PRETTY BUT NASTY (1 december 2004)
This week, the post brought me a parcel from American firm BBAuctions .
When I unwrapped it, I found two chess computers that I had ordered through eBay.
The biggest one was a transparent plastic affair (click ) that looked pleasant enough.
The manufacturer Excalibur Electronics must have thought they sold it too cheap because they had not included an adapter.
In Excalibur's leaflet, I read I could order the adapter for thirteen dollars. I did not consider buying this adapter for several reasons:
- Chess computers are usually sold with an adapter.
- 9-volt adapters are normally sold for about half what Excalibur asked.
- Ordering an adapter would probably take a few weeks.
- Having it sent would take extra money for sending, which - considering what Excalibur had charged me on a previous occasion - would not be cheap.
For a few lights flickered and that was the last that ever came out of this transparent blue affair.
And now I've got a chess computer that doesn't play chess - although I admit it looks pretty enough.
I have been assured by experts that it's not very difficult to safeguard a device against a simple reversing of polarity.
But then Excalibur would not sell their overpriced adapters.
