burton@mitisft.Convergent.COM (Philip Burton) (07/13/89)
I recently read the massive study PC Magazine did about two months ago on 80386 systems. For all the work they did, I'm not convinced that they gave me all the information I was looking for. Given that all the components of a 386-AT clone are available from multiple sources, it is possible to build and sell a system entirely from packaged parts. It seems clear that many of these companies are just nothing but "screwdriver" operations. Some of MY questions: 1. What is the company size? How many employees? How many years in business? How much revenue? Bank and Dunn and Bradstreet references? 2. Why is there such variation in the companies that support Class B certifi- cation or OS/2 operation? 3. IF I chose to roll my own system, how much money could I save? (I estimate about $400 for an entry-level system)? 4. What about second sources for such items as keyboards or 32 bit RAM cards? 5. How much money do I really save if I take a chance with mail order or no-name brand, compared with the discounted price available on a name brand system? ************************* If I focus on question 3 above, then it seems like PC Magazine did us a dis- service by not taking the mountain of data, and abstracting some information from that file. For example, which motherboards or motherboard/BIOS combinations will always run OS/2 available from IBM or Compaq? Can a tower case provide sufficient shielding to provide Class B protection at 16/20/25/33 MHZ, even if the manufacturer hasn't gone to the expense of running the tests. Aside from the potential money savings, this is of interest to me because I'm sure that the system I like doesn't have the keyboard I like, or the tower case I like. Since I live in Silicon Valley, local sources for all these components shouldn't be a problem. Any comments, readers? Phil Burton Convergent Technologies 408 435 3791
jwi@lzfme.att.com (Jim Winer @ AT&T, Middletown, NJ) (07/14/89)
| Philip Burton writes: | | I recently read the massive study PC Magazine did about two months ago on | 80386 systems. For all the work they did, I'm not convinced that they gave | me all the information I was looking for. Given that all the components of | a 386-AT clone are available from multiple sources, it is possible to build | and sell a system entirely from packaged parts. It seems clear that many | of these companies are just nothing but "screwdriver" operations. | | ... (stuff omitted) | | 3. IF I chose to roll my own system, how much money could I save? (I estimate | about $400 for an entry-level system)? | | ... (stuff omitted) | | If I focus on question 3 above, then it seems like PC Magazine did us a dis- | service by not taking the mountain of data, and abstracting some information | from that file. For example, which motherboards or motherboard/BIOS combinations | will always run OS/2 available from IBM or Compaq? Can a tower case provide | sufficient shielding to provide Class B protection at 16/20/25/33 MHZ, even | if the manufacturer hasn't gone to the expense of running the tests. | | Aside from the potential money savings, this is of interest to me because | I'm sure that the system I like doesn't have the keyboard I like, or the | tower case I like. Since I live in Silicon Valley, local sources for all | these components shouldn't be a problem. PC Magazine seems to be oriented towards the corporate middle manager who has to make decisions on which equipment and programs to buy for business. It does not seem to be oriented towards the amateur system integrator. Perhaps the problem is that you are reading the wrong magazine. Since I buy for my own business, and need a machine that works -- period -- I have learned to buy DELL. I learned this from PC Magazine. It meets my needs perfectly -- I'm spending my own money and I need the best possbile system for BUSINESS purposes. (Incidently, the key words here are "Next day, on-site service." If they don't got it, I don't buy it. That qualifies DELL, Northgate and CompuAdd. That disqualifies almost everybody else.) Jim Winer ..!lzfme!jwi (Usually unable to reply to email outside AT&T) Those persons who advocate censorship offend my religion. Upuaut: a wolf-headed Egyptian deity | Voodoo: the art of sticking ideas assigned as Guidance System | into people and watching for the Barque of Ra. | them bleed. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily
bda@cci632.UUCP (Bill Davis) (07/19/89)
In article <775@mitisft.Convergent.COM>, burton@mitisft.Convergent.COM (Philip Burton) writes: > > 3. IF I chose to roll my own system, how much money could I save? > (I estimate about $400 for an entry-level system)? I have taken a look at rolling my own system but I cant save enough money. I have trouble doing better than gateway's 386 ( 20 mhz, 1 M, VGA, and 80 Mbyte hard drive ). People on the net seem to like the machine and the customer support. The machine does seem to have a fair number of hard disk problems on set up. I did not see the PC mag. review but I remember hearing that this machine was not covered. It was reviewed in Byte Oct 88 and they liked it This is the way I probably will go Bill D