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Danish Police Befuddled by 1G iMac

Danish Police Befuddled by 1G iMac

by , 1:45 PM EST, February 6th, 2008

An open wireless network led to a Danish police investigation of a stolen credit card. The police wanted to confiscate the author's computer. When the author's roommate agreed to also let the police look at her first generation iMac, they were frustrated because they thought the iMac was just the screen. They wanted to know where the actual computer was and got rather heated about finding it, according to the author of Rottin' in Denmark.

The police were equally confused when the poor fellow tried to explain that even though his personal computer was only two weeks old, he was reading his Web e-mail from November, trying to figure out where he was on the dreaded "night of the 15th."

Even worse, however, was this tragic dialog with the police.

  • 'We have your roommate's permission to confiscate her computer,' the Ichabod Crane one said.
  • 'Whatever,' I said. They had already assured me that we would get our laptops back that afternoon, so I figured the damage had already been done. Ichabod started rooting around under her desk.
  • 'Where's the computer?' he said.
  • 'On the desk. That's the computer,' I said.
  • 'No, the computer.'
  • 'That's the computer, dude.'
  • 'That's the screen.' He had lapsed into the voice you use when you explain to your 6-year-old cousin how the toaster works. 'I mean the compuuuuuter. Understand?'
  • 'Dude. That's the whole computer. Right there. The blue object the size of an armadillo.'
  • 'No. Where the daaaaata goes. The computer part.'
  • 'That is the computer. For Hell!' Danish swear words aren't as satisfying.
  • 'So that's the entire computer, right there?'
  • II was standing there with a look on my face like I was watching a dog walk on its hind legs.
  • 'New technology, huh?' he said.
  • I blew the dust off the keyboard and handed it to him. 'Do you mind if I check your badge again?'

The police were also very confused about how a neighbor could log onto their open, wireless network. "The internet doesn't work that way," was the officer's response.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject:

i like the "dusting off" part, after the cop says "new technology, huh"....

hilarious...

Close Name:jfbiii Posts: 109 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: Content LInks

These wouldn't piss me off so much if the option to turn them off was permanent. Instead the shitbag company offering the option expires the cookie in nothing flat.

Not only are these advertising links useless, they're incredibly annoying. TMO hasn't jumped the shark, yet, like some other site did with exit advertising (to get to a linked article you had to see an ad) but I remember now why I didn't stop in here for 3 months running.

Close Name:Actual Reality Posts: 44 Joined: 16 Aug 2005
Subject: back to the article.

this is just classic!

i remember working at a computer store right when these came out and people would always say "how is this different from the monitor i have at home?"

Close Name:Shoaf Posts: 37 Joined: 31 Jul 2007
Subject: I still get that

I still get very similar comments about my iMac C2D when people come over to the house: "Wow, that's a really nice screen! ...... Where do you keep the computer?"

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Danish Police

I see the Danish Police are every bit as intelligent as their counterparts in the USA.

Close Name:gopher Posts: 291 Joined: 28 Mar 2002
Subject: Where were they the last 26 years?

In 1982, the Lisa became one of the first all-in-one computer units.

In 1984, the Mac 128 k followed.
In 1985, the Osborne followed.
In 1989, the Mac portable. I think other notebooks existed before then.

What it really says is Apple hasn't done enough to promote their machines overseas with proper education. My girlfriend was befuddled about where the computer was on my iMac Intel Core2Duo.

Close Name:jimothy Posts: 612 Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Subject: Mistaken identity

I had an iMac G4 (with 20" LCD screen) stolen from me. The guy who bought it actually called me up to return it (read: have me buy it back from him). He bought it thinking it was a flat panel TV, but then turned it on and realized it was a computer. He saw my name on the login screen, got my number from 411, and I got my computer back for $80.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Same thing happened to my wife...

DSL install guy came by to install a new router, and asked her where the computer was. At the time, I had an Apple G4 Cube with the clear round speakers next to a 20" lcd. He asked her where the computer was. She said, it's right there by the display. He said, "No, that's the subwoofer for your speakers... where's the computer?" She told him that was the computer. He again said, "No, the actual computer... the CPU... you know, where you put the CDs in." She had to eject a CD from the Cube for him to finally believe her. He spent about 15 minutes checking out that Cube and where the ports were. The final straw for him was when he found out something that small had no fan in it.
He told her, "I've never been a fan of Apple or even thought about them as real computers, but I may have to check out their stuff."

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
jimothy wrote:
I had an iMac G4 (with 20" LCD screen) stolen from me. The guy who bought it actually called me up to return it (read: have me buy it back from him). He bought it thinking it was a flat panel TV, but then turned it on and realized it was a computer. He saw my name on the login screen, got my number from 411, and I got my computer back for $80.


lol pay 80 instead of call the cops?

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

So where DO you keep the actual computer? *tongue-in-cheek*

Close Name:Mikuro Posts: 457 Joined: 15 Jun 2002
Subject: Re: Content Links

Quote
jfbiii wrote:
These wouldn't piss me off so much if the option to turn them off was permanent. Instead the shitbag company offering the option expires the cookie in nothing flat.

Not only are these advertising links useless, they're incredibly annoying. TMO hasn't jumped the shark, yet, like some other site did with exit advertising (to get to a linked article you had to see an ad) but I remember now why I didn't stop in here for 3 months running.


Filter them. If you use Adblock in Firefox, add "*Ko*aLibInline.js*" to your blacklist. If you use Safari, there are similar add-ons, such as PithHelmet, SafariBlock and Safari Adblock.

Those ads drive me nuts, too. I forgot TMO used them, since I've had them filtered since 2 minutes after I first saw them. If I couldn't filter them, though, I would definitely stop reading TMO. They're just too annoying to tolerate.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Well it's not like macs are popular here at all(good thing), so how the hell were he supposed to know?

Arrogant macfags.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

You should've got it back for free if it was stolen. You got duped.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Commodore made the first all-in-ones

I started out on a 1977 Commodore Pet. Google it.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Osborne was first

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_1

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Macs are gay

Macs are gay. They may look cool and trendy, but just like ipods your not paying for anything new or cutting edge, your paying for the trendiness of them.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Being from Denmark

... being from Denmark (I escaped, now living in Tokyo) what I can say is, I met some of these guys some 5 years back and they are not "grade b" it people, they hire top-notch people to do the work

It's a little too "thick" to believe all that is written, and I am sure operatives aren't nerds but if they bust, they have a reason to do it

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Macs are gay

People who know that Macs are gay...are Gay!

Close Name:gopher Posts: 291 Joined: 28 Mar 2002
Subject: Macs are gay

Quote
Guest wrote:

Macs are gay. They may look cool and trendy, but just like ipods your not paying for anything new or cutting edge, your paying for the trendiness of them.


Ha. Actually many are much happier with our computers than if we had a PC. By that definition, there is gayness, not always by the sexual orientation. Maybe if you sat down with a Mac for a few hours you'd learn why. Don't judge people by what you haven't experienced yourself. Get a used or refurbished Mac if you can't afford a new one. Here's a resource:

http://www.macmaps.com/usedrefurbished.html

And realize that the Mac market share is growing now. It can't just be because of "new or cutting edge." The reason is for the most part they are simpler and easier to use.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Be GAY Half the price!

Affordable gayness..
Refurbished macs

Close Name:Guest
Subject: *Laughing as you pay me*

Thats ok let them spew their foolishly bias single sided views. I hope that they enjoy their, virus infected, insecure (so so easy to obtain a windows users personal info), spyware ridden, bluescreen of death spewing. (except Vista it is now a red screen) substandard product. I sincerely hope that you can still get a copy of Windows XP, but I doubt that will exist much longer as Microsoft shoves Vista down your throats. For the record I am glad there are people like you, because even though I own a Mac I am a "Microsoft Certified Professional". So I will just smile at you and "understand your problems" and I will gladly accept your money all while the while pitying your poor judgement.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Im from denmark

It's sad but true... the danish police is lightyears behind the rest of us...

Close Name:Guest
Subject: When I worked at Apple...

I'd get a call at least once a week that went something like:
"Hey, you guys sent the monitor but not the computer!"
"Sir, you ordered an iMac, correct?"
"Yeah but you just sent the [expletive] monitor!"
"That is the computer, sir..."
"No, it's the monitor, I ordered an entire computer."
"That is the entire computer, sir."
"No, it's not, it's just the monitor."
"The computer is in the monitor. It's an all-in-one. Plug it in and press the power button."
"Psh, fine, but it's just the monitor."
...waiting...
"You guys should make that more clear."
"You're right, I apologize."
...and that's why I'll never work in customer service again.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

"The guy who bought it actually called me up to return it (read: have me buy it back from him). He bought it thinking it was a flat panel TV, but then turned it on and realized it was a computer. He saw my name on the login screen, got my number from 411, and I got my computer back for $80."

This has got to be one of the dumbest things I have ever read online (wow, congrats!).

If this happens to you UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES PAY TO RECEIVE YOUR PROPERTY BACK. Call the police.

You were the victim twice. Once by theft, the other by your own stupidity. The guy who sold it to you did something illegal (even if he didn't know) - receiving stolen merchandise is a crime itself. You should not have been financially responsible for this.

Moron.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:


lol pay 80 instead of call the cops?


After a story like this you actually think the cops would be able to do ANYTHING?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: 1 GHz first generation iMac

Sad, sad sad,

But a 1 GHz first generation iMac, I don't think so.

Highest cpu speed on a candy (or not) iMac was a blistring(G3) 700 MHz (I know, my kids still use one and it runs Tiger like a charm).
The 1GHz (G4) cpu became available only from the "sun flower" aka "flat panel" model onwards.

Patrick
Belgium

Close Name:Guest
Subject: iDIOtS

Stupid Americans.

Oh, wait.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

i have a mac. it's 6 years old and running OS9. it still runs. it runs better than by 6 month old toshiba super laptop.

(said laptop now has a mac logo sticker covering the tosiba stamp on the cover, with a little label over it reading "i wish i was a . . .")

i guess that makes me a mac geek.

i'm a total pushover for things that work.

Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3149 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Subject: Re: Be GAY Half the price!

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
Affordable gayness..
Refurbished macs


Dude, you've got issues. Seek help.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: computers and cops dont mix.

I don't know how the law works in your country but you should have never let them in unless they had a warrant.
Always treat cops like vampires never invite them in.
You should never agreed to let them take your computers.
unless they have a warrant.
If you really believe that your were going to get your stuff back in a timely manner you were just stupid.
If you ever do get your computer back it's going to be fucked the hell up. Cops don't care about your stuff they will smash it open to get what they need and send the broken parts back to you or conviently lose it.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: actually I thought the author was a jerk

Okay, so it's sort of funny that the cop didn't know the iMac was integrated, but come on...

Instead of being the stereotypical pretentious dick of a Mac user he could have just simply told the officer the computer is built into the monitor. Problem solved.

He then goes on to make fun of them for not knowing how someone used their wide open wireless network. Excuse me? Who's the idiot? You're the one who can't even secure your wireless network.

Honestly, I think the story is a bunch of bullocks. It's not even really all that funny, so it's sort of sad someone wasted their time making this up.

And for the record, no I have nothing against Mac users. I have both PCs and Macs and I'd recommend a Mac for almost anyone. I just don't like jerkoffs who think they're better than someone else because they own a Mac.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Reverse Logic

This actually this brings bak memories of this thing about 7 years ago in Bombay where police raided a piracy ring and confiscated all the monitors, leaving the real stations back. 'twas a big joke in the papers.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Fanboys unite!

To start, I'd like to point out that I have nothing whatsoever against Windows users. I'm sorry you have to deal with Microsoft, but that is not at all a reflection of what I think about you. But I am curious: why do you read sites like MacObserver if you are a die hard Windows fan? At least we MacBoys are posting on a site that is actually for us. AND you can call us arrogant if you want, but the fact that Windows users never brag is due to lack of material to be proud of, not the modesty of Windows users. We're loyal to good products, and I'd love nothing more than all you poor Windows users to find the light.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Can you imagine how confused they would have been if it had been one of the flat screen iMacs?

At least this shows that police are equally incompetent the world over.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: mac to pc

i used to be a mac guru from 96-00, system 7,8,9 and all i can say is im happy i gave up Macintosh, i like the options in configurations, upgrade potential, software and games available for the pc. when i had a mac it felt like i was stuck, but now i can really explorer my options. and i like vista btw, but im no fanboy

Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3149 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Subject: Re: mac to pc

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
i used to be a mac guru from 96-00, system 7,8,9 and all i can say is im happy i gave up Macintosh, i like the options in configurations, upgrade potential, software and games available for the pc. when i had a mac it felt like i was stuck, but now i can really explorer my options. and i like vista btw, but im no fanboy


Glad that you found your own version of nirvana, but what has this got to do with the article?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: pc to mac

i used to be a Microsoft guru from 96-00, Windows 95,98,ME,2000 and all i can say is im happy i gave up Windows, i like the options in configurations, upgrade potential, lack of virus/malware, music/graphic software available for the Mac. If I get the bores i can run Windows if i want to as well. when i had a PC it felt like i was stuck, but now i can really explorer my options. and i like Leopard btw, but im no fanboy

Close Name:Guest
Subject: um. fixed your comment for you...

<lying through teeth>
i used to be a mac guru from 96-00, system 7,8,9 and all i can say is im happy i gave up Macintosh, i like the options in configurations, upgrade potential, software and games available for the pc. when i had a mac it felt like i was stuck, but now i can really explorer my options. and i like vista btw, but im no fanboy
</lying through teeth>

signed,
clueless shill stuck in the 90's

p.s. - self-proclaimed guru's aren't
p.p.s. - real guru's are never 'stuck'
p.p.p.s. - welcome to the new millennium. vista is a sad attempt to rip off OS X. if you're one of the three people on the planet not employed by M$ who actually do like it, then you'd really love OS X... and just don't know it yet.
p.p.p.p.s - aero? really? [hysterical laughter] what's up with vista's seriously lame multi-head display 'advanced' configuration that won't actually let you indicate actual monitor positions? if you ever have used a mac, and you ever had more than one display, then you KNOW what i mean. MacOS 4 had vista beat there, let alone OS X...

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

macs just suk. ipods r a rip off.... get a creative zen vision m. they are way better AND CHEAPER! i think it is YOU that is inexperienced. try some hardware that wasnt on tv every commercial break and u will find better products. with mac and ipod u r paying for the name, advertising, and status symbol. RIP OFF

Close Name:Intruder -   TMO Mac Specialist Posts: 3149 Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Subject:

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
macs just suk. ipods r a rip off.... get a creative zen vision m. they are way better AND CHEAPER! i think it is YOU that is inexperienced. try some hardware that wasnt on tv every commercial break and u will find better products. with mac and ipod u r paying for the name, advertising, and status symbol. RIP OFF


A well-crafted post, replete with proper capitalization, punctuation and spelling. Creative would be proud to have you support their 3% marketshare. Honest.

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