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ddohnggo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 7, 2003
37
0
i'm planning on buying one of the new powerbooks in the near future and was thinking of getting a membership for the developer's program in order to get the 20% discount on the powerbook purchase. has anyone done this before? is there anything to be aware of, such as clauses in the contract and whatnot that would make me obligated to do anything or pay extra money?
 

MacRoni

macrumors member
Oct 25, 2002
45
0
I did

By the way, I got shafted on my PB purchase with the keynote this morning, but by all means...All you need to do is pay the $99 student membership fee and you are in. You still should be in college, but you don't necessarily have to take any developer courses. Just wait a little while until your order clears...it takes some time to process (not worth pulling hair out for).
 

Wano

macrumors 6502
Oct 23, 2002
487
0
Re: I did

Originally posted by MacRoni
By the way, I got shafted on my PB purchase with the keynote this morning, but by all means...All you need to do is pay the $99 student membership fee and you are in. You still should be in college, but you don't necessarily have to take any developer courses. Just wait a little while until your order clears...it takes some time to process (not worth pulling hair out for).

my sister is thinking of using this discount...but she is in art classes this semester which is a pre-equisete(sp) to computer graphics...is she still elegible?
 

ddohnggo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 7, 2003
37
0
i'm not quite sure. i found another thread earlier that was about the discount and one poster said that one of his friend's got shafted with the discount because apple found out he wasn't taking any development courses and was forced to pay the discount. however i'm not sure if it's true or not. you should read the developer's section, although it is very convoluted.
 

mmoin

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2001
138
0
Beware!

The fine print is very convoluted, and sort of contradictory regarding the developer courses requirement. So, I called apple a few times and confirmed with various people that you only need to be a full-time college student and that you don't need to be in developer-related courses, so I enrolled in the program (for $99).

Then, I was about to use my discount to purchase a flat-panel iMac, so I called the Hardware Purchase Program line. The Apple representative told me it was definitely required that I be currently enrolled in developer-related courses. After a bit of discussion, she agreed to check with other people in her office and contact me with a response (I'm still waiting, but I'm going to call tomorrow). She seemed pretty adamant that I would not be getting the discount, but I am going to do my best to either get the discount or insist that they refund my money. It's not like I'm trying to con them, I have taken computer courses in the past and I've done some programming, so I really don't see why they're giving me the runaround, but I guess policy is policy.

Regardless, though, if they screw me out of the membership fee and don't at least give me a refund (after telling me that I was completely eligible for the hardware discount), they have just lost a customer.
 

ddohnggo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 7, 2003
37
0
hmmm....i'm a computer science major and i won't really be taking classes next semester that are programming intensive. i just hope they won't tell me the same thing they're telling you. do you know what they consider "developer" courses?
 

mmoin

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2001
138
0
I figure they mean any sort of intermediate level CS course or above.
 

Xero

macrumors 6502
Dec 2, 2002
360
1
Los Angeles
im a music major

i beleive that when you sign up for the ADC account, they ask you what you do in school [some sort of drop down menu]. i said that i was a music major, and everything went through fine. I AM a recording arts major and am using my mac for music production and composition, and will admit to mainly using the ADC discount for the discount only. but developing some simple software related to audio processing is definatly a possibility and its nice to have the development recources available.

to be exact on my situation; i actually put my order in BEFORE my ADC account cleared, so i had to email an apple rep personally as to when my discount assets were actually available. so maybe since my assets were used so quickly after being available, they never really looked into my college stuff? who knows, but i dont think theyre super strict.
 

mmoin

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2001
138
0
well

I registered for the ADC student program about a week ago, and nowhere did it ask what I was doing in school. Maybe they changed it though. Anyway, I will definitely be calling them tomorrow to see what the deal is.
 

ddohnggo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 7, 2003
37
0
i too am going to be using the powerbook i purchase for music composition and production as well as programming and whatnot. this will be my first mac and i can't wait to get it. making music on a plane ride should be amazing.
 

GigaWire

macrumors 6502
Dec 25, 2001
386
0
Apple is not going track you people down and demand a refund of their discount. Just don't appear to be abusing it, IE, Mable, Gary, Susie, and Martha Williams all order new comps through the 4 Student ADC accounts and have them shipped to the same address. Then, maybe Apple would chase after them and demand their money back. Let's be realistic for a second here...:rolleyes:
 

Xero

macrumors 6502
Dec 2, 2002
360
1
Los Angeles
Originally posted by ddohnggo
i too am going to be using the powerbook i purchase for music composition and production as well as programming and whatnot. this will be my first mac and i can't wait to get it. making music on a plane ride should be amazing.

hah, yeah, i almost wet myself when i realized i could be making music anywhere i wanted to, and it still gets me exited and pumped to write music! :D

[im a PC switcher as well]
 

MacRoni

macrumors member
Oct 25, 2002
45
0
worth it

Its worth it to sign up for the student ADC program just for the numerous os upgrades they ship to you free.
 

mmoin

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2001
138
0
Didn't know they gave OS updates too, that's neat.

Just called again, this person (another employee at the same line) told me I was completely set but that they were going to do some more checking once I placed my order. I got her name, though, in case they try to give me any problems (so I'll have proof that someone gave me the go-ahead to place my order). Hopefully this will work.

Update: Just ordered an 800mhz 12.1" iBook with combo drive and a 10GB iPod. Hope this works.
 

ddohnggo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 7, 2003
37
0
did you have to fax out a course list of what you're taking and a driver's liscence? i think i read somewhere on the apple site that you had to do that.
 

mmoin

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2001
138
0
I faxed them my most recent grade report from my college and gave them my college id number when I signed up for the program.

Anyway, I placed my order yesterday afternoon, and the iBook and the iPod are being prepped for shipment, so I think this is going to work out, but we'll see.
 

arnette

macrumors 6502
Nov 22, 2002
312
104
Manhattan Beach
Originally posted by mmoin
I faxed them my most recent grade report from my college and gave them my college id number when I signed up for the program.

Anyway, I placed my order yesterday afternoon, and the iBook and the iPod are being prepped for shipment, so I think this is going to work out, but we'll see.


Hey Mmoin...

what exactly did you fax them and to what number? Did they ask for a class schedule when you placed your order? I plan on doing the same as you, joining the student membership program and ordering the new PB 12" but I'm not taking any developer courses this semester.
if you can, email me and tell me what you did exactly from the begining and how it all went.

Thanks!!
 

janey

macrumors 603
Dec 20, 2002
5,316
0
sunny los angeles
I got a new Power Mac G4 with a Cinema HD Display with the ADC discount (I'm a student member) and they don't hassle you. You just have to read the fine print carefully. btw, it's not *always* 20% and if you're a student (but not an ADC member) you could get an education discount instead. But becoming a member has great benefits and deals that go with it :p
 

Xero

macrumors 6502
Dec 2, 2002
360
1
Los Angeles
i find that strange that people have had to do so much to get their ADC membership accounts verified. the only school related info i gave them, was the college im attending and my school ID number. maybe it varies from person to person...?
 

Wano

macrumors 6502
Oct 23, 2002
487
0
Hum, maybe they do a random thing, like they do random searches at airports.
 

arnette

macrumors 6502
Nov 22, 2002
312
104
Manhattan Beach
Originally posted by übergeek
I got a new Power Mac G4 with a Cinema HD Display with the ADC discount (I'm a student member) and they don't hassle you. You just have to read the fine print carefully. btw, it's not *always* 20% and if you're a student (but not an ADC member) you could get an education discount instead. But becoming a member has great benefits and deals that go with it :p

Actually, for what I want it's EXACTLY 20% .. I was looking at PB 12", 60GB, 640MB, Superdrive with the AirPort Extreme card. ADC price= 1838. regular price = 2298.

Anyway, how did you order? Online or by phone? And either way, how did you let them know that you have a student ADC membership? The 'fine print' says that you have to fax them a class schedule and proof of enrollment but I'm hearing that some people didn't do this at all. Does the login information give Apple everything they need to know for you to get the discount?
 
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