G
Guest
Guest
Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)
I think that it's unethical to force people returning their hard disk,
even when they say that they have private, confidential or proprietary
data on it. We can not send it to them but they won't send a
replacement. And that's a drive still on warranty. Or we can keep our
drive and they will charge us for the replacement. But I prefer buying
it elsewhere cause it's cheaper.
It's unfair because, since their hard disk is physically damaged, they
have no (software) means of destroying the data on it. We know that
well equipped commercial labs are able to read our data, and it's not
reassuring. How can we be ABSOLUTELY sure that Dell/their
partners/their employees/anyone won't try to read the data on our
disk? We cannot, even if we trust them. I think the question is not
about trust. It's about not taking chances of exposing credit card
numbers, passwords, private/proprietary information. The only sure way
that nobody puts an eye on our confidential data, is to physically
destroy our hard drive ourselves.
The only way I will trust Dell or any other company is if they tell
me: "Your hard drive failed and is still on warranty? Don't worry.
We'll ship a new one today and you can keep the one that failed."
They say they offer a "Keep Your Hard Drive" Service, but this option
is not available when we buy online. Only on the phone.
(http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/services/en/keep_harddrive?c=us&cs=RC968571&l=en&s=hea)
The next time I'll buy a computer, I'll think twice before considering
a company that asks their consumers to return their hard drive against
their will.
I wonder what the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (Since
I'm living in Canada; www.privcom.gc.ca) would say about that? Maybe
someone should send them a link to this post?
I think that it's unethical to force people returning their hard disk,
even when they say that they have private, confidential or proprietary
data on it. We can not send it to them but they won't send a
replacement. And that's a drive still on warranty. Or we can keep our
drive and they will charge us for the replacement. But I prefer buying
it elsewhere cause it's cheaper.
It's unfair because, since their hard disk is physically damaged, they
have no (software) means of destroying the data on it. We know that
well equipped commercial labs are able to read our data, and it's not
reassuring. How can we be ABSOLUTELY sure that Dell/their
partners/their employees/anyone won't try to read the data on our
disk? We cannot, even if we trust them. I think the question is not
about trust. It's about not taking chances of exposing credit card
numbers, passwords, private/proprietary information. The only sure way
that nobody puts an eye on our confidential data, is to physically
destroy our hard drive ourselves.
The only way I will trust Dell or any other company is if they tell
me: "Your hard drive failed and is still on warranty? Don't worry.
We'll ship a new one today and you can keep the one that failed."
They say they offer a "Keep Your Hard Drive" Service, but this option
is not available when we buy online. Only on the phone.
(http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/services/en/keep_harddrive?c=us&cs=RC968571&l=en&s=hea)
The next time I'll buy a computer, I'll think twice before considering
a company that asks their consumers to return their hard drive against
their will.
I wonder what the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (Since
I'm living in Canada; www.privcom.gc.ca) would say about that? Maybe
someone should send them a link to this post?