drscott | Waiting for DHL

After watching the progress of the Mac Mini through DHL's system via their web tracking, I noticed it come to a halt Wednesday at the local distribution warehouse in Sunnyvale. A reasonable person would expect it would be loaded on the truck for final delivery at that point, but no... nothing happened the first day. So I called up DHL national, who it turns out cannot get hold of their own warehouse by phone, but must leave messages on an internal email system, which if they are not acknowledged in two hours, are presumed to have been received. They left a message instructing the warehouse to make a special effort to get the package loaded onto a truck Friday. Friday: nothing happens. I call DHL and the people at MacConnection.

Four calls to DHL, each one except the last cut off after I was put on hold. Amusing scuttlebutt from the nice lady at MacConnection who understandably doesn't want me to hold them responsible for the delay (over the years PC-and-MacConnection has been the most reliable fast shipper for computer parts.) She tells me DHL blames the rain for delivery failures. "It was drizzling fiercely two days ago..." I comment. I presume this seems especially funny to MacConnection people, who live in snow-and-ice-bound southern NH.

After much bureaucracy (the local warehouse must be officially notified by either shipper or national that a customer is riled enough to pick up his own package there, requiring one of those two hour message delays if the warehouse isn't bothering to answer their phone), I drove over to the warehouse (near Lockheed and Yahoo world HQ.) Much chaos, trucks parked everywhere, loading dock doors all open, no apparent security, packages scattered about -- in the Northeast there'd be barbed wire and bars on the windows, security cams, and surly guardians, but not here. Poor solo attendant at the customer window goes off to find someone to dig out the package. Half-hour wait later, I am proud recipient of an 8"x8"x6" box containing a flawless Mac Mini Core Solo. Later I reload the tracking page, which reports the package was delivered to my home at 4:51 PM.

Irony of disheveled me waiting for tiny Mac in warehouse 22 years after interviewing with Ed Birss and Larry Tesler noted.

I've configured the machine for Mom's use (gmail account, family pictures, some Big Band music) and updated all the software, so it's ready to be packed.

Meanwhile, Hammer says they hope my Prius will arrive Monday. Since I will have left for DC Tuesday, this had better be the case, or it will be tedious indeed.