Smoking Near Apple Computers Voids Warranty

The only thing any of my mac-fanatic friends could say AGAINST this when I told them was "why do you care? You don't smoke anyway." They all do, you would think they would care. Nope, they're willing to spend another $2000 for a machine with inferior hardware to my... $675 machine... just because its a Mac.

Oh well. It still isn't mentioned in the documentation, it still screams lawsuit, and its still another reason never to buy a Mac.
 
Elledan said:
If someone was vaporizing pure tar and other gunk next to their PC it would void warranty. Cigarettes also vaporize tar and lots of other gunk including some highly carcinogenic substances, voiding warranty and forming a health hazard long after it has formed the film of gunk inside the PC.

Handling the insides of a PC exposed to cigarette smoke for extended periods of time requires a face mask with filter and gloves at a minimum. No employer could legally force its employees to work in such conditions without offering hazard pay, additional (extensive) safety training and increased benefits, not to mention ensure the environment isn't adversely affected by the pollution introduced by dislodging the gunk inside the PC.

Anyone who thinks that Apple isn't within their rights here has no clue about the contents of cigarette smoke and about the handling of dangerous substances, especially for extended periods of time.
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Hmm, you don't live in Arizona do you...

See over here you go and tell your tech lead you ain't cleaning that dirty smoker's pc gets you a trip out the door and on to your next job. Goog luck with the lawsuit...

You do realize that can's of air duster are considered hazardous materials right?
There are still traces of lead in the power cord that gives your pc juice. They all have those little tags that say mice die at the sight of them in California or something.

Best wash your hands after plugging in your PC. Let's not forget the leftover cleaning solvents that get on your brand new video card during manufacturing. They can be harardous too. Ever get solder smoke up your nose, that's pretty nasty too, gives me an instant headache. Ever replace a CRT tube in an old monitor? shock hazard aside there's a ton of lead in the circuitry.

There's far more things in a pc that will kill you than somebody's bad pc hygiene.

:cool:
 
jwalk6 said:
Hmm, you don't live in Arizona do you...
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Nah, I live in the United Socialist States of Europe ;)

See over here you go and tell your tech lead you ain't cleaning that dirty smoker's pc gets you a trip out the door and on to your next job. Goog luck with the lawsuit...
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Over here nobody can get fired without a good reason. Workers also have a lot of rights, especially the right to a safe working environment.

You do realize that can's of air duster are considered hazardous materials right?
There are still traces of lead in the power cord that gives your pc juice. They all have those little tags that say mice die at the sight of them in California or something.
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RoHS ensures there's no lead in our powercords.

Anyway, here's a list of known carcinogens in cigarette smoke, which will appear in concentrated form in smoke residue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_constituents

This is the list of 599 submitted additives to cigarettes (1994) which, though tested for use in food have never been tested by burning, with unknown effects of the resulting substances on human health:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_additives_in_cigarettes

I'd mostly definitely want to wear a full hazmat suit when working on a smoke residue-covered system. The risk on negative health effects is just too significant.
 
Kristofff said:
YOU DONT LET THEM OPEN IT THEN YOU GET TO CLEAN IT OFF BEFORE YOU FIX IT I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SO HARD FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND
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Fine, but the cleaning isn't covered under warranty and you should be able to bill whatever rate you like for the cleaning. . . . $300 an hour sounds about right to me.
 
LAiN_OfTheWired said:
Oh well. It still isn't mentioned in the documentation, it still screams lawsuit, and its still another reason never to buy a Mac.
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It also hasn't been independently confirmed outside of one person on the Internets. You'd think if Apple had an official policy vis-a-vis the effects of smoking on their products, there would be something in print.

Calling FUD on not only this "news" story, but your post.
 
Over a period of time the effects of smoking around your laptop are just as bad as spilling a can of coke on it. Have you ever touched the residue that smoke leaves behind? its really sticky and really difficult to clean off.
 
complexx said:
Over a period of time the effects of smoking around your laptop are just as bad as spilling a can of coke on it. Have you ever touched the residue that smoke leaves behind? its really sticky and really difficult to clean off.
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One of my main motivators to quit smoking was when I cleaned the inside of the windshield on my car and after 1/2 an hour of cleaning, paper towels were still coming away yellow and brown from the tar.
 
ekierce said:
One of my main motivators to quit smoking was when I cleaned the inside of the windshield on my car and after 1/2 an hour of cleaning, paper towels were still coming away yellow and brown from the tar.
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Same here. Also, back in the day when I smoked, driving into the sun sucked because of the haze and film on the windshield.

I go months now not being a smoker before needing to clean my windows in my car.
 
It never ceases to amaze me just how many people are perfectly willing to let American corporations and business continually fuck over the consumer in the name of "doing business". It's as if the customer is never right, is always wrong and is either a thief or potential thief. If there's any doubt, the benefit of same is always to business.

Many of said people would fit right in working for the MPAA / RIAA. :mad:
 
ekierce said:
One of my main motivators to quit smoking was when I cleaned the inside of the windshield on my car and after 1/2 an hour of cleaning, paper towels were still coming away yellow and brown from the tar.
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Met-AL said:
Same here. Also, back in the day when I smoked, driving into the sun sucked because of the haze and film on the windshield.

I go months now not being a smoker before needing to clean my windows in my car.
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I must have been the only smoker that always opened the window if I smoked in my car.
I'm no left to wonder what the hell is that crap that's on the inside of the windshield (which is still a PITA to clean).
 
nilepez said:
I must have been the only smoker that always opened the window if I smoked in my car.
I'm no left to wonder what the hell is that crap that's on the inside of the windshield (which is still a PITA to clean).
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I take it you don't live in an area with bad winters or extreme heat in the summer.

I rolled down the window most of the time too, but in winter or the hottest days of summer it's not exactly doable.

Still the same results.
 
qdemn7 said:
It never ceases to amaze me just how many people are perfectly willing to let American corporations and business continually fuck over the consumer in the name of "doing business". It's as if the customer is never right, is always wrong and is either a thief or potential thief. If there's any doubt, the benefit of same is always to business.

Many of said people would fit right in working for the MPAA / RIAA. :mad:
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Apple is only fucking over the people who are destroying their equipment and surroundings by smoking.
 
SixtyWattMan said:
Apple is only fucking over the people who are destroying their equipment and surroundings by smoking.
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"their equipment and surroundings"????? What, you're saying the computer and the person's residence actually BELONGS to Apple?? Christ, you just proved my earlier point. :rolleyes:
 
I wonder what hazardous materials are released from an iPod or iMac that chooses to catch fire for no reason, just say that the residue they see is from your iPod catching on fire for no reason.
But I will admit a friend of mine whom smoked like a chimney PC was the nastiest thing I have ever seen. The HSF which was aluminum was yellow, not only this but it was covered in dust which was stuck fast to the tar, we just ended up swapping out the HSF for a new one
 
qdemn7 said:
"their equipment and surroundings"????? What, you're saying the computer and the person's residence actually BELONGS to Apple?? Christ, you just proved my earlier point. :rolleyes:
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Are you dense or something or a troll? For the sake of the human race I hope you're trolling. The people who are smoking own the Macs, there I'll clarify that for you since you lack any kind of comprehensive skills. Cigarette smoke will damage anything it touches. I'm a glorified Apple hater and I'm sure someone on this forum can tell you that but Apple should have to replace equipment people destroy with cigarette smoke.
 
ekierce said:
Fine, but the cleaning isn't covered under warranty and you should be able to bill whatever rate you like for the cleaning
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This is somewhat justifiable, though a slippery slope. And no, you should not just be able to bill whatever you like, because the only person allowed to get inside to clean, without breaking voiding the warranty, is an Apple technician. So, your logic is flawed, unless you support monopoly situations, but then that just makes you a jackass.

ekierce said:
. . . . $300 an hour sounds about right to me.
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This is not justifiable in any sense of the word.

SixtyWattMan said:
Apple is only fucking over the people who are destroying their equipment and surroundings by smoking.
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SixtyWattMan said:
Apple is fucking over people.
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Yea, that's what he said.

SixtyWattMan said:
Cigarette smoke will damage anything it touches.
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If by damage, you mean covered with a gross coating, then sure, bu that doesn't actually mean its damaged. Exaggerations are fun though, so I can see why you were unable to resist.
 
Kristofff said:
If by damage, you mean covered with a gross coating, then sure, bu that doesn't actually mean its damaged. Exaggerations are fun though, so I can see why you were unable to resist.
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Underestimating the effects tar and smoke have on equipment is also fun.
 
SixtyWattMan said:
Underestimating the effects tar and smoke have on equipment is also fun.
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So is refusing to acknowledge reality. If it hasn't burnt out from heat, it isn't damaged. Unless you think discoloration of hidden heat sinks counts as damage.
 
what about people like me who smoke maybe 1 or 2 cigs a day and have no idea what this residue everyone is talking about? am i a horrible person too?

i know about the smell though. this one chick smoked 4 packs of smokes in 23 hours. my house smelled like an ashtray for a week. i mean i probably smoke the equivelant to 4 packs of weed everyday and there is no residue, no lingering smell... man i wish people would wake up and realize what the better plant is...
 
Blazestorm said:
That it is, and sarcasm still doesn't prove him wrong... :eek:
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It doesn't need to when nothing proves him right and everything proves him wrong.

The simple fact of the matter is that the statement:
SixtyWattMan said:
Cigarette smoke will damage anything it touches.
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is complete horseshit, much like his supporting arguments.

If he had said:
SixtyWattMan said:
Cigarette smoke can sometimes damage some things it touches and can cause electronics to overheat if uncleaned for long periods of time
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he wouldn't look like a complete retard.
 
I used to sell TVs and we'd get some returned that were less than 2 weeks old and already had a disgusting smoke film covering the whole TV that you could scrape off with a piece of cardboard.

It's fine if you wanna smoke but when it obviously ruins your electronics you should only blame yourself.
 
what about people like me who smoke maybe 1 or 2 cigs a day and have no idea what this residue everyone is talking about? am i a horrible person too?
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Wouldn't say horrible :p However, one needs to take into account their environment when dealing with any technology. If that environment consists of smokers, then some prior research is in order as to the effects it will have on any equipment, especially PCs that are constantly intaking air and are fairly delicate. Today's society is all about "ease of access", and putting technology into every home in the world, without any education on the matter.
 
So basically Apple doesn't offer warranties anymore, since their buyers are all hippie smokers.
 
It's scary how many people are so readily prepared to discard the possibility that cigarette smoke residue can be actually damaging to electronics. Aside from making dust adhere to fans and heatsinks, causing overheating, the residue is also electrically conductive, which means it can short out and destroy electronics, or just mess with the signals between two pins of an ASIC half a mm apart resulting in hilarious effects and mysterious breakdowns.
 
Elledan said:
Nah, I live in the United Socialist States of Europe ;)


Over here nobody can get fired without a good reason. Workers also have a lot of rights, especially the right to a safe working environment.



RoHS ensures there's no lead in our powercords.

Anyway, here's a list of known carcinogens in cigarette smoke, which will appear in concentrated form in smoke residue:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_constituents

This is the list of 599 submitted additives to cigarettes (1994) which, though tested for use in food have never been tested by burning, with unknown effects of the resulting substances on human health:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_additives_in_cigarettes

I'd mostly definitely want to wear a full hazmat suit when working on a smoke residue-covered system. The risk on negative health effects is just too significant.
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Well in the U.S. we're all just cattle and ROHS is just an Apple marketing scheme. I can pull at least three brand new power cords out of my supply right now that have the lead warning.

Also, drop the cigarettes have evil carcinogens line. You're probably inhaling more CO and NOx waiting for the commuter train to show up in the morning.
Check the carcinogens that are evaporating from the plastics that make up the inside of a car and see what they can do to you. Check the hazardous chemicals used to process food stuffs and bio engineering used to increase crop and dairy yields.

Trust me, no matter where you live there's always something waiting to kill you but I can virtually guarantee that the scummy stuff left over from a smoker's bad pc hygiene will not kill you. It may make you vomit, but it won't kill you unless maybe you lick it or something. Be happy the owner doesn't show up with a lit cigarette blowing smoke in your face. I supposed you'd call the cops for that infraction though.

:cool:
 
jwalk6 said:
Well in the U.S. we're all just cattle and ROHS is just an Apple marketing scheme. I can pull at least three brand new power cords out of my supply right now that have the lead warning.

Also, drop the cigarettes have evil carcinogens line. You're probably inhaling more CO and NOx waiting for the commuter train to show up in the morning.
Check the carcinogens that are evaporating from the plastics that make up the inside of a car and see what they can do to you. Check the hazardous chemicals used to process food stuffs and bio engineering used to increase crop and dairy yields.

Trust me, no matter where you live there's always something waiting to kill you but I can virtually guarantee that the scummy stuff left over from a smoker's bad pc hygiene will not kill you. It may make you vomit, but it won't kill you unless maybe you lick it or something. Be happy the owner doesn't show up with a lit cigarette blowing smoke in your face. I supposed you'd call the cops for that infraction though.

:cool:
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Hey look another guy defending his disgusting habit. Having fun being chemically addicted to something that makes you smell like shit?
 
jwalk6 said:
Also, drop the cigarettes have evil carcinogens line. You're probably inhaling more CO and NOx waiting for the commuter train to show up in the morning.
Check the carcinogens that are evaporating from the plastics that make up the inside of a car and see what they can do to you. Check the hazardous chemicals used to process food stuffs and bio engineering used to increase crop and dairy yields.
Click to expand...
Actually here in the USSEU we banned and limited those hazards wherever possible ages ago already. Your US cars pollute at least 10x more than an old car here.

Trust me, no matter where you live there's always something waiting to kill you but I can virtually guarantee that the scummy stuff left over from a smoker's bad pc hygiene will not kill you. It may make you vomit, but it won't kill you unless maybe you lick it or something. Be happy the owner doesn't show up with a lit cigarette blowing smoke in your face. I supposed you'd call the cops for that infraction though.
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I have the choice to avoid increasing my risk on cancer by for example not sunbathing, and take care to eat healthy and get all the vitamins and such I require on a daily basis. Why won't I have the choice to tell smokers to take their disgusting habit and everything they polluted with carcinogenic gunk elsewhere where it won't bother me?

I absolutely refuse to work on a heavily gunked up smoker's PC. I refuse to stand downwind from a smoker outside. These are my personal choices and not even an employer or judge here can force me to do otherwise. You clearly have a different opinion. That is fine. Just stay the hell away from me when you light up a fag or are working on a gunk-infested piece of equipment. I like to not shorten my lifespan, kthxbai.
 
Steve said:
This is the first time I have ever heard of something like this. Residue from secondhand smoke in your Apple computer voids your warranty?
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They are so full of shit, it's not funny.

OSHA my ass, it's the whiney assed techs they employ that is the problem.

If that were true, you couldn't have ashtrays at work outside either due to the hazardous waste problems. Hell, you couldn't even pick up cigarette butts without special suits if that was a problem.

We need to get ahold of OSHA and see what they say. I'll bet it's bullshit.
 
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