Hee hee! Great tale, well told. Awesome art!

(Typed on a Mac)

Thanks Josh!

So, uh, might be a little late now…
But next time you need a TORX wrench/driver you should go to your local autoparts store. Most Autozones or Pep Boys or whatever carry full sets of TORX for a reasonable price. TORX is most commonly used in the states for assembly on car interior pieces like dashboard pieces and seats which is why the auto parts store is the place to go instead of Lowes or Home Depot.
I really dug the story though. I had a similar experience with Dell customer service before I bought my Mac. This experience ended in me calling some poor schlub working off a help desk script that the only reason he wasn’t aborted was because his mother spent the abortion fee on crack. Needless to say, Dell did not correct the problems with my computer and I began anger management counselling because that’s what the nice judge told me to do.

outstanding! I laugh, I cried, I was scared when you went off at the Genius Bar…I felt like I was at a family reunion…

When is the comic book hitting the stores…I’d pay to read and look at your work, man. Fantastic stuff.

Don’t all apple laptops come with a built-in airport card?

Nate- yeah, there’s a lot of “if I knew then what I know now” aspects to this story. Apple’s people were not crack babies, they just had no idea how to handle a customer who was the slightest bit dissatisfied and not mainlining the Apple Kool-Aid.

For the record: my wife now has the current version of her old laptop, and guess what? All the screws are philips-head. I guess TORX wasn’t really *crucial* the engineering, eh? Just wankery.
—
Chris - thanks for reading! Please look around the site - there’s a lot of great comics here! If you’d like to read more of mine, click on anything under VULTURE GULCH AND OTHER STORIES in the nav bar.
—
jim - not in 2004 they didn’t.

How was your computer able to get online to do that google search for the tool when you didn’t have the airport card yet installed?

Russell:

“In episode 2F09 when Itchy plays Scratchy’s skeleton like a xylophone, he strikes the same rib twice in succession, yet he produces two clearly different tones. I mean, what are we to believe, that this is some sort of a magic xylophone or something?”

The AirPort card was for my wife’s computer, remember? I never said I didn’t have internet access on other computers. No No-Prize for you!

THIS is BRILLIANT!

I have been to that Apple store. My latest adventure consisted of me making an appointment, waiting for 45 minutes to be seen (note: 45 minutes after appt time), explaining the problem, detailing everything I’d done to troubleshoot, noted the ipod was defected and I just needed to exchange it, then spent 4 hours watching them repeat everything I’d already done before they handed me a new ipod. 5 hours for an exchange. I hate them.

Hey Kirsten - thanks for reading! I don’t hate Apple, I’ve got all kinds of stuff from them and will continue to buy more. What irked me most, as I said in a reply above, was that they seemed genuinely nonplussed that I had a real problem with one of their products (an easily solved one, at that) and that I wasn’t just bowing down and kissing the ring of their lovely design and great products. If someone could have told me I needed a Torx #8 (and where to get it) the first two times I called, I’d have walked away a happy customer.

Nate has it right - all of the bolts on Jeeps are Torx bolts, so they carry Torx wrenches in most auto parts stores. Why Apple would use that system is beyond me - but I’m no genius :)

Russell: To be fair, the panel where it shows me discussing ordering the wrench DOES have me in front of an Apple laptop…I can see why that would be confusing. Maybe we’ll fix that?

Frakkin’ hilarious! I’ve sent my share of passive aggressive notes to Apple. I finally decided that as soon as my iPod goes kaput, I’m boycotting all things Apple. So, I hope the Zune’s a good mp3 player. They need to realize that it only angers customers when they design their products like a Rube Goldberg apparatus in an attempt to get people to: a) make people pay x dollars for one of their geniuses (”geniui?”) to tighten a screw; or b) buy another Apple product to replace the one that just went kaput. Thanks Steve Jobs.

Brilliant and funny! Thanks for the advice. I own a powerbook –not looking forward to that mess. I still have my old G4, easy to open, install and uninstall, those were the days. Merci

Usage of the Torx screw is a design decision - it’s near impossible to strip a Torx screw because of the design. Screws that are designed for the customer to unscrew on newer MacBooks / MacBook Pros are mostly Torx.

“Usage of the Torx screw is a design decision - it’s near impossible to strip a Torx screw because of the design. Screws that are designed for the customer to unscrew on newer MacBooks / MacBook Pros are mostly Torx.”

jim: I’m not sure of your point. Of course it’s a design decision - a poor one. As noted above, installation of a single card required the removal of the entire outer shell of the laptop (as opposed to a single panel). Look, if it’s 2004 and you’re Apple and your laptops don’t come equipped standard with a wireless card (unlike the ThinkPad I bought at the time), but you’re willing to sell one to a customer for $80, shouldn’t that fall under the heading of “designed for the customer to unscrew”? If you don’t want me installing the card myself, DON’T SELL IT TO ME. Make me do a purchase/install as a package. I have no problem with that. If they’d charged me $100 with a “free” installation, I’d have been none the wiser and likely never have complained. If it’s OK for me to install, then either (a) sell me the damn tool, (b) tell me what it is I need and where I can get one the first two times I call you. I’m sorry, but an average customer shouldn’t have to go on the hunt themselves in order to make use of a product that you, as the company, are willing to sell them.

As a customer? I DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR ENGINEERING. I just want things to work, and, in this instance at least, Apple compounded a poor/counterintuitive design decision with unhelpful customer service. FAIL.

Plus (part deux), as I noted above, my wife’s current MacBook has got nothing by Philips-head screws on it, at least on the outside casing. So maybe we’re looking at different computers?

Jim –

Great comic, and sorry for your apoplectic fit in the Apple Store - I have a MacPro from 2004 - phillips screws on the back…… they must have changed them somewhere in the middle of the year –

Torx screwdrivers are also pretty common at many an electronics store (Fry’s, COMP USA) — even Radio Shack also sold them back in the day - now, I’m not sure they would, since they’ve become a shadow of their former “electronic parts” selves.

Again, great comic - thanks for venting!

Franco

bah! you obviously don’t have much of an IT background, or you gots really lousy stores where you live. You can get this torx screwdriver in many places, did you even look at Radio Shack? I picked up one of these myself at Sears Hardware store (when they still existed), it was in the screwdriver aisle among the “precision” screwdrivers. All you needed to do was look for sets of “precision” screwdrivers somewhere, and you woulda had it. I think you didn’t really look closely for this item, and therefore need to turn in yer man-card.

Vern: you’re super-fun at parties, ain’t ya? And what made you think I had “much of an IT background”? Congratulations on knowing your way around Radio Shack and Sears Hardware, I’m sure that impresses the ladies.

Also: did you just say “bah!”?

Do you talk like Doctor Doom in real life, too?

Bought my mystery tool at a Radio Shack.

Jim,

I understand the TORX pain all too well. I had a similar experience trying to change the faceplate on a cellphone once; I needed a #6 TORX screwdriver (ironically, I already had a #8, which was too large) and couldn’t find one anywhere. Sears hardware ended up being my salvation, but it was a long, hard search.

Having done minor service on computers and electronics for friends and family for several years, I’ve built up a collection of screwdrivers and other tools, to the point where I doubt I’ll ever have to order a specialty bit ever again. If there’s ever anything I don’t have, I’ll ask one of my tech-oriented friends; very often I’ll get lucky and they’ll have whatever screwdriver/adapter/butane torch I need.

Ok first, why would it make sense for Apple to design their case for a part that you are going to put in ONE TIME as an external bay? Its not like a USB cable that you plug and unplug often.

Second, a quick google search (or Amazon) comes up with tons of places selling these.

Third, its not Apple’s fault that liability laws exist that prevent them from letting you use their tools.

Jim,

You are an idiot, the comic sucks, you are very biased towards your cause. They were right to not lend you their tool. Stop being a tool and causing a ruckus just because you were in the wrong. You know that the service at Apple is the best service in the area, you just didn’t get what you wanted so now you are crying. Stop being a douche and f**K off!

Apple makes package computers. You buy their computer, you buy their stuff. Because of that, you are not supposed to be able to get in and mess around. It’s a philosophy that works very well for high-end consumers who don’t want to mess with the hassle of bloatware or conflicting hardware.

The fact that they wouldn’t let you use the tool for the 2 minutes it would have taken you to insert the card is infuriating, to be sure, but not outside of their business model. Honestly, if you have anything Apple, you pay for it. If you want to make your Apple device better, you pay for it. DIYers beware. ;)

I’d like to see the comic you draw when you lose your S#?! because you’ve voided your warranty and Apple charges you a lot more than $30 to fix your computer.

you are an idiot, pc’s were made for people like you

Heh, reminds me of the time I went to Sears and wanted to borrow their air gun to install my own tires. They told me “No!” Man, was I ticked.

Good God.

Sears has Torx drivers. Radio Shack has Torx drivers. K-Mart has Torx drivers. Wal-mart even has Torx drivers. The little small-town hardware store where I live has Torx drivers.

If you had shown that computer to anyone with even the slightest, tiniest amount of mechanical aptitude they would have said “oh yeah, that’s a Torx screw” and might even have reached into their own toolbox and handed you one. Heck, there’s one in the multitool on my keyring.

Pitching a fit at he Apple Store was ridiculous. Going to all the trouble to draw and publish on the net a comic telling your story is ridiculous. You behaved like a jerk and now want to have your five minutes of fame on it.

Some people shouldn’t have computers. Not even APPLE computers.

And no, you can’t use my Torx driver. What makes you think you’re entitled? Go buy your own and stop being a crybaby.

Jim-

It seems like you were more pissed at yourself than the nice people at the store.

These wrenches are very common in both bike and car parts and are easily found both on line and in local stores. 5 minutes searching for “how to install ____ into ____” would have yielded the answer that several hours of stress and foolishness didn’t provide.

Wow get a life, I work in retail and you are the type of person that makes retail workers despise people. Going off on some kid because of something that is totally out of his control? Wow you rock dude! By the way if that was my kid you did that in front of I believe the screwdriver from Barry’s set would have been lodged in your rectum. Grow up.

It’s really unreasonable to expect them to let you do the work for free using their equipment.

Nor is the Apple Store supposed to be a hardware (as in tools) store.

I can see how you were frustrated, but you really should Google a bit before exploding at a service employee who’d get canned real fast if he let customers perform free labor with the company’s equipment.

Jim: What you don’t get is that many of the Apple consumer base would have ended this at the 30 dollar offer. They would assume that the screws simply require $7.50 each to release themselves, hand over the money, and that would be that. It’d take a couple minutes and their machine would have wireless! Woot!

They are used to infusing their purchases with cash periodically and not asking questions. Talk to an iPod touch owner, or somebody who had a magsafe cable melt.

Can’t fault a company for continuing profitable practices when their customers are oh so happy to go along with them.

Jim,

You’re a douche.

Wow this is sad. How iRonic that you said you couldn’t find any torx screws at Home Depot and yet that is the exact place I went and bought mine. Looks here a link to the exact one I bought in the store, it’s an 8 in 1 for $6 and it’s awesome, works great, I love it!

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100087664

Also why would you think they’d let you use their tools to install the card, they lose money that way. If they did that then it’d be a free for all and everyone would be grabbing their tools (stealing them too) and then working on their macs and Apple would make no money. Do you walk into restaurants with your own food and drinks and ask if you can go into the kitchen and cook your own food to serve your family while they sit at the table and use the restaurants plates and silverware and then leave and don’t tip. Cause that’s exactly what you expected from the Apple store, you are a fool.

Apple computers are not meant to be modified by average (or sub average (i.e. torx ignorant) users). You probably cheaped out by getting a compatible card and then expected to save a buck by installing it yourself.

If you had gone to Apple in the firstplace, you would have bought a real card and had it installed while you were off yelling at someone else.

Do you chastise the guy at Subway when he mistakenly puts a tomato on your sandwitch, too?

Leave techy stuff to techy people. You bought an Apple, put your techy aspirations away.

Retail sucks - thanks mostly to your type.

You are a fucking douchebag. Seriously. Get over yourself and learn how to use the internet to solve your problems.

Good grief man - you make a total ass of yourself and blame apple because you don’t know how to find answers - and then make a comic about it.

Hahahahaha. Wow.

you truly are a grade A asshole. i worked for apple and i had to deal with pricks like you. try and put yourself in our shoes next time.

Your an idiot. YOu lost your temper at folks who are just following stupid rules. Clearly you have self control issues. You live in DC, sad to think folks like you can now own guns.

SO, if I have this straight…

YOU are too lazy or uniformed to do a 5 minute Google search to find out what tool you need; then fail to see it right in front of your face at Home Depot and THIS entitles you to not only act like a douche bag in a public place as well as create a semi funny cartoon to chronicle your behavior as a moron?

Nice one clown. After all this, what makes you think you would even know which end of a torx to use?

Seriously, Google is your friend and if you didn’t know what a Trox screw was you should have done just a tiny bit of research or paid a pro.

Next time you go to a car mechanic ask them if they will lend you their tools so you can fix your car in their shop, they won’t.

At the end of the day you come off as an unreasonable a**hole. But, you did get me to read your comic, and it’s got some style.

Oh and I’m not Holier Than Thou, I’ve done my share of stupid a**hole-er-ific things, and this would be one of them had I done it.

You’re a complete idiot. I stopped reading after “titanium MacBook.” They’re called PowerBooks. They’re not even the consumer model. Then I kept reading.

Second: It’s called a Torx screwdriver. They’re everywhere.
Third: It’s an Apple Store. Not a hardware store. If you expect them to sell you a screwdriver, you’re obviously too stupid to have gotten the AirPort (original, I see, not Extreme) card in there in the first place (which you don’t document in the comic. Probably because you failed and are saving the episode on how you get mad at Apple for destroying your own laptop for another comic).

I hate to say it, but you’re the only tool in this strip. If you did a quick google search for what you needed, you would have found out what tool you did need. And, in the time you spent bitching out people just doing their job, (let alone drawing this comic) you could have easily found out that any auto parts store, or radio shack, or any electronics store carries these products. Anyone who works with electroncs has these, and the reason they are in your macbook as it allows them to use smaller screws to keep the form factor, but still tighten it all up properly.

Hey Jim, although you said you’re a nice guy in your comic, the comments you make here kinda show that you’re, well, not actually what you claim to be. In fact, no offence, you come off like an arrogant douchebag who looks down his nose at people.

And yes, as stated by quite a few posters, just googling would have given you an answer.

Hmmm, I can see your frustration. but im 18, and ive known what a torq wrench looks like since i was 16. surely this is only a precaution to ward off unqualified people from doing work on expensive peices of kit. I mean no offence to your technical abilities but apple are just covering their backs, and their warrenty.
And another point, treading closly to the pc vs mac battle of the fanboys that always seems to happen, if you had brought a normal laptop, you wouldnt have to pay £40 for a special WiFi card. I used to have repect for macs being a unique system, but since the switch to intel processors they are just PCs with a different OS. i can build a sudo mac from parts at my local retailer for 2/3rds the price.

The comic would have been funnier if in the end, you went home to your mommy and daddy and shot them for breeding a child as stupid as you.

Your strip doesn’t show you asking for help at the hardware store. Did you even ask anyone at the hardware store during your first trip? Did you even go back to the hardware store a second time to see whether the store stocked torx wrenches and you just couldn’t find them?

On another note, you gotta keep yourself together. Apple isn’t a hardware store or a do-it-yourself repair shop. The people there are following rules and those rules (e.g., don’t allow people to open up Apple products with Apple store tools inside the Apple store) are not unreasonable. You can’t go off on employees for following reasonable rules like that one.

wow… ur an idiot

Dude, you’re a tool (no pun intended). The intarwebz knowz allz. SEARCH!

Sir,
You store is either a completely untrue, partially untrue, or at the very least filled with errors. Allow me to list a few of these errors.

1) All macbook ever made come with airport installed
2) No macbooks made as of June of 2008 is made from titanium
3) The only Apple laptop that required the complete removal of the back panel for the installation of of an Airport wireless card is the Powerbook Titanium, which Apple stopped selling around 2003.

So assuming you are referring to a Powerbook Titanium, here are my thoughts…

Since I have also installed a few Airport cars on powerbooks, it is very difficult for me to believe that you failed to read the instruction manual which specifically states the exact tools you need.

Further more, most hardware stores, even the smaller ones, carry a wide variety of the Torx drivers.

Assuming you’re a reasonable person, it seems a little off base that you would not be able to figure all of this out, as I did. Easily, might I add.

Hi, I’m a PC owner… HAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA…wHOOOOOOHOOOOO…Heheheeeeeeee…AAAHHHHhahahahahaaaa
heheheheheh….Torx…HAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA….. Etc…

Just for the record, you should know that your a total douche. How can you complain and whine like a little bitch when all it took was a little bit of research on the internet. A fucking Google search you moron. Just because you have a complete disregard for rules doesn’t mean you can always break them. Some rules HAVE to be followed, like the one you found out. When you have a problem, ask the internet for help. If a Google search can’t help you then other poeple definitely can. Try a fucking forum. And your bullshit about losing good will towards Apple or something, I say good riddance to ya. Apple doesn’t need douchebag fucking coming in their stores and demanding people to hand over screw drivers. Your lucky that guy helped you. Kicking and screaming like a fucking girl shouldn’t get anyone anything but since it was an Apple genius and they ARE paid to be generally speaking the nicest, most polite, and helpful store clerks, it was his job to help even a jackass like you. And making a fucking cartoon won’t get you sympathy on the internet. People can spot a jackass when they see one and I’m sure everyone here can tell that your quite an example. So good riddance and fuck off.

Jim,

You can thank gizmodo.com for the influx of self-righteous metrosexual apple fanboys. It is a fansite for rich (or highly indebted) queers that don’t understand computers.

They spend a lot of money for a pretty computer they cannot easily work on. They will say that it is not their lack of knowledge, but instead the apple is perfect and invincible and they are way cooler because they never have to work on their computers. These computers are underpowered and relatively idiot-proof. They are limiting and automatically guide the retards down the path they should take, because Steve realized a long time ago that the rich, self-righteous idiots would buy more stuff if the computer didn’t make them feel stupid.

They get a mac, and instead of feeling stupid they feel good about themselves and their shortcomings. Thanks, Steve!

Fanboys: Do you ever wonder how much apple development _must_ take place on a “PC” running some version of Windows? Your macs don’t have all the tools they need for everything. But your computer illiterate brains probably can’t comprehend such a perspective and you will continue the thinking that your macs come from Steve’s magical ass.

Nice comic, Jim.

Fucking gizmodo queers.

I didn’t read through all the comments, so I’m sorry if this was already stated, but Home Depot DOES sell a WONDERFUL Torx set in its Husky line of tools. 8 different sizes that all fit inside the handle and swap out when needed, including the size 6 and 8 that are needed to repair apple products. And I believe its $17. Google first next time.

Weird, my G4 Powerbook has four philips head screws.

Thanks for reading, everybody!

And boy, I thought *I* was the angry one…

I think Paul, above, is harboring some homophobic feelings, which really only happens to people with deeply repressed homosexual desires. Just saying….

Oh, and BTW? I am totally using your comments as blurbs when we print up a minicomic of this story.

You guys are great!!

dont you people have a radioshack or a sears near your house…i mean apple customer service sucks…but imho you were the uninformed ass not the genius guy.

I think people are so angry that they forget to stop and thinking about how your story doesn’t make sense at all, Jim.

Yeah I know it seems obvious, but what company lets you use their tools to work on your own property???

For all the trouble you went through it could of all been solved with a little Google search. Kinda makes you feel dumb huh?

Oh and next time…make a frickin appointment. Did you do everything wrong on your path to this outcome??

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=239384-16878-60272&lpage=none

maybe you should have just walked down to Sears and bought the damn screwdriver (very much standard for electronics) for $3.89 .

You are a real prick

I’m surprised that you aren’t embarrassed by this story.

You threw a screaming fit in a store? Seriously, have you ever seen someone yelling in a store and not thought to yourself, “what an asshole?” There are ways to handle problems like this, and your very clever comic does an amazing job at describing a poor one.

You weren’t describing a fight for a spot on a lifesaving transplant list, you made a scene over 30 bucks and because someone didn’t want to lose his job for giving you the tool you needed.

Boo hoo. Grow up.

Jim, it’s important to establish that you’re not a nice guy. You can tell by the fact that you have to justify that you’re a nice guy from the start. It’s a sure sign!

If it makes you feel any better, at least you’re also ignorant!

This card reminds me why I am so angry sometimes coming home from work (I work IT for a school district)

Even 2 minutes a googling would have told you
a) what kind of screwdriver you needed
b) where to get it, like JUST ABOUT ANY HARDWARE STORE ON THE FUCKING PLANET YOU COMPLETE DOUCHBAG OF A WHORE.

Stop thinking your superior… just stop. You dont know jack, because if you did you would know that they type of screwdriver you needed is not only as standard today as philips and slotted, but comes with just about any set out there along with square heads (you know ANOTHER screwdriver head you probably dont know shit about.

I mean seriously, why should Apple sell a screwdriver when you can buy one for a dollar at Home Depot. My work set cost me 10 bucks.

I hate people like you. You have encountered a minor inconvenience and you feel that it’s justified to take it out on some sales associate that gets peanuts compared to what you probably make. Have you ever had to figure something out by yourself. Torx wrenches are actually common and they deter people from opening up the case unless they actually need to. Next time do your homework.

Jim, you are obviously a very close resemblance to a “bearded axe wound” looking female organ.

Hopefully your getting a cut for all the traffic you’ve brought in.

God, you really are an asshole.

Torx drivers are easily available at Home Depot (i have a full set from there). Also its by no means an “exotic” screw, its quite standard.

And throwing a hissy fit in front of a whole store because people dont want to lose jobs over you saving a few bucks is not only unreasonable but bloody stupid.

Grow a brain.

Keep ‘em coming, guys! I couldn’t make this stuff up!

Oh and hey Paul, you do realize your a idiot right? Not one single SENTENCE of your rant about Gizmodo was remotely accurate. Hell it wasn’t even close I mean really why would things for Apple be made on PC because of a supposed lack of tools, when Apple GIVES YOU ALL THE TOOLS ON YOUR OS CD, or from THIS WEBSITE
… Im guessing your between 14-20 am I right?

Mr. Dougan,

On a related note, why would you include the panel with you being directed to do a Google search? This is not a discussion you are having with friends right after the incident occurred; you sat down, drew the comic strip, and then posted it. Didn’t you ask anyone’s opinion as to whether you were, in fact, possibly wrong? Surely, Ms. Lawless must have offered you some input.

It’s a rhetorical question and I suspect the answer is “no.” Instead, you did virtually no research on your problem and then demanded free upgrade service. Moreover, in your play for sympathy, you foolishly undermined your own argument.

You simply cannot complain about “globalization” by showing how you could not get the answer you wanted from calling the Apple help line for upgrade advice on your own made-in-China product, showing you driving all around town by yourself instead of using mass transit, not calling around to local repair shops (even ones not “authorized” to service Apple computers), and not thinking to check a brick-and-mortar home improvement store.

And while we’re on the subject of globalization, may I remind you that when you purchase any Apple device or accessory, it is shipped from Hong Kong. Even had you ordered an Apple-brand TORX wrench, it would have been shipped from Hong Kong.

Did you check on Apple’s website to see if they sold the tool? I suspect not. If you did and did not see the tool there, why would you think it would be carried in the store? You showed poor judgment in your attempts to get upgrade service and you showed worse judgment in thinking that somehow, your complaints would meet with a sympathetic ear.

omg-ponies

Are you a over melodramatic useless type

i see someone posted a link from lowes, heres one from Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100087664&N=10000003+90401+502868+4294963970

Next time try to look around before you make someone elses day a mess.

I’m not going to berate you for losing your patience with an Apple “Genius”. We all know they rank on the intellectual ladder between rocks and shoelaces. Nevertheless, you, as someone who’s at least competent enough to post a web comic, should know how to use the internet a LITTLE better than that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screwdriver

“There are many types of screw heads, of which the most common are the slotted, Phillips, PoziDriv/SupaDriv (crosspoint), Robertson, TORX, and Allen (hex).”

It even includes a picture. This was the first result on Google when I searched for “screwdriver types”.

That aside, you should know WHY they use a Torx screwdriver - it is extremely common, found in just about any hardware, electronics, or automotive store, and significantly reduces the chances of being stripped out our damaged by people trying to open it up. You can’t fit the wrong size Torx into a socket and strip it, the way you can with a Phillips or Slotted screw. Also, from an automated assembly standpoint, there is much less chance the screw will go in misaligned, since the Torx head provides a little bit of friction and can be aligned by rotating the head +/- 30 degrees (which lines up nicely with the threads), rather than 45 with a Phillips or 90 slotted screw. Honestly, it is a flat-out better screw (for recessed and mid-to-high torque applications) and has been widely in use in electronics for the better part of two decades.

No, you can’t build houses with it, so I guess if you’ve never taken apart a CD player, laptop, pair of sunglasses, mp3 player, or any other small, intricate device you might have never seen one. But they are common, and they are actually better screws than a Phillips head. The shape makes it much harder to strip and applies force more evenly on the screw, lowering the chances the head will snap off.

Hey, at least they’re not one-ways! You CAN open it if you are able to match shapes up.

So you yelled a customer service rep. Congrats. You must have huge balls.

For everyone that told him to do a Google search, he couldn’t get the card installed so he couldn’t connect to the internet. You guys are smart enough to finish that deductive reasoning.

But still, your a d-bag man. You think you’re so f’n smart that you can install and fix computers. You can’t. I bet you never worked in customer service either. If you did, you would have never treated anyone like your comic representation did.

…man your a douche…

I had to buy this exact same screwdriver to fix a HDD on a new Dell Latitude D630 laptop…

“Hi. You’re going to call off your rigorous investigation. You’re going to publicly state that there is no underground group. Or… these guys are going to take your balls. They’re going to send one to the New York Times, one to the LA Times press-release style. Look, the people you are after are the people you depend on. We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep. Do not… fuck with us. ”

Lots of gizmo readers serve yuppie asshole like you all day long-you’ve managed to start some class warfare sir.

While I do understand that you were frustrated that you couldn’t use the screwdriver, the guy was only doing his job. I’m sure the clerk thought that it was as silly of a policy as you did, but he still has to do his job. If you’re going to act like that towards an employee doing the right thing, (no matter how retarded it may seem) I have no sympathy for what happened to you in the slightest. Also, trying to justify your immaturity in a web comic? Were your parents brother and sister?

Jim, funny comic. Regardless of whether or not you were in the right, it was an amusing and insightful (as well as well drawn) read. This from a guy who just the other day went off on sme fat assed McDonald’s employee who cut me in line after 10 minutes spent waiting for a friggin chocolate milk for my 4 year old.
The asshattery of customer service these days is enough to make any reasonable man lose his shit.

Hey, you can find one of those screwdrivers at… Oh wait, at least ninety hydrocephalic retards already told ya. Hey, you know what’s really cool is the spectacular design decision Apple made with the Mini. Home-sharpened putty knives, my friend. It’s the only way in. There’s some shysters on ebay’ll sell you plastic gimcracks to do the job, but I don’t believe the advertising. Thanks for the laffs, love seeing all these kids getting so worked up. The rage will serve them well when the revolution comes and they need to furiously blog about how upset they are that their glorious new overlords all use Lenovo’s.

You’re a fucking tard if you couldn’t find a torx wrench in a hardware store.

You made a comic that makes you look like a dumb ass. Good job.

Remember, this is the audience that Apple caters to: people too retarded to figure out how to express their need in a google search - or right-click things, much less middle-click them.

I’m a douche.

James how about next time you go to get your car repaired or get an oil change just ask the mechanic if you can use his lift and tools and fix it yourself that way you’ll only pay for the parts and not for the labor. I’m sure they’ll let you! Why wouldn’t they? And if by the small chance they don’t let you make sure you cause a huge scene and start yelling and screaming cause they won’t let you do it yourself with their tools for free.

why is it everyone is using the word “douche?” Aren’t there, like, millions of other names to call you?

Oh wait, some guy “mike” said: “You are a real prick”

and another guy Kaisum said: ”

You’re a fucking tard if you couldn’t find a torx wrench in a hardware store. You made a comic that makes you look like a dumb ass. Good job.”

And one guy even calls himself “IHateJimDougan.”

They weren’t kidding when after Sept 11 they said, “Irony is dead.”

Mac-hole: (n.) One who purchases a Mac (or Apple) product and feels entitled by such purchase to be an arrogant prick. (Also see: Douche; Elitist; Jim Dougan)

Wow! What a story. I hate to say it, but I had something similar happen to me at the Apple Store in Santa Monica, California. I didn’t lose it too badly, gave myself two days to get it together and went back (with an appointment) to the Genius Bar. Believe it or not, because of the issues I was having with my MacBook Pro, they REPLACED the entire computer for free. Thank God I opted for the AppleCare Protection plan.
Anyway, I suppose what surprises me is that most of the comments posted to your comic are about the screwdriver. I think many/most of the contributors are missing the point: It could have been anything; it’s the runaround and agony you had to go through that really pushed your buttons. I know because I’ve been there.
I’m glad to hear things ultimately worked out ok for you and I really, really enjoyed the comic. A link to the URL was sent to me by a friend who heard my Genius Bar nightmare stories. I thought it was great that you expressed your frustrations in such a creative way. Ha! Typical Apple user.

You could have easily solved this yourself as many others have pointed out. You can’t get the model of the laptop right, so there are many things that seem inaccurate and lazy about your story.
I hate when people take out their shit on customer service.
I hate to put it this way, but this isn’t funny and you really suck.

Hi mate,

great story. you’re correct in yelling at the apple people for acting like they did.. but at the same time, a torque screw is just standard in a lot of pc’s and espcially phones.

why did you order one online when the local hardware store or electronics store usually sell sets of them for around $5?

:/

JAMES::Home Depot. You could’ve gone to Home Depot and asked about screws that aren’t flathead, phillips, or hex. I’m not a handyman by any means, and I knew to head to Home Depot and ask about these “alien” screws of yours.

This isn’t about Apple service. This is about how you can’t apply common sense to a basic situation.

No, they won’t let you use their tools. I can’t roll into Best Buy and ask those dudes to use their tools to fix my laptop. I can’t roll into a design studio and ask them if I can do my work there.

Ernie Oporto:: No, there are just as many idiot users on any platform, and there are just as many ignorant users as on any platform, like you just mentioned. And before you ask, I’m a PC/MAC guy.

are u kidding mate? who wouldnt do a google search straight after finding out normal screwdrivers didnt work? its 2008 dude! who the hell treks around the city trying to figure out how to fix a problem with their laptop. making phone calls and wat not? thats wat the internet is for! wake up mate. we’re not in the stone age any more. everything can be researched and answers for problems found on the little shiny thing infront of u these days! hopefully you’ve learnt your lesson… awesome drawings but. really enjoyed your illustrations…

You sir are a jerk.

Should of went to ACE Hardware.

Wow… you are everything bad in tech, plus a cheap-o and irrational. You buy something and don’t have the tool to do the job, you can’t install it and get mad at apple because they won’t loan you their tools. Number 1, it’s a liability for you to work on your system in their place with their tools… aka you would blame them if you broke your computer. On top of that, they are a business, they make money. They have the tools to do the job and you dont. Therefore, it should have been of value to you to have them do the work. Lastly.. how much did that screwdriver, shipping and gas driving around cost you? I would imagine pretty damn close to $30. Your irrational and trying to portray apple as something that it is not. You lack argument and are only appealing to people as ignorant and irrational as yourself. I dare you to challenge me otherwise, if there’s an ounce of logic in you, you will see what I am saying. But then again… you did make a f’n comic about this completely stupid trip… moron.

Don’t you know that when you opt into Apple by buying there computer you’re opting into their tech support too. The price of an installation relative to the cost of the laptop is negligible. Instead of throwing a hissy fit and getting upset at “liabilities” and you making rational observations. Speaking of which, regardless of whether or not you make the enlightened observation and imply that they should carry it, they don’t. And what you say to them won’t change that.

Also, in regards to you being a generally nice person, you are obviously not. Napoleon complex, methinks?

Thanks for warning us about what a dipshit asshole you are!

Dude!
From what you have described you have a 5 or 6 year old PowerBook G4 Titanium. It came with a book called an owners manual. On page 73 of this manual, step 5, it says, “Using a Torx T-8 screwdriver, remove the seven screws that secure the bottom case of the PowerBook, in the order shown in the illustration below.

Oh you don’t have the manual anymore because you don’t read it to begin with. It is easier to spend 4 dollars a gallon on gas driving around and askng questions at hardware stores about computers. I would have started at Radio Shack.

But what about the manual? Imagine this…. http://manuals.info.apple.com and enter the serial number!

Would you go to a mechanic and and borrow their tools?

FAIL, FAIL, FAIL.

Your levels of failure are spectacular. I pray to whatever deity that might exist that you and your wife never reproduce.

Kobalt 8 in 1 Precision Screwdriver (Torx) at Lowes: $5.98.

Reading about you losing your shit and make an Internet jackass of yourself: priceless.

All of the third party PowerBook upgrades that I’ve ordered came with a TORX screwdriver, obviously out of forethought, respect, and consideration for the customer. Why would Apple send you an Airport card without the screwdriver? That is like buying a car that doesn’t come with door key.

All of the third party PowerBook upgrades that I’ve ordered came with a TORX screwdriver, obviously out of forethought, respect, and consideration for the customer. Why would Apple send you an Airport card without the screwdriver? That is like buying a car that doesn’t come with door key.

you’re not a very intelligent person.

honestly, wow.

yelling at retail employees about your rampant stupidity? you’re just an amazing guy.

Wow, Mac people ARE all totally worthless. I work at an electronics store and I can tell you 95% of Mac people are like this comic’s author. How old are you? CHRIST what a baby. Loads of things use torx, I can’t believe this twat has never heard of one. Then he takes his stupidity out on the employees. And BTW, you only know how to draw one face. All the others are just “face w/ lipstick, “face with beard”, its laughable anyone reads this bullshit!

Wow, you must be the smartest guy in the universe. Almost ALL laptops require that you unscrew the panel to install anything. If it was just a slot it would open and people would have tape on the bottom of their laptops if that slot broke. Those screws HELP you not hurt you. Sorry you had to take an extra minute to unscrew that panel…Oh, wait you didn’t use common sense and search the web for it. Taking your mistakes out on the CSR, great proves that you ARE a NICE guy.

Also implying that the CSR was not smart is just ignorant and stupid. You even said he had an associate degree in computer science. Let’s see you even understand ONE class to get that degree.

Great job. You must be the really dumb to take your mistakes, and publish it so the whole world can read about it. Great.

Wow. You are indeed a jackass. Of course they won’t let you take apart your laptop in their store, when they’re probably still fighting the lawsuits filed by all the other jackasses that did the same thing, and fried their shiny computers because they failed to heed the cautionary advice of the staff. It seems that to you, it’s damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. I bet that if the guy at the Apple Store had let you take apart your computer there on the counter and you had irretriveably damaged it by doing so, you probably would have screamed ‘LAWSUIT’ and sued them for millions. Wise up, companies like Apple have been around the block too many times with asshats like you to risk lawsuits by lending out tools for do-it-yourself repairs on the store counter.

I enjoyed laughing about the magnitude of your imbecility, however, so you aren’t a total waste of carbon. Carry on.

I think that a lot of people have missed the point of the story… You got what could be called “questionable assistance” from a company for which you had a lot of respect. The problem is Apple is right in that it is a liability issue for them or at least in the sense that it can cause them much more trouble that you’d think.

I work for a place that repairs our own internal machines but often sees machines that we don’t own. We now have a standing rule that we can’t let people use our tools. Reason: A guy comes in to borrow a screw driver because our policy doesn’t allow us to touch computers we don’t own… he strips the screw and attempts to apply pressure to get the screw out… the driver slips and gauges the bottom of his laptop and then he stabs himself with it. Was it our fault? No. Did it cause all kinds of trouble when he decided to make a stink? You Bet.

Should the Apple phone rep have made it more clear what they could and couldn’t do? Yes. Did the counter rep do what he needed to do? Sort of. Does flying off the handle help anything? Not in my book. If you’re not getting the help you need, ask for a manager and explain why you not happy and they’ll do what they can (usually). It may not be exactly what you need but you won’t demotivate those who can help you… and who knows, they might surprise you.

Customer service is a pretty thankless job. It’s a fine balance between being understanding and being forceful enough to get the service you need, but a little empathy can go a long way to making the right decisions in a situation like this.

Epic Fail. You DESERVE a mac.

Im pretty amazed that jim was too lazy to bother to take it upon himself to do some simple research, yet spent the time to document it all in a comic and further post it online as if to say “Here I am, showing the world that I lack the self responsibility to figure things out for myself.” People need to stop expecting everyone else to solve their problems for them. Your an adult, use some god damn critical thinking skills.

Apple might send an airport card without a Torx screwdriver because not all airport installs require it. Perhaps i’s because a simple tweaker screwdriver will get the job done. The Genius Bar (and yes, they are…when it comes to macs) certainly wouldn’t loan me the tools required to install ram in a mini, but I can make due with what I have, or find something that will do the trick. What do I know though, I’ve managed to install 3 airport cards in seperate computers, ram in 8 seperate macs including 4 mini’s and 3 different apple laptops. I certainly wouldn’t trade my rationality for your drawing skills.

This dude sounds just like every other customer who thinks they deserve the world. Google is the computer tech’s bff, you moron! I did laugh at the comic, not because it was funny, but because how stupid this guys is.

OK, I do like a good comic and I can’t say it wasn’t funny… but more for your acting like the kind of people that all retail workers hate.

1. Any employee that assisted you in any way to open a laptop, and thus voiding it’s warranty, would instantly get canned.

2. Letting someone use company tools to perform work on their personal hardware, would get you canned.

3. I’m hoping the card you drew wasn’t the one you supposedly needed for a computer in ‘2004′… For anyone would doesn’t understand… Google images vs. Apple computer laptop models available around then.

4. and this… I just don’t understand… Had you bought the thing in the store, they would have installed it for you… No Drama.

Don’t get me wrong… I have personally ripped my fellow retail workers new one’s for doing royally stupid stuff. Take it from someone who has had to put up with way to many people like you: The pure distain stated by other readers, is truly justified.

The customer is not always right… no matter how loud they yell, but they are welcomed to their opinions… right or wrong.

I have no sympathy for you. I had to find that Torx Screwdriver. I drove to Home Depot, talk to the guy and he showed me exactly what I needed. All you had to do is ask a person at HD or Lowes. Instead you made a fool out of yourself on the net and at the Apple store. You can even buy these online. Do a google search and “ifixit.com” would have come up. Instead of sympathy, people are laughing at you.

Ummm - you must have some nasty Apple people in your hood - I’ve had machines out of warranty fixed on the spot (without charge) - they once spent 10 minutes looking for a “n” key in the back for a 3 year old iBook - Maybe you should move.

You threw a shit fit because you’re dumb as a rock. Whats funnier still is that you created a long ass comic about it. Talk about a banana fggt.

So um….im guessing its a powerbook G4 which has the PCMCIA card slot…which means he could have gotten a wireless adapter to plug right into that slot without opening a damn thing. Or he also could have walked into a best buy and bought a USB based one for 40 bucks. This is just pure FAIL.

I was assuming all along the mysterious screw type was like the ones they use for instance in trains to seal service boxes so that in theory normal people can’t open them since the screwdriver is not for sale.
But man…
a TORX screw !?
you must be kidding me !! it’s sooooo common !!
HOW can you decently expect to be able to do it yourself when you don’t know anything ??
I’m afraid I’ll have to agree with other people laughing at you…
When you can’t do it yourself, leave it up to the guys who are paid for that and don’t make a rant in a store or on the internet or in a comic strip!!
You successfully proved your inability to do manual works.

its funny that i came across this comic because, i work at the apple store that you speak of and i remember this experience quite differently. I’m not sure what you expected us to do for you when you had a laptop that was outside of applecare and we offered to fix ourselves. and you didn’t enter the store quite as happy as you’ve made it out… you came in quite angrily. lol. it made for a pretty funny comic strip… but bias is running ramped all the way through this strip. lol.

you are an idiot.

what do you do for living? do you make more thasn $30 an hour? what is the big deal if you have to pay somebody to do some work for you? I know your type: a cheap bastard who will spend 40 hours on some crap that you could have paid somebody else 50$ to do for you.

go on like that and you will go very far, unappreciative asshole.

You must be the biggest tool in the universe.
Well done, jackass

I’m no fan of Apple, but I have to say that I think they were right to not lend you their tool and the only one who ended up looking bad in your story is you. You threw a temper tantrum like a whiny two year old, and then posted a comic that you thought would make you look like a hero, but in reality you look like an asshole.

As someone who has worked in retail for the last eight years, I have had to deal with many jerks like you. You are proof that the saying “the customer is always right” is not true. I bet the manager of that Apple store took great pleasure in pointing out how easy it is to find a torx driver using Google, and they will probably be making jokes about you for years. Someone should send them a link to your comic so they can post in on the wall in their office.

The Apple sales associates maybe don’t deserve to be called “geniuses” but they certainly don’t get paid enough to have to deal with people like you on a regular basis. Fortunately for them most Apple users are more willing than you to part with $30 for 5 seconds of easy labour.

I buy PC’s because I can very easily do upgrades myself, that is not why people buy Macs. People who buy Macs rarely open the cover. I suspect most Mac owners would rather buy a new computer every 6 months than bother with simple maintenance or upgrades. After all, they don’t seem to mind spending hundreds of dollars more for a Mac (which is basically just PC hardware with an Apple logo on it), so I’m surprised you suddenly became so thrifty when it came to spending $30 for an upgrade.

Jim = Douche.

Taking your frustration out on people earning minimum wage because of the policy of the company they work for? You deserve DC and DC deserves you.

What did it take to get it shipped from Taiwan? $10 shipping, maybe $5 for the tool and a weeks worth of waiting? So for $15 extra you could have it done immediately, make the wife happy with how awesome you are and not look like a douche in front of several people in the store (not to mention the thousands online…)

I’d pay $15 extra for those perks.

I feel your pain, I remember taking hours to understand that the music that I had properly downloaded and payed for could not be taken out without using ipod’s exclusive program or some suspicious hacker hardware, m4a? Hell no! MP3? Hell yeah!

I especially hate the huge prices on laptops, the same stuff on my laptop is 600 dollars cheaper but at the apple store a macbook is 1200 dollars? Is it made of gold? The os is lame enough, but I mean jacking up the price (up 200 dollars) because of a DVD burner?

Rich idiots buy mac.(I dont blame you, as long as you keep buying the official mac stuff you’d never have a problem because its made to be 100% compatible and since your os is so unpopular hackers dont bother programing bugs for it.)

Regular people buy Microsoft.(The rest of us cant afford to buy the expensive official stuff just because it’s compatible,most all products are made to be pc compatible. And some of us are smart enough to buy a less-restrictive and cheaper mp3 players than ipod.)

Just as everyone has been so quick to call you an Ass for not being smart enough to Google what you needed, you now know why the Genius Bar is called that- to quickly provide genius answers to average consumers, and allowing apple to sell easy to use/hi-tech products, in a non-threatening and welcoming manner.

and also because nerds need self-validation

(in the future, the apple overlords will still be laughing at you)
written on a mac

I loved the comic, the story and the laugh. I can’t believe one fanboy so obsessed with this brand and eager to please this marketing clique, has spent the last two hours responding with infantile, insulting comments using a different name each time. How clever. Macs are nice. The cult is just a little too pretentious. And calling someone stupid because they’re not up on how to install peripherals is, well, stupid.

1. Why didn’t you google it first?
2. Why did you demand to use their tool? Would you do the same at an auto mechanic’s? Don’t you understand they can’t circumvent policy? Don’t you understand liability laws? They came about because of idiots like you.
3. Why did you blow your top at an innocent party? You sound like every other stupid white guy with a sense of entitlement.

I agree that they should have told you what you needed. But they didn’t, and the problem still remained…so why didn’t you try other things, like, um, google? Or you could have googled to start with.

You sound as dumb as your wife, and both of you are dumber than the dumbasses who drink the Apple Kool-aid. Actually, you deserve this hassle just because you both use Macs and think they are so superior.

Stupid comic from a stupid guy who wanted to commemorate his stupidity. Now go buy a Mac mini and some spatulas. Yes, you need paint spatulas to open them up.

Childish, but funny story, and the drawing is sweet as well, i liked the unicorn haha.

Dougan, as much as Apple ticks me off sometimes, you really are an idiot. I hope someday you look back on this and realize it… but based on what you say in your comic, this is very unlikely. You’re unreasonable and definitely hot-headed. But mainly, you’re just an idiot.

There is absolutely no way somebody as technically inept as yourself should have been allowed near a computer. Torx screws and wrenches are extremely commonplace on laptops and a lot of other electronics and not knowing what they are is a good sign that you really, really, shouldn’t be messing around with that stuff.

And not knowing what a Torx wrench is doesn’t make you dumb.

I don’t know exactly what the alternator on a car does. I don’t think that makes me dumb, although I’m certainly fairly clueless when it comes to car repair. The difference between me and you is that I’m not a complete and utter douchebag who yells at my mechanic to let him use his tools for free instead of simply forking over thirty goddamn dollars for a fucking installation procedure that I am clearly not qualified to perform.

Idiot.

Does blatant lying to try to villify others and cover your moronic mistakes validate you in some way, Jim?

You’re one of the people who makes working retail so miserable. You are also extremely lucky that the manager was willing to help you like that.
I work in a deli. If you brought in a ham and asked if you could use the slicer or even one of my knives…I would tell you flat-out: NO. If anything happened to you, I would be held liable.
And if you threw a screaming fit like that for any reason in my store, even if it was because of a mistake I made, I would kick you out in a heartbeat. Probably call the cops as well.
Even if the employee makes a mistake, no matter how frustrated you are, you have NO RIGHT to blow up at people like that. All you do is make yourself look like a fool and upset the other customers.
Stop being a baby. Grow up and act like an adult. The world would be a much more civil place if jerks like you would treat everyone with respect.

I would love to know how much money you saved/time wasted by going home and ordering the wrench, instead of just having the genius do it for $30. “I’ll show you, Apple! I’ll order the wrench online for $20. Haha!”

You are completely in the wrong and far too stupid to realize it. Here’s a concept… GO TO ANY HARDWARE OR AUTOMOTIVE STORE AND SPEND $5. Torx head drivers are everywhere.

You are a FUCKING IDIOT. Somebody should have smacked the crap out of you. Seriously, if you pulled that shit on me, lose my job or not, I would have jumped the counter and beat the living hell out of you.

Please die in a fire, the world will be better without you.

if you don’t know what a torx wrench is, you probably shouldn’t be trying to install the card yourself.

Nice comic and cathartic release. Radio Shack has Torx as well as WalMart and any auto parts store.

Is there a second page? You know, where the manager points out that you were being a jackass and you feel ashamed for acting like a two year old? And where you realize that you spent probably several hours of your life creating a comic book about the time you had a temper tantrum in front of hipsters and people you consider less educated than yourself?

You’re a fucking retard

Lois is absolutely right. In addition I find it hilarious that you didn’t go to, oh I don’t know, a store that sells electronics rather than home depot. I bought a full set of torx heads for $4. If you didn’t want to spend $30 you could have said “Thanks, but no thanks. Where can I buy one of the screwdrivers?”, but instead you threw a hissy fit. The fact that you ridicule Barry’s education certainly makes you look witty and cool, I hope you internet cred goes through the roof man!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ SEE NAME

Why are you so angry? Just pay huge sums of money!!! New iphone coming out this one has a 34gb hard drive (what? we’re not holding it back…thats all it can fit) with the simple price of 699.99.

And you can even call people on it!(for 70 dollars a month)

Dont forget to buy our special s-video connector to plug into your tv and watch movies! And the only s-video compatible cord IN THE WORLD is at a cheap price of only 99.99!!!

And dont forget in 2009 we will start selling a 3g s-video nano!!!

Boom!

Ok I gotta go put more apple stickers on items I found at the dollar store, so my minions will have to fight my battle for me and my overpriced items…

Go on idiots…er..mac users!!!

Defend your over-rated products!

BOOM!

This is why we used to have Apple Dealers - before Apple started pushing them all out of business. A dealer would have had no problem lending you the screwdriver…hell he’d have probably even sold it to you!
Support your local independent Apple dealer. Don’t buy direct.

After reading a few of these comments I felt I needed to add a personal insult to you JamesDougan, you are a fucking nob.

Every EC store overhere sells it as well… Al that drawing and writing for totally nothing :). I live in Holland though (ordering it there is probably faster than the route you have displayed)… ‘But sure as hell shows: YOU CAN GET IT ANYWHERE!

I have to admit, it’s a pretty funny story, and hope it was just aimed/intended for that, ’cause it pretty much shows your short temper.

dood. you so retard.

torx screws/drivers WAY OLD technology can buy ANYPLACE. ain’t no special gold-plated rocket parts.

good for them didn’t ship card with tool. when buy tires don’t expect to come with wrench. or tire-changing machine. or air-compressor. or instructions on how to feed self before starve and die.

first lookit what dumb jerk you are. then imagine all the people must be even dumber than you. now imagine give them tools to open and mangle they computers. nobody want give tools to people can’t figure out ‘ahhh, is torx’.

man-up beyhotch. real geeks shut up and buy their tools.

Where are you?

Type 5759 to find me on youtube

Man I hate ipods!!!

This is kind of an ad to find somebody…just ignore it plz

As a Technician for a repair centre I have to deal with people like yourself all the time James. The only one who’s been done wrong by here is the poor customer service staff that had to put up with your rude behaviour, if you really were a nice person you’d have realised that there are rules in place for a reason. People can lose their jobs for not adhearing to them, reguardless of how petty they may seem from a customers point of view.
Did you think about the example you might have set for any customers if they did let you?

‘Hey that guy just walked in and asked to borrow their tools and they let him! Wow! I’ll just fix mine here too!’

It may be an exaggeration, but it’s true.
It’s not ‘Buyer beware’ if the customer is a retard.

As echoed by several on this thread: This really proves just how ignorant the author is, and how desperate he is to find something to rant about.
- If the AirPort card is optional, you don’t have a MacBook, but a PowerBook G4 (you know, the product name which is silkscreened in nice easy-to-read letters right under the screen?)
- “A few years ago” equates to at least 5 years - again, to account for the optional nature of that card (don’t bitch about how stupid Apple is to not include this feature in current products, since it HAS been standard equipment for quite some time)
- When you bought the Titanium PowerBook G4, the AirPort card was offered as an optional addition. If you didn’t choose to get it then, you can’t complain that you’ve changed your mind now, and might have to pay to buy the card and pay to have it installed (ooh, what a shock!).
- I CAN understand the frustration at how difficult it was to remove the panel (”disassembling” is a bit misleading) to install the card. But again: You could have chosen to have it installed when you purchased it (years ago), or paid a measly $30 to have someone who knew what they were doing, to tackle the process for you.
- How do you possibly not understand Apple’s decision to NOT to allow consumers to hack apart their products, using Apple equipment, on Apple premises? Can you honestly state that if you had fried the unit in the attempt, that you *wouldn’t* be blaming it all on Apple? I didn’t think so.
- Or, are you stating that you really believe Apple should have installed the card for you for free? For a product which is years out of warranty (lemme guess: You didn’t pay for AppleCare either, did you?), and which they have both the equipment and the expertise to act on?
- Gee, asking for an “exotic alien screwdriver” from several places didn’t lead to any results at all? How incredibly unexpected. Perhaps if you had asked for, or Google’d for, “PowerBook screwdriver” you would probably have been able to follow the VERY FIRST HIT indicating what the product name is, and assured availability in your local home supply or hardware store. Were you expected to know the name (”Torx”) yourself? No, of course not. But would it have been EASY to determine the name if you weren’t so anxious to complain about it’s “non-standard” nature? Yes.
- Oh, and as was otherwise stated: Torx *is* a great choice, since it is the *best* design to avoid stripping the screw. Don’t complain about situations when you simply don’t understand the reasoning or technology.

I feel sorry for the Apple Store rep’s who had to deal with you and your completely irrational tirade. You are the reason that retail employees get so exhausted working with the public: If people would think before they act, and not constantly believe they are “entitled” to getting everything they want, whenever they want it, for free - we might have a better environment for all users.

I know you’ll have a snarky response to this post, so please don’t bother. Just consider that we’re all aware that the more assinine and controversial the post, the more pageviews it gains, right?

So, congratulations on getting so many hits from folks which you’ll surely label “Apple fanboys” who are merely pointing out the complete irrationality of each of your arguments.

AHAHAHHAHAHHHAHA!!! How long did you spend at Home Depot and stil were unable to come up with a torx screw? DUMB ASS!

Let’s see another comic stip — what’s it like when you have to change a tire?

You do realize that radio shack has these right?

There are 17 stores within the DC area alone (not counting the other surrounding states).

You are Type A, you also need anger management.

In my experience, people who call themselves a “nice guy” usually are douchebags and assholes and have a higher view of themselves than others do.

And yeah, a bit more research on your part wouldn’t have hurt.

So did you get the card installed in the end? Those particular PowerBooks can be tricky; with the machine upside-down with the port side facing away from you, take out the battery, remove and put the screws somewhere safe (I stick them to a magnet) and make absolutely sure to pull the bottom panel forward evenly about 1.5cm. It should lift up a bit, disengaging the tabs. The panel is titanium and the tabs are plastic so try not to twist the cement that holds the panel and tabs together inside as it can be brittle after a few years of use and thermal cycling and humidity.
The reason the original AirPort card has to be installed inside is that Apple has built the antenna into the computer’s case itself, and because of this the card is more like RAM or a new hard drive; another component that is installed as part of the whole machine, not just as an accessory PCMCIA card. The AirPort card shouldn’t ever need to be removed so access to it is more like surgery than it is like putting on a wristwatch.
Anyway when you reassemble the machine make sure the AirPort card cable is securely connected to the antenna port. The extra inch or so of cable length should be tucked down and sideways between the logic board and the case; make sure that this cable will not interfere with the bottom panel tabs. Installation of the bottom panel is similar to removal, but you want to be extra careful that all the tabs are lined up correctly (even the ones you can’t see that are under the middle of the panel) and that you apply even force to the panel, sliding it forwards and down. When you put the screws back in try to sort of do it radially like installing a wheel on a car; start with a far corner, do the corner opposite next, then the next either clockwise or counterclockwise. Leave them just a little bit loose and only tighten them down that final bit once they’re all in snug.
So, about the comic, I quite like your drawing style. You’re good at expressions, and I especially like how I could practically see this happening as if it were almost a short cartoon. You reference visual cues (subtly? accidentally maybe?) that we’ve all seen (the implied darkening of the sky and lighting change for the “I explode” panel, the unicorns and rainbows and happy skipping children, the raincloud featuring vengeful laughing Apple gods…) basically the whole thing flows well and is visually interesting. I’m definitely going to check out your other stuff.
I do feel some sympathy for you and the events that led to this comic. However there were a few things that I would have done differently. For starters, and I’m not sure how rough your city is, but you could have brought the laptop with you to the hardware store and made a point of asking an older employee about the screws. I’m sure you asked someone but the kids don’t know the stores any better than the customers, in my experience.
It would have helped, also, if the first Mac store hadn’t basically told you to take a hike; eve