sme@faron.UUCP (Susan M Elbeery) (12/11/85)
I have a friend who has just opened a real estate office in Boston, MA. He
expects the office to be extremely busy when it gets off the ground, and plans
on expansion in about 6 months.
He is planning on spending 5K on a computer system and asked me for some
suggestions as to what he should buy.
As far as capabilities of the system, he is open to suggestions since he has
done little research. Some people have advised him to buy a Compaq, I suggesteda Macintosh. I have not given a whole lot of inform
have much myself. I think it is an interesting topic, anyway, and thought if itwas left completely open, we could have a fun discus
I would appreciate any advice, comments, suggestions, anything, regarding his
request. Thanks in advance.
Sue Elbeeryshaprkg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Bob Shapiro) (12/12/85)
In article <410@faron.UUCP> sme@faron.UUCP (Susan M Elbeery) writes: > >I have a friend who has just opened a real estate office in Boston, MA. He >expects the office to be extremely busy when it gets off the ground, and plans >on expansion in about 6 months. > >He is planning on spending 5K on a computer system and asked me for some >suggestions as to what he should buy. > >As far as capabilities of the system, he is open to suggestions since he has >done little research. Some people have advised him to buy a Compaq, I suggesteda Macintosh. I have not given a whole lot of infor >have much myself. I think it is an interesting topic, anyway, and thought if itwas left completely open, we could have a fun discu > >I would appreciate any advice, comments, suggestions, anything, regarding his >request. Thanks in advance. > > > > Sue Elbeery I would like to respond with a mini-flame to your request. One of my pet gripes is people who analyze data processing problems, give solutions, and do all of that with no real data to figure out what the best alternatives really are. In the above case you have stated that neither you or your friend even know what the computer is to used for and yet you have the temerity to suggest that perhaps a Mac might be right and others have suggested that a Compaq might be right. I'm not even sure a computer would be right. I would strongly suggest that you sit down with your friend and write up a specification for what is needed. Make sure you include all of the things that are presently needed, things which will probably needed in the future, and a wish list of other things which would be desirable but not required. Add to this a budget for the system, whether or not there is a requirement for more than one person to access the data base at the same time, whether there is a requirement for the computer to utilize telecommunications with other computer systems, output methodology (probably printer type), training requirements, available off-the-shelf software, and a whole host of other things that will come to mind. Then and only then are you ready to analyze what your data processing needs really are. In that you failed to do any of the above I would also add a suggestion that you take the specification to a qualified data processing professional to evaluate. Bob Shapiro
Bicer.ES@xerox.arpa (12/17/85)
I would strongly suggest that unless he is a programmer, he should find a program that will serve his needs, and then buy the computer that it runs on. Jack
thomas@gmdzi.UUCP (Thomas Gordon) (12/19/85)
How can you expect people who have little idea about what computers are capable of doing to write up requirements specifications? And if they don't know what value a computer system may be for their business, how can they determine what portion of their budget to devote to computers?
madmonk@chinet.UUCP (William M. Fischer) (12/21/85)
In article <410@faron.UUCP> sme@faron.UUCP (Susan M Elbeery) writes: > >I have a friend who has just opened a real estate office in Boston, MA. He >He is planning on spending 5K on a computer system and asked me for some >suggestions as to what he should buy. > >As far as capabilities of the system, he is open to suggestions since he has >done little research. MINI*FLAME: Ahh.. I think we need a little more to go on, the decision making process should include a detailed analyses of what the user expects the box to do for him (or her) -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= "Nemo me impune lacessit" Bill Fischer madmonk@chinet.UUCP =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=