how much would you pay for the return of your laptop?

[Johnny blaze]

I left mine under the train seat, it had important information on it, and it was worth about 650 quid.

However, the next day I got a call from this honest young lad who read my business card and said it was in safe hands. The train was a London to Manchester train, I live in London and guess where he lives!

Any way Im going to be meeting him in a cafe, for the return of it this Sunday.

What should I give him, if anything at all. what would you do? I need 25 answers (so please ask anyone else in the the same room as you and list their answer too).

I will do whatever is the most popular response.... or an average of.

The essence of this question is WHAT YOU WOULD DO IN THE SAME SITUATION. So please dont suggest giving this 24 year old guy 1000 pounds - unless you REALLY would... or then again a Mars bar unless you would.

I cannot respond to how, why, where, what, who questions. Thanks for all your help.

[Oneeyedvic]

I would give him somewhere between �50-�100.

[Kenzie]

Yes, I agree. I'd probably give him about �100 - the important info is probably of greater consequence than the cost of the laptop. Isn't it refreshing when you encounter really decent people?

[UsAndStuff]

Tricky this one,
Apart from the material cost of replacing the laptop, there is the information which could be priceless.
I suppose I'd go armed with about �50, and judge it when I got there.

It would be nice if the person turned down your offer of reward, in which case to reciprocate the gesture you'd offer to give the money to charity, but if the person comes over as needy, and seems a genuine case, I'd offer �50.

To avoid insulting the person though, I wouldn't take a wedge of cash out, and pull out �50, have it ready to give.

Personally I'd never expect a reward, although I'd be a little annoyed if at least it wasn't offered, then I could turn it down.

[rja211077]

fifty notes is about right

[sg]

Fifty sounds right, and pay for the coffee as well, of course.

[gary baldy]

I reckon 50 to 100 would be a nice gesture.

[CT]

Yeah, i'd say a bit of cash and a few drinks.

[yellowjohn]

10% is quite normal for a reward. but since you can't put a price on honesty and the files and info are worth quite a bit to you i would say �100 is a fair price.

[sammyrobo]

i think �50 sounds reasonable - �100 seems quite a lot even if he has been honest

[Buenchico]

When I used to run a railway station, many customers strongly objected to the �20 charge for the return of a laptop even though staff might have gone to a great deal of trouble to reunite the customer and his property. One customer, though, insisted on leaving an additional hundred pounds (which we donated to charity).

Personally, I'd probably have a couple of �20 notes to hand when I met this guy.

Chris

[mhyperz]

Well firstly your pc is only worth �650..this could be claimed on house insurence..

Secondly..you have to ask ..how much is the Data worth to you , was it kept up to date with copying, if so its is worth nothing to pay a lot for...

Thirdly...its worth what you are willing to pay to get you data back, which could be a lot if you have not copied , or is a security risk..but then how do you know he has not copied all your Data...

Lastly ..if you travel every day to London to work, that person may asuume you are a High Flyer , and on a good wage, so sky could be the limit, how-ever , I personally would be prepared to pay up to �200..

If hes a genuine person he will not take that amount , but beware, anyone can say they are honest..

I would have personally taken your laptop to a Police station & left my name & phone number with them ..

Take Care

[kirriemac]

Why do we have to put up with this nonsense.It is the second time this thread has been posted. It is not even a question on Internet and Technology. Go post this elsewhere like how it works or money and finance. There is often a chance to report answers to ab editor. I dont see anywhere to report inappropriate questions.

[Johnny blaze]

kirriemac, before preaching to others that my perfectly valid question is somehow in the wrong catorgory. Please have a look at your posted answer first.

It seems YOU have posted your response in the wrong catorgory, THIS IS NOT THE:

'Leave an answer here if you are a nerd with not much to do on a daily basis, 'cept going onto Answerbank, and stalking Johnny Blaze, whilst trying to make yourself seem clever and pick people up over really trivial things like typos's etc, that nobody else can be bothered with but stil not answer the original posted question". catorgory / question.

Before going back to your train spotting please read the following:

Im sorry if I've touched on one of your sensitive nerves.

The only nonsense in this thread is your silly silly (clearly unthought about) suggestions as where to post this question. Either you are new to AB or you lack the simple comprehension required to understand why I posted my question in internet and technology catorgory.

The last time I checked, a laptop could be considered a technological item. Would it not be reasonable to assume a fair amount of people who answer in that catorgory would be able to relate more closly to my question there, then if it was in 'How it works' ???? ... How what works exactly?

The same could be said of money and finance - but I somehow suspect that you would post exactly the same silly childish 'Answer'..if you could call it that there as you did here...
"its in the wrong catorgory, it should be posted in I. technology".


....Continues below.

[Johnny blaze]

Despite you reading my post twice, you clearly did not read properly as you fell at the first hurdle with your pointless 'why' cry baby question.

No one else who was decent enough to actually answer my question winged or made reference to it being in the wrong catorgory.

I think you will find yourself as a lone man (standing at the end of platform 3) ..ok OR WOMAN before your nerdy ways pick me up on it in an army of thousands who have no issue with the catorgory that I posted this question in.

However, you are correct that this is a second posting (well done and well SPOTTED - all that train spotting has clearly paid dividends on your eyesight) - however there is a reason behind this.

Go check out answer 19 (starting hello Gen2)
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Internet-and-Technology/Q uestion208512.html

It may give you a deeper understanding.

Next time your on AB, rather then getting hot under the collar and giving yourself sweaty armpits OVER NOTHING, try and at least answer the original posted question.

Lastly, as regards the report this answer button. I personally cannot wait until AB introduce the
'Help I'm being stalked' button
or the
'Nerd alert, nerd alert' button. AB will be inundated with your name flying in.

AB'ers This is why I REALLY REALLY did not want to answer why, what where questions on both my postings ... as this happens, but people seem insistant on the fact that I do so.

And kirriemac the above is your answer.

It just remains for me to say have a nice day, wrap up warm and dont stand too close to the edge.

Warm (with a cuppa tea in my hands not a flask) regards.

[Cheekystar]

I think 50 sounds reasonable, check its working etc tho if you can