The continuing saga of my one laptop per child

I posted on December 26th that my XO computer that I purchased on November 12th and opened on Christmas Day did not work. I posted on December 27th that the manual and response to my email did not help, and that a phone call did not result in anything but a promise to call back.

I sat by the telephone for a whole day, waiting for a call which never came.

I found one suggestion online that there may be a bad connection to the mother board since there is neither a sound nor a screen response when the computer is turned on -- only the green light that the power is on. I found one place that said one could open the box without voiding the warranty since the idea is that kids will feel free to learn about the machine. I found another place where the instructions said that opening the box would void the warranty, so I have not opened the box.

I am now convinced I need to invoke the warranty. In order to return the computer for repair or replacement, I need to obtain a Return Merchandise Authorization. In order to do so, I needed to call the number given.

I called many times yesterday, getting a response each time that there were no lines available. I finally got a recorded message telling me to wait for an operator. I waited so long that my phone battery went out, and hung up.

I called this evening, New Years Eve, after 7:00 pm, and got through to an operator after about five minutes. It took 15 minutes for him to take my information. He then told me that he could not issue a Return Merchandise Authorization, as that could only be done by a supervisor. He said that they are very busy. He put on the form he filled out that I should be contacted as soon as possible, and told me it would be two to four days.

I don't know how teachers in developing countries are supposed to deal with this system, much less the young children who are to get these computers.