01-10-2008, 04:17 PM

Here follows a letter I sent to Apple a few days ago.

Greetings Apple,

I just wanted to let you know that one your products literally saved me from copious amounts of pain (while providing some as well) this past summer. Here's my story...

During the summer, I work as an Area Director at a Boy Scout resident summer camp in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley/Pocono area. My girlfriend, whom I met through this camp, also lives in that area. I live in Philadelphia, so needless to say, I do a lot of driving. During my one and only trip home of the summer to visit my siblings, two things happened: My car stereo was stolen (which I had just bought with my previous camp paycheck), and my first-generation MacBook Pro saved my back at great risk to its own well-being. See below:



That grievous-looking bend occurred when I slipped backwards down a flight of old wooden stairs. But how did that occur? With my MacBook Pro "safely" tucked away inside my laptop backpack, I started down the stairs in question, my basement stairs, to relax on my MacBook Pro after a long trip home. On my way down, I must have lost my footing. I went down all of the old wooden steps on my back. Recovering, and wondering why my back was so devoid of pain, I realized a horrible truth: My backpack, and the laptop inside, broke my fall. It hadn't occurred to me just yet that my MacBook Pro could be damaged. Upon removing my beloved laptop from the bag, I saw the horrid sight you just saw above.



The point of this story? I just want to thank you and Apple for not cutting corners or using sub-par components. The construction of that MacBook Pro saved me from the wrath and destruction of an old wooden staircase, which would have surely caused me MUCH pain, if not a possible strain or break. What's the best part of all this? My MacBook Pro still works! The display, case, and SuperDrive may be bent to all ****, bit they STILL WORK (note: the SuperDrive still operates properly, except for the fact that I can't actually get a CD or DVD through the bent opening). My only regret is not having the money to purchase the components to make it as beautiful as it once was. This laptop is my life's blood, without it I'd have no income, couldn't keep up with friends and family, and my recreation time would be severely decreased. And after all of my 280lbs falling on it and down stairs, it still operates flawlessly.

01-10-2008, 04:23 PM

what an interesting story...

are you planning to have it repaired?

01-10-2008, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by NPuter

what an interesting story...

are you planning to have it repaired?

Perhaps in my wildest dreams. I don't ever see myself having the "extra" $400+ plus to replace the bent bottom and top case. But hey, the bright side is that it still works, right?

01-10-2008, 04:31 PM

wow

But I can't see the pictures

reminds me of the UK programme top gear, when they decided to test just how tough a Toyota pick up was

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrk6vsb77xk

01-10-2008, 04:36 PM

Here are the picture links:

Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3

For some reason they don't work using the URL tags, so you may need to copy and paste.

01-10-2008, 04:43 PM

they still dont work

01-10-2008, 04:44 PM

I probably would have rather have taken my chances with the stairs that have a bent up MacBook...

01-10-2008, 04:48 PM

Replace 'comast' with 'comcast' in the URL and you'll be able to see them.

01-10-2008, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by kkelly122

they still dont work

Woops! Rookie mistake on my part. I simply mispelled something.

Originally Posted by Gish

I probably would have rather have taken my chances with the stairs that have a bent up MacBook...

I didn't have a chance to react. One second I'm walking down stairs, the next I'm sliding down them on my laptop.

01-10-2008, 06:02 PM

interesting story - shame the laptop took such a battering but I guess as you point out yourself it's definitely better than ending up with a smashed back or something nasty like that.

Pretty impressive that it still works. Was the battery affected at all - I'm not really sure where the battery is on a MBP.

Excluding the cosmetic damage; if the only problem is getting items in and out of the optical drive and replacing/repairing it is out of the question at the moment then an external dvd writer might be your best bet - loads cheaper than getting the MBP repaired.

They say bad luck runs in threes don't they?

1. Theft of Car Radio
2. Damaged MBP
- is there a third?

Dave.

01-11-2008, 12:36 AM

it looks cooler damaged like that, will bring back memories

01-11-2008, 03:30 PM

It gives it character...kinda like a scar so you can tell your grandkids about it

01-12-2008, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by RNDdave

Pretty impressive that it still works. Was the battery affected at all - I'm not really sure where the battery is on a MBP.

No, the battery wasn't affected. It's set back further and slightly to the left.

Originally Posted by RNDdave

Excluding the cosmetic damage; if the only problem is getting items in and out of the optical drive and replacing/repairing it is out of the question at the moment then an external dvd writer might be your best bet - loads cheaper than getting the MBP repaired.

I've considered it, but to be honest, I don't use CD's or DVD's all that much anyway. Sure, I miss watching movies on this gorgeous screen and burning CD's for the car stereo I no longer have. A good external DVD/CD burner (mmm, Lightscribe) would cost roughly the same as a new bottom enclosure anyhow.

Originally Posted by RNDdave

They say bad luck runs in threes don't they?

1. Theft of Car Radio
2. Damaged MBP
- is there a third?

Dave.

Now that you mention it, a week later I nearly broke my ankle at work. I was on crutches for weeks. I hadn't even thought about that. Now if only GOOD luck came in threes as well.

01-12-2008, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by agcm

Now that you mention it, a week later I nearly broke my ankle at work. I was on crutches for weeks.

The laptop could have saved you from a lifetime of pain, literally. But maybe you need new glasses (only half-facetiously).

01-12-2008, 08:30 PM

Typically, I wouldn't consider myself accident-prone, but this past summer seemed to be an exception. As for new glasses, I don't wear the pair I have :-).