case, I'm glad to see someone care enough to stand up to such a
prevalent company. Thanks for the dedication - I'm convinced it will help
the consumer.
[Well, Todd,
I hope it helps you, and I hope it helps others.
I guess by publicly proclaiming what you have done, you are in effect saying "So sue me!". I think that iomega would be smart to pass on that one. They have enough troubles already.
I would rather return to the times of yesteryear when such issues related to ethical treatment of customers did not seem to be so prevalent as they have become. I do think that things really have changed for the worse, in those regards. But maybe I just don't know how really badly consumers always have been treated by predatory companies in this nation. Too bad the authorities are not quicker to clamp down on stuff like this, though. There really are many things I'd rather be doing.
Thanks for your kind words. Best wishes! --SL, 19 May 1997]
I am the owner of a shiny new zip drive (lucky me!) I have had a few
problems getting a drive letter to appear in Windows 95 Explorer,
although I can force one by doing a "Go To". To solve this problem, I
decided to search the net for any info that might help, as I almost
never bother with the so-called "Customer Support" lines for any
computer related company (The only exception is
I therefore found your page by accident, and I must say that I find it
somewhat alarming, however, are Iomega really any worse than any other
company? [Just to be a nit picker, I shall answer in the affirmative to the question as posed. There ARE companies that treat their customers extremely well. The best example I can offer from my own personal experience is that of Golden Software, Golden, Colorado, USA. Customers can call Golden's 1.800 number and receive detailed, comprehensive, caring help! There are also magazine articles that rate companies' service departments. I forget where I saw some such results lately, but iomega was not mentioned in the excerpt I saw -- as being either very good or very bad. --SL, 20 May 1997] Take, for example, Mr Gates and his Microsoft corporation. [No thanks. ;) --SL, 20 May 1997]
Now, I am by no means one of those whingeing "kill Microsoft" types - I
actually like Win 95 as an interface [Me too. We are an odd couple, eh? ;) --SL, 20 May 1997] , and as I am reasonably experienced
with PC's I am not too frightened to poke about in the registry
(after backing up of course) to solve the odd problem! The analogy I
use, however, is to a car - [If] Win 95 were a car, and I had to adjust
the engine timing before every journey, and the trunk popped open
at awkward moments on the freeway, depositing its contents, there
would be no argument - the vehicle would be returned and legal action
taken! And yet in the context of computers - those mystical black boxes
on the desk - this behaviour is often accepted with a shrug, and
recourse to
I think we are all guilty by implication, for accepting and perpetuating
this state of affairs [Thanks. We agree, you and I. --SL, 20 May 1997] - MS and Iomega are not the exception, they are
the rule in the computer industry - I could bore you even further with a
list of stories of non-existent, or even worse, incorrect technical
support.
I hope your efforts succeed, and this should be seen as the thin end of
the wedge - its about time the entire industry was banged to rights.
Good Luck in your endeavours.
Crispin Driver
These opinions are mine and mine alone, and do not represent the
opinions of my company (even though it falls to me to sort out the
damned computers when they fall over!;-) )
[Hi, Crispin! :))
Gee, I like that "thin end of the wedge" and "banged to rights" phraseology! You British do have a nice way with words. :)
Thanks for your kind thoughts, Crispin! I like being at the cutting edge and I try to make a difference for the better, here and there, in the things I do. God knows, I don't always succeed! :) But it is nice to have support from people who try to see (and can so nicely articulate) both sides of this issue; and who can then agree that there is merit to my "case". I am the first to admit that the world is painted more in shades of gray than in only blacks and whites (ignoring, of course, the colors of the rainbow, for present argument's sake). But I believe that iomega's treatment of its customers has been indefensible. The more is the pity that iomega be not the only company one can blame for such a neglectful and exploitative attitude.
Thanks for writing! --SL, 20 May 1997]
[Hi, JP! :))
Understood. They don't get much thanks from most of the people writing to this site, though there are glimmerings that they may actually be making an honest effort now to improve their public image, whether or not their customer service.
Best wishes with your drive, and thanks for writing. --SL, 20 May 1997]
Well... the MACHINE works, but the utilities (especially 1-step backup)
give me harsh troubles.
I made a backup, and everything went right until I had to cancel one
session (this choice is supposed to be possible).
Well I did, and the next session refused to go.
I just lost 3 Gbytes of compressed datas.
I tried to reach any Iomega support... and the rest is on your site, on
every mail : impossible mission, or you have to pay for the unreachable
hotline...
If anyone has had the same problem, and found a solution (how to tell
this f... program that the good last part of the backup REALLY IS the
last, and not another empty file... please, reach me and help :
inutero@club-internet.fr is my company's address [you can also try
inutero@atlink.com] Thanks)
Well I see I am not the only one, and this is giving me the creeps : how
can such a company take your work as an hostage, just by its
incompetence? [For awhile, I thought it might be simple incompetence. But I have come to believe that such bad support can only derive from design. Thus is pollyannish naiveté transformed to pure cynicism. Treating customers this way ought to be criminal, IMHO. --SL, 22 May 1997]
I may not express myself clearly, for my English is not that fluent (I'm
French). [If I can claim a foreign language, it is French. But I would never dare to compare my poor French to your good English, Gilles. You have no reason at all to apologize. I have received less intelligible email from native Americans! --SL, 22 May 1997]
By, and thank you for the battle you've engaged against thiefs.
[Hi, Gilles! :))
Who first said that man comes from woman's womb and spends the rest of his life trying to get back in? Your "In Utero" must have an interesting origin. Care to share the story?
You have spelled out a story that is all too common for comfort. As sad as how bad customer support can be is how many people seem to accept whatever happens, no matter what. Such apathy leads to events such as The Holocaust, on the national, international, political, and historical levels. Whether or not enough public sentiment can be stirred for existing laws to be enforced or for new legislation to be written which prevents such travesties in the future, all remains to be seen. At least you and most of the people who have written to this site are not apathetic.
For now, all I can say is that maintenance of this site will resume on or about 14 June 1997.
Thank you for writing, Gilles! --SL, 22 May 1997]
Fortunately, I didn't have to. I must admit, I will not buy
another Iomega product. But thanks to you, I have my rebate in
hand.
I still don't hold out much hope for warranty service if my drive
has problems, though. :o)
Anyway, thanks again and keep up the good work!
[Hi, Jack! :))
Hey, sincere thanks for your very kind words of support.
I am delighted to hear that you have received a prompt rebate. I hope that you never need to rely upon iomega for technical support -- unless, of course, they are wise enough to cut some profits and spend reasonable monies on much better support than they have done to date!
I really don't know how much credit I can take for making your way smoother, but I am pleased that you think that my efforts and those of people who have contributed to this site may have made a difference for the better. I wonder, though, what can and should be done to ensure that all people doing business in these United States of America deal their customers with much greater concern for legal, moral, ethical, and humane treatment than such companies as iomega have been doing in the recent past. If we have made some gains, how can those be made permanent?
Maintenance of this site will resume on or about 14 June 1997.
Thank you for writing, Jack! --SL, 22 May 1997]
Keep up the good work!
BM
[Hi, again, BM! :-)
Thanks for your supportive comments and honest criticism. I always welcome specific suggestions for improvement.
Thanks for writing! :-) -- SL, 17 June 1997]
[Hi, JR! :))
Thank you, both for your kind words and for your sense of humor! It is easier to keep at a chore like this if one maintains a sense of humor.
Yes, the "You're the only one I ever heard of who ever had this problem" seems to be too common a mantra among tech-support folk.
Gee, I wonder how I could make this effort actually pay! If you have any particular suggestions, I am all ears! ;)
Thanks for writing, JR. Sorry to take so long responding, but now I feel refreshed and ready to resume the fight, after taking a good break. --SL, 17 June 1997]
In my case, I bought a zip drive about three months ago. The
advertisement on the packaging says a $50.00 rebate. The literature
inside says you get one within 6 to 8 weeks. Well, over three months
later and numerous runarounds when I try to call 1-800-MYSTUFF, I have
files a claim with the Attorney General's office in Sacrament at the
Consumer Inquiry Unit. $50.00 will not make or break me, but at this
point it is the principal of the thing. This company is engaging in
false and misleading advertising. They should not be allowed to rip-off
the American consumer this way...NO WAY!
Tell me what you think.
Bruce
[Hi, Bruce! :-)
I think that you have the right attitude and that you should not limit your protesting to the AG of California. Please see
Thanks for writing! --SL, 17 June 1997]
Please comment,
[Hi, again, Bruce! :-)
I hope that you have not lost your fighting spirit during my absence from maintaining these pages!
There IS a
I think that you definitely should register with Natoli et al.
Thanks for writing again, Bruce! :-) --SL, 17 June 1997]
I guess that the best way to help nowadays is to write letters, detailing your own problems and what actions you would like to see taken, to both
to join the
if that is appropriate, and to help me to locate competent and aggressive lawyers who can tackle the service-related issues.
"RIPZIP" I like! :-)
Thanks for writing!! --SL, 17 June 1997]
which is in WordPerfect 6.1 format. Thanx again and keep up the great work.
Jamal Nasrabadi.
Attachment Converted: C:\IOMEGA-2.WPD
[Hi, Jamal! :-)
Glad to see that you returned to my site, and I hope that you liked the changes you saw. I am always eager for specific suggestions as to how to improve this site, so feel free to share any such thoughts that you may have.
[Hi, "D6266XL@aol.com"! :-)
If back-ordering were the only problem with iomega, I could agree with you. I am not at all sure which letter you reference, but it seems to me that you could get a fuller understanding of all the related iomega problems if you were to spend some more time visiting my site and those related to it.
Thanks for writing! --SL, 17 June 1997]
I complied with all their "requirements" about the bar code strip and so forth. Haven't heard anything from them.
People who may be resigned about not receiving a rebate due to technicalities should think again. Once Iomega claims in their advertising that you get a $50 rebate if you buy a ZIP drive by a certain date, they have no right to add on additional conditions after you've already paid your money. Although a customer would normally try to fill out their form etc. as specified by Iomega, legally and ethically Iomega is still obligated to furnish the refund if you have purchased the drive by the required date and submitted a proof to Iomega. This particularly applies if they specify an ambiguous procedure for applying ("include the bar code", but there are two bar codes!).
If you spend very much effort on trying to get back your $50 you will soon be a loser -- you'll be working for less than the minimum wage! Could be that Iomega was counting on people to quietly resign themselves while Iomega makes a big $50 extra profit on each ZIP drive. I'm glad it's blowing up in their face.
Yours truly,
[Hi, Donald! :-)
Thanks for writing!
I hope that by now you have joined the
I think that it is about time that American consumers took corporations like iomega to task for poor service, shoddy goods, and fraud, whenever such complaints are justified. I hope that you'll put your justifiable anger to good use whenever such corporations/companies deserve stronger responses from consumers and consumer-protection agencies than they evidently have been getting in recent history! Furthermore, I hope that every reader of these pages will personally take on such "outfits" with greatest possible vigor, when they do not honor either their own promises or the consumers with which they deal. Only then will things change for the better. It should have noting at all to do with how much one gets paid to uphold what should be "default community standards," IMHO. --SL, 17 June 1997]
Wish me luck...
Steven Sauvé
[Hi, Steven! :-)
I think that it is more than obnoxious, that it should be made to be illegal, if it is not already so.
Happily, I have avoided jaz drives, but unhappily that means that I have no thoughts to offer you that are particular to your own problems.
Anyway, I hope that things have been working out for you during my absence. Thanks for writing!
Oh! Good luck!! ;-) --SL, 17 June 1997]
Mike Towery
[Hi, Mike! :-)
Well, I just visited
without any major problems. Perhaps you need a JAVA-enabled browser to view it properly?
I am pleased that you like the music at my site. Contributions of public-domain *.MID files are always welcome. Perhaps you will think of a tune that is more appropriate to a given page than is one I have put there.
I am also pleased that you are already aboard the rebate-lawsuit action. The more the merrier! :-)
Thanks for writing, Mike! Thanks for joining the boycott, too!! --SL, 17 June 1997]
[Hi, Philip! :-)
I guess you have a pretty good handle on the way things are. I think that NEC has also licensed the right to produce iomega-design disks and drives, too. Who knows how many others will also do that. Of course, iomega probably gets a cut on every such unit, as it probably owns patent and such rights.
If I were you, I would first try to get the vendor to take back those disks, despite the "all sales are final, no refunds or exchanges" notice. Failing such cooperation and despite my call for a boycott, I would try to sell your disks at a minimum loss. You have my permission! ;-) Perhaps somebody reading this will make you an offer. I hope so.
Thanks for writing! --SL, 17 June 1997]
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone
can start from now and make a brand new ending. -- Unknown
>----------
>From: John Viele
>Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 1997 1:25 PM
>To: 'funny@phord.com'
>Subject: FW: Oh how I love my Jaz Drive
>I find this humorous. Maybe you will too.
>Here is a copy of a message I sent to IOMEGA via their web site. They
>do not have a link to send mail to their customer service people, so I
>selected the link where you are supposed to write to them and tell them
>how you love your Jaz drive.
>The story you are about to hear is true. The names were not changed.
>There are no innocent.
[Hi, John! :-)
No, I don't think it is a great story. It is too sad and too common an experience for people who deal with iomega. However, your story is told with engaging pathos.
Thanks for writing. Best wishes! --SL, 17 June 1997]
Dear visitor,
Please click on the following graphic, to vote for this site as a
I do not mean to discourage you from writing something to be posted to this site, but please write to those in positions of authority, about such matters, too!
By the way, you might like to visit
Thank you for your interest!
Award! ;) 
X-Sender: philkar@mail.ies.net
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
From: philkar@ies.net (Phillip Stefaniuk)
Subject: Iomega rebate we got it
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 02:31:27 -0500
Dear Steve Langford
Date: Mon, 05 May 1997 22:26:40 -0400
From: bill thompson <bthompso@skipjack.bluecrab.org>
Reply-To: bthompso@skipjack.bluecrab.org
Organization: Aurora Street
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega
I, too, am about at wits end trying to deeal with Iomega's costumer
relations. I purchased a Zip Drive for my PC in December. Have yet to
receive my rebate, although I fulfilled my obligations as a purchaser
(the correct forms, etc.). They said they mailed me a rebate check in
March, even though I requested the "stuff" package. Never got even a
check. When I brought this to thteir attention, they said it would take
a month, at least, to make sure the check wasn't cashed. It's now May 5
and I have nothing. I called them today for the 4th time to check my
rebate status, and was put on hold. I had to disconnect, because I'm
tired of paying long distance calls to them. Here's the painful part of
this saga. I like their product very much and had to order a Zip Drive
for my Mac (which I need for work). Fortunately, the seller said Iomega
gave up its rebate and lowered the price to $149.95. At least I won;t
have to deal with them on the rebate issue on a second tier.
From: sales <dwilson@microarts.com.au>
To: "'s@theriver.com'" <s@theriver.com>
Cc: Gerald Bartels <Windows/sohalloran/GBartels@microarts.com.au>
Subject: Iomega Saga
Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 15:58:50 +1000
I bought a external parallel port Iomega Zip drive over the internal SCSI because I wanted portability. I installed the Iomega Zip Drive onto the back of a Dell Dimension Pentium machine and after about 5 minutes of downloading some files I smelt smoke coming from the Iomega Unit. Just after that it caught
From: "Carol E. Truscott" <csleuth@ibm.net>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: Jaz Drive
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 23:48:35 -0700
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
Great Site. I understand your negative feelings about Iomega. "I feel your
pain." I had written the editor of WinNt Magazine describing my problem
before I looked at your site. I mailed him back with a link to your
site... hope its OK. My primary concern was that the magazine was
recommending the Jaz drive to it's readers. Everytime I see a magazine
recommend this drive I will respond in the same manner. It's shameful that
magazines continue to recommend a product on it's spec's and promises.
Recommendations need to be based on how the product will actually perform
for the customer over a period of time. This product satisfaction includes
reliability and company support. Obviously, Iomega fails in company
support and product reliability. Reliable data back-up is a necessity, not
a luxury. I love using my Jaz drive to backup important data to disks that
may or may not readable or accessible. Gives me the creeps everytime I
copy to my Jaz. For safety's sake, I always have two back-up copies but
the doubt is always there. Once bitten twice shy. Will I ever trust
again? Can I in good conscience sell my Jaz drive and disks to some
unsuspecting sucker to get at least some of my money back?
that I have never encountered
such bad company product support.
Date: Wed, 07 May 1997 08:32:56 -0400
From: Norman Gillis <norman.gillis@yale.edu>
Subject: Iomega ZIP drive rebate
To: s@TheRiver.com
Organization: Yale University School of Medicine
Dear Mr. Langford:
Some additional info. re your IOMEGA complaint- I waited the required
(by IOMEGA) 8-10 weeks and then phoned to ask about my $50 rebate on a
Zip drive bought in Feb. 1997. I heard a long boring message from
IOMEGA about their product information etc. etc and then (this was
really irritating)was directed to their Web page which "is my link with
IOMEGA". Some link! I never could identify any information about this
particular rebate program.
All in all, I feel their action is deceptive and unresponsive to
customers.
Incidentally I called them at 1-800-770-2028, the number given on their
rebate offer. Good luck!
Norman Gillis
Date: Tue, 06 May 1997 13:59:38 -0400
From: Amy Canter <"amy@ohaflcio.org"@ohaflcio.org>
Organization: Painters Local 1275
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega Has a problem
X-URL: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/action.htm
I have tried for one year to get my Iomega Easy 3200 backup drive to
load properly after going through their tech support line... I returned
the drive and original packaging with an RMA number and they kept
everything, including the accelerator card. I have tried all day to
reach someone there to no avail.. Perhaps the worst customer servixce
in the industry......
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 10:44:40 -0500
X-Sender: cmstoltz@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu
To: <s@theriver.com>
From: marty-stoltzfus@uiowa.edu (C. Martin Stoltzfus)
Subject: Iomega rebate letter
Steve-
I came on your Web site this morning after getting my letter from
the friendly folks at Fenton that I will not be getting my Iomega rebates.
Keep up the good work on sticking it to these scam artists. They should be
sued for fraud. By the way I added my name to the class action suit. Here
is the
Sincerely yours,
C. Martin Stoltzfus
CC. Congressman Leach
Beth E. Keasley, Office of Attorney General, State of Utah
University of Iowa Information Technology Services-Computer
Equipment Sales
Iowa Book and Supply Company
Steve Langford, "Boycott Iomega" Web Page
C. Martin Stoltzfus
Department of Microbiology
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 319-335-7793
Fax: 319-335-9006
marty-stoltzfus@uiowa.edu
X-Sender: szlangfd@peseta.ucdavis.edu
Date: Wed, 07 May 1997 16:27:36 -0700
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: Steven Langford <sdlangford@ucdavis.edu>
Subject: Iomega
Hello Steve,
**************************************************
* Steven Langford Tel: (916) 752-7569 *
* Systems Manager Fax: (916) 752-8766 *
* UC Davis Law Library sdlangford@ucdavis.edu *
* Davis, CA 95616 *
**************************************************
Date: Thu, 08 May 1997 14:48:39 -0400
From: Dan Hargrove <solardan@gator.net>
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: IOMEGA CON
I purchased 3 zip drives with 12 disk for each along with 1 zip drive
and no disk. My rebate was supposed to be $260.00. You had to submit
your ORGINAL sales receipt. On 12/0/96 I get a letter dated 11/14/96
that tells me to respond by 11/30/96. Talk about CON ARTIST. How does
one respond back by 11/30/96 if you letter does not arrive by 11/30/96.
Further more they set by bulk mail.
Date: Sun, 11 May 1997 12:47:32 -0700
From: "Steve L'Italien" <cdezign@pacbell.net>
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega sent 2 free zips and bad news
On May 2, 1997 I received a free Zip disk from Iomega with a letter
thanking me for the purchase of my "Zip storage solution" Now this is
the kicker... the letter further stated: "Unfortunately, your rebate
submission did not meet the terms and conditions of the offer which
required the following items to be mailed and postmarked by the
specified date:"....blah blah blah..... They claim they have sold over
5,000,000,000 zip drives to date. My math tells me that if half the
people give up on collecting $50 rebates they have ripped off a great
deal of money.
Comments: Authenticated sender is <jester@pop.konnections.com>
From: "jester@konnections.com" <jester@konnections.com>
To: s@theriver.com, kedwards@iomega.com, greg_kratz@standard.net
Date: Sun, 11 May 1997 19:36:33 +0000
Subject: Guess what??
Priority: normal
I'm not sure if you read
Date: Sun, 11 May 1997 18:38:36 +0000
From: Lorraine <LorraineForte@worldnet.att.net>
Reply-To: LorraineForte@worldnet.att.net
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: The big zip off
X-URL: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/boycott.htm
Hi,
X-Sender: depdave@terminus.com (Unverified)
Date: Wed, 14 May 1997 16:41:37 -0700
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: "david G. Wilson" <depdave@terminus.com>
Subject: Iomega
Dear Steve
Date: Thu, 15 May 1997 09:41:22 -0400
From: "James W. Piercy" <jpiercy@ameritech.net>
Reply-To: jpiercy@ameritech.net
Organization: DJ'S Jewelry
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: youv'e made up my mind!!
Dear Steve,
DJ'S Jewelry
Date: Thu, 15 May 1997 10:05:19 +0000
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
From: "Guy D. Smith" <gy@mcn.net>
Subject: Got my stuff???
Cc: <alnatoli@pipeline.com>
ATTN: Steve Langford and Mr. Anatoli;
I had second thoughts about sending my response to the letter that
I received with, "Your [my] Stuff!". Unless I miss my guess, I
relinquished my right of priority in this concern when I responded to
Mr. Anatoli's web-form. So I thought to send the text of the letter
to you and Mr. Anatoli first.
____________
Gy..
mailto: gy@mcn.net
[Hi, again, Guy! :))
Date: Thu, 15 May 1997 13:41:51 -0500
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
From: msclark@avalon.net (Michael Clark)
Subject: Just an update on what I have done.
Steve,
Date: Sat, 17 May 1997 00:32:55 GMT
X-Sender: traveler@mail.iac.net
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
From: Traveler@iac.net (Traveler)
Subject: Improper Advertising
I am looking at the box that the ZIP drive Parallel port version is packaged
in, and I am not happy. On one of the end flaps the package reads "FAST USE
IT LIKE YOUR HARD DRIVE 29 millisecond seek time, up to 20 MB per minute
transfer rate".
From: "George Hostler" <ghostler@cia-g.com>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Date: Fri, 16 May 1997 22:02:19 -0600
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
Steve,
George Hostler
where seldom is heard a discouraging word . . .
Gallup, New Mexico
E-mail: ghostler@cia-g.com
Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 09:49:40 -0400
From: Mike Chornopesky <mikec@promanad.com>
Reply-To: mikec@promanad.com
Organization: Promanad Communications Inc.
To: s@TheRiver.com
CC: myles@io.org
Subject: New Iomega Trick?
Hi Steve,
I noticed today on comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage that many people
seem to be getting their rebates. But has Iomega found another way to
dodge the honoring of their rebates?
From: Mike Chornopesky <mikec@promanad.com>
Date: Mon, 19 May 1997 12:13:14
Subject: Re: New Iomega Trick?
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
Hi Steve,
Thanks for posting my message and your thorough response. The other thing that burns me now is that, now that the rebates are apparently over, Zip Drives are selling in my city at about $50 less than during the rebates! Keep up the good work!
if you are offended by
harsh language of graphic detail
X-Sender: tbeaulieu@mdc.net
Date: Mon, 19 May 1997 13:24:54 -0400
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: Todd Beaulieu <tbeaulieu@mdc.net>
Subject: IOMEGA sucks
IOMEGA can lick my ass, and you can quote me on that. [Done. ;) --SL, 19 May 1997]
X-Sender: tbeaulieu@mdc.net
Date: Mon, 19 May 1997 18:29:23 -0400
To: Steve Langford <s@theriver.com>
From: Todd Beaulieu <tbeaulieu@mdc.net>
Subject: Re: IOMEGA sucks
You mentioned the ethical point of accepting the overpayment. I actually
went through a lot of stress, trying to determine what the right thing to
do would be. To be 100% legal, you're absolutely right, I should have only
accepted two zip disks (since everybody from that "misplaced" batch was
entitled to these. I should have returned the other zip disk and all three
checks. Not legal, but "home-grown justice" is the issue of compensation
for my efforts. (they also screwed me on the cutoff date; even though they
knew it was being extended, they didn't tell me, and I paid for overnight
charges, both on the drives so that I'd get them in on time, and on the
rebates so that they'd make it to IOMEGA on time (down to the DAY). For
all that, I determined I would keep the third disk (so I wouldn't have to
pay to mail it back) and also the third check, even though it wouldn't
really pay for all the hours they took from me; hours that I couldn't bill.
I figured I'd just cut up the other two checks. Shortly after depositing
the extra check, I broke down and just decided to take them all. I
honestly feel it's justifiable, but again, it certainly wasn't the legal
way to do it. Of course, the alternative would have been what? Sue them
for damages and try to reclaim collection fees?
Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 16:23:46 +0100
From: Crispin Driver <c.driver@davallmg.demon.co.uk>
Organization: Davall Moulded Gears Ltd
To: s@theriver.com
Subject: Is it just Iomega?
X-URL: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/particlr.htm
Hi There.
c.driver@davallmg.demon.co.uk
From: JPMOODY@micron.com
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 12:50:08 -0600
Encoding: 6 TEXT
I agree with your comments. I was given a Ditto drive and threatened to
toss it in the garbage, and guess what, NO response from Iomega except
call the $19 tech line. I hate that. If the drive had not been given
to me as a gift, I would have thrown it in the garbage. After many,
many attempts, I was able to make it work, but with no thanks to Iomega.
Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 12:39:21 +0200
From: "Equipe Synthèse" <inutero@club-internet.fr>
Reply-To: inutero@atlink.com
Organization: In Utero
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega backup
Dear Steve
I must be one in a million, but my JAZ works.
THIS IS .
Gilles CHAVY
In Utero [Incredible! ;) --SL, 22 May 1997]
France
Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 09:52:44 -0700
From: "Jack Everett (Syzygy)" <syzygy@mindless.com>
Reply-To: syzygy@mindless.com
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: A successful rebate experience...
Steve:
I would like to thank you for all the hard work you have invested
into this site. Because of (I truly believe) your site and the
commotion it has stirred, I received my Ditto rebate in less than
4 weeks! I was prepared (thanks to you) to do anything I had to
to get what I had been promised by Iomega.
--
Jack Everett
<syzygy@mindless.com>
Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 12:11:15 -0700
From: bwm <bwm@micron.net>
Reply-To: bwm@micron.net
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: website
I like what you're doing with your website against iomega but i have to
say the site is fairly unorganized and hard to navigate. How about a
little organization? It will make your site appear more respectable and
easier for others to participate.
X-Sender: rci@pophost.micron.net (Unverified)
Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 22:05:41 -0600
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: JR <rci@micron.net>
Subject: your site is excellent
Dear Steve,
I want to thank you for your excellent site. I know it's serious in
nature, but I have spent hours there, reading and laughing. It appears that
Iomega has become a "household cussword". My own experience with my
internal Zip 100 drive has been one of frustration because the drivers for
WinNT X.x don't work. I have downloaded 2 "new" drivers (current 1.4) but
none work totally.
The sad thing about this situation is that many companies have taken this
same general attitude......."screw 'em, they'll get over it". However, this
site allows people to see that it's not just themselves that it's happening
to. It seems like when we have problems and call the company for help, they
always reply..."nope, you're the only one having this problem", ever heard
that before? This site dispels that notion about Iomega.
Keep up the good work, this may be a vision of the future for us in
"customer satisfaction" and possibly your first million as a satisfaction
consultant. JR
Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 22:30:19 -0700
From: Bruce Wexler <ttsmusic@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: ttsmusic@earthlink.net
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: IOMEGA SUCKS
Hello,
I am writing to you because I am glad to see someone else having
problems with Iomega corp. [*hehe* I guess I would prefer that nobody else ever again had a problem with iomega, but that would be unrealistic. So, I take your comment to be in the "misery loves company" category. --SL, 17 June 1997] As a matter of fact, it seems that after
surfing awhile, I have found a lot of people who are having problems
with this company.
Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 22:38:09 -0700
From: Bruce Wexler <ttsmusic@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: ttsmusic@earthlink.net
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: ME AGAIN!
Hi,
I just sent you an e-mail about how I've been ripped off by Iomega. Is
there a class action lawsuit inthe works? And if so, can I get in on
it? These bastards can't get away with this.
Bruce
X-Sender: rbass@surfsouth.com
Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 00:36:22 -0400
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: Bob Bass <rbass@surfsouth.com>
Subject: iomega got me to
Hi
If I can help please let me know...
Iomega....THE RIPZIP PEOPLE
Good luck
Bob Bass
[Hi, Bob! :-)
Secretary
Federal Trade Commission
Washington, D.C. 20580
and
Chief Postal Inspector
United States Postal Service
Washington, D.C. 20260-2100
to write to
Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 16:13:16 -0700
From: Jamal Nasrabadi <jnasraba@internorth.com>
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: My letter to iomega RE: rebate.
Hello Steve:
This is my 2nd time visiting your Web site. I noticed your web site
design has changed. Thanks for providing such place for the rest of us
to share our disappointments with iomega's rebate & customer services
practice. I also agree with you 100% that every one who has such bad
experience dealing with iomega should contact and complain to the
authories as well as informing places that sell iomega products. I am
sending you (attached)
From: D6266XL@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 21:30:58 -0400 (EDT)
To: s@theriver.com
Subject: Thanx
Thank you for posting the "informative" letter about Iomega. But I don't
think that a little (excuse me, alot) of back ordering is a real good cause
to boycott them.
Date: Sat, 24 May 1997 14:39:02 +0900 (JST)
X-Sender: rintala@popmail.gol.com
To: s@TheRiver.com
From: Donald Rintala <rintala@gol.com>
Subject: Down with Iomega
I've been furious about getting cheated by Iomega on the ZIP drive rebate. I was delighted to see that I'm not an isolated case, anyway.
Donald Rintala
Date: Sat, 24 May 1997 10:58:55 -0500
From: Steven Sauvé <
synthguy@interlog.com>X-Mailer: Mozilla 2.0 (Macintosh; I; 68K)
To: s@TheRiver.com
Subject: Iomega Wasteland
X-URL: http://personal.riverusers.com/~s/general.htm
I am about to begin my own little journey into Iomega Wasteland, after
buying a Jaz and having THREE cartridges corrupt one after the other,
to the point that they are not formattable. I had no problem getting
an RMA # from Iomega (a real person!), but I still have to connect
with Tech Support before I can send it in ($19.95 on my credit card,
thank you very much!). This is nothing but obnoxious!
From: "Mike Towery" <towerym@worldnet.att.net>
To: <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: Iomega boycott
Date: Sat, 24 May 1997 20:06:43 -0500
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
I wished I had read your page before I purchased their drive. [Me too, Mike! --SL, 17 June 1997] Iomega did
not send me the $50.00 rebate they promised. I sent this information to
some lawyers that are filing a class action suit against Iomega. (Their
site had a link to yours) I appreciate your site and will join you in
boycotting Iomega.
Note 1 the web site linked in your site at
http://www.konnections.com/jester/iomega.htm does not seem to be working
correctly.
Note 2 I like the music...good idea.
Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 16:54:46 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Philip P.W. Wong" <cd964@freenet.toronto.on.ca>
Subject: Stupid move
To: s@theriver.com
A few weeks ago, I was thinking about getting an Iomega zip drive because
of reviews in magazines. Without thinking, I went ahead and bought a
gig-a-pak of zip disks, costing over $200 Cdn. I was about to get a drive
now until I saw your site. I realized I have made a mistake. I look at my
receipt and "all sales are final, no refunds or exchanges". Dohh! So I'm
stuck with a pack of disks I can't use and cost me a fortune. I then
found out that EPSON made zip drives which Iomega disks are compatible.
But I thought again, Iomega gave EPSON the "OK" to use their zip
technology and I'm not sure if EPSON zip drives will be just as crappy as
Iomega's. I think Iomega gave Panasonic the "OK" too, to make zip drives.
But I'm not so sure about this. It seems that companies want to join the
zip drive producing band wagon these days, maybe to scam out more
customers?
From: John Viele <JohnV@CMSOPEN.COM>
To: "'s@TheRiver.com'" <s@TheRiver.com>
Subject: FW: Oh how I love my Jaz Drive
Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 14:13:00 -0400
I took in your web site and thought I'd share my story with you.
****************************************************************
>>----------
>>From: jrichview@nettally.com[SMTP:jrichview@nettally.com]
>>Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 1997 9:17 AM
>>To: ilovejaz@iomega.com
>>Cc: John Viele
>>Subject: Oh how I love my Jaz Drive
>>I purchased a Jaz drive and a Jaz Jet SCSI card. Although I got the
>>Jaz drive working on another machine with another SCSI card, I could
>>never get the Jaz Jet SCSI card to work in my machine. I spent
>>several hours of my personal time (for which I might normally
>>charge $50-75 per hour) on the phone with IOMEGA techinical support.
>>At last they decided my card was defective and they routed me to
>>repairs to get an RMA number. The phone system was defective and I
>>could not get through to repairs for several days.
>>Finally, days later I was able to contact the repairs dept and I got
>>an RMA number from repairs after being given the 3rd degree, and I
>>shipped my Jaz Jet card back to them for replacement. I have not
>>heard from them since. It has been months since I paid for a Jaz
>>Jet card and I still don't have one. I still cannot use my Jaz
>>drive with my personal computer.
>>Today I got a credit card statement. IOMEGA support has billed me
>>$19.99 for their technical support on this defective item.
>>I love IOMEGA so much that I think I would like to post this to the
>>internet so that not just my friends and associates in the computer
>>industry can know about it, but all the world. I think it is a great
>>story. Don't you?
>>John Viele
>>Tallahassee, Florida
Earlier correspondence can be found at the following pages:
August 1997 Correspondence
June 1997 Correspondence
April 1997 Correspondence
March 1997 Correspondence
February 1997 Correspondence
January 1997 Correspondence
December 1996 Correspondence
Mail received 10OCT96 to 13NOV96
My responses to mail received 10OCT96 to 13NOV96
NAMES, ADDRESSES, & LINKS; PEOPLE AND GROUPS TO WHOM
©Stephen A. Langford, Oro Valley, Arizona, 6 August 1997.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
This document may be freely transmitted in its entirety,
so long as no monies are earned during the transaction/s.
Permission is required for any and all other pertinent circumstances.
(Metering for this page was begun on 4 May 1997.)