reichard@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Kevin Reichard) (02/10/91)
anderson@dogie.macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) writes: >In article <17690@cs.utexas.edu> osborn@cs.utexas.edu (John >Howard Osborn) writes: > >>In article <3141@unccvax.uncc.edu> cs00bd@unccvax.uncc.edu >>(brian daniels) writes: > >>>And lastly, does NeXT offer any sort of financing for college students? > >>No. SHOULD NeXT offer a finance program for college students? Hell yes. > >Our credit union will finance computer purchases by faculty, >students, and staff. I think other institutions of higher >learning have similar arrangements. I think NeXT has its >hands full enough without setting up a financing arm at this >point. > ><> Doctrine is nothing but the skin of truth set up and ><> stuffed. -- H.W. Beecher >-- >Jess Anderson <> Madison Academic Computing Center <> University of Wisconsin >Internet: anderson@macc.wisc.edu <-best, UUCP:{}!uwvax!macc.wisc.edu!anderson >NeXTmail w/attachments: anderson@yak.macc.wisc.edu Bitnet: anderson@wiscmacc >Room 3130 <> 1210 West Dayton Street / Madison WI 53706 <> Phone 608/262-5888 The UW Credit Union's interest rate two years ago was 16 percent, while the credit union I used (CUNA) was 14 percent. A 16 percent interest rate ain't that good a deal, Jess--on the educational end, IBM's new financing rate is under 10 percent, while Apple's old financing rate was around 8. There's very little hassle with setting up a financing arm--look at the early Apple (a Steve Jobs' project, no less!) for a classic lesson on infiltrating society through the universities. --K. UUCP: {amdahl!bungia, crash}!orbit!pnet51!reichard ARPA: crash!orbit!pnet51!reichard@nosc.mil INET: reichard@pnet51.orb.mn.org
anderson@macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) (02/10/91)
In article <4065@orbit.cts.com> reichard@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Kevin Reichard) writes: >anderson@dogie.macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) writes: [re whether NeXT should be in the banking business] >>Our credit union will finance computer purchases by faculty, >>students, and staff. I think other institutions of higher >>learning have similar arrangements. I think NeXT has its >>hands full enough without setting up a financing arm at this >>point. >The UW Credit Union's interest rate two years ago was 16 >percent, while the credit union I used (CUNA) was 14 >percent. A 16 percent interest rate ain't that good a deal, >Jess--on the educational end, IBM's new financing rate is >under 10 percent, while Apple's old financing rate was >around 8. And how do IBM's and Apple's gross sales compare to NeXT's? Banking is a tough business, one that needs lots of liquidity. I bought a car at 9% three years ago through the UW Credit Union, but that's not really the point. A person can (and should) always shop for credit, and credit unions are not the cheapest commercial sources of around (banks are). But how good the deal is, I think, is really a measure of what one is willing to do -- the harsh reality is: what you want, you gotta pay for. If NeXT decided to become a bank, on top of all their other problems, they'd need another giant influx of cash to capitalize the venture, and they'd need a way to write off loans that turned into bad debt. That would mean higher computer prices. I think NeXT should stay with what it does best: building computers. And there's no such thing as a low enough price: you could give them away and people would still be wanting you to lower the price. In terms of financing, buying a computer is not much different from buying anything else. You shop around for the money and you pay the going rates (they're coming down lately, too). >There's very little hassle with setting up a financing >arm -- look at the early Apple (a Steve Jobs' project, no >less!) for a classic lesson on infiltrating society through >the universities. We evidently have a different idea of what size hassle it is. Times have changed quite a bit since "early Apple." If financing NeXT customers were such a hot idea, somebody would probably be doing it by now. <> Old age is the most unexpected of all the things that <> happen to a man. -- Leon Trotsky -- Jess Anderson <> Madison Academic Computing Center <> University of Wisconsin Internet: anderson@macc.wisc.edu <-best, UUCP:{}!uwvax!macc.wisc.edu!anderson NeXTmail w/attachments: anderson@yak.macc.wisc.edu Bitnet: anderson@wiscmacc Room 3130 <> 1210 West Dayton Street / Madison WI 53706 <> Phone 608/262-5888
osborn@cs.utexas.edu (John Howard Osborn) (02/11/91)
In article <4065@orbit.cts.com> reichard@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Kevin Reichard) writes: >anderson@dogie.macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) writes: >>Our credit union will finance computer purchases by faculty, >>students, and staff. I think other institutions of higher >>learning have similar arrangements. I think NeXT has its >>hands full enough without setting up a financing arm at this >>point. [stuff deleted] >under 10 percent, while Apple's old financing rate was around 8. There's very >little hassle with setting up a financing arm--look at the early Apple (a >Steve Jobs' project, no less!) for a classic lesson on infiltrating society >through the universities. Again, I feel it is in NeXT's best interest to set up a financing organization for students and other academic purchasers. The University of Texas credit union, while it does give computer loans, doesn't let students become members. Other schools may be similarly fucked-up. As an aside, when I went to my bank to ask about a computer loan, they wouldn't finance a NeXT because they only finance "personal computers." (By definition (the Bank's) a computer must cost less than $5000 to be a personal computer.) - -John H. Osborn -osborn@cs.utexas.edu
cafe@cbnewse.att.com (richard.dib) (02/11/91)
In article <1991Feb10.050226.16434@macc.wisc.edu>, anderson@macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) writes: > > In article <4065@orbit.cts.com> reichard@pnet51.orb.mn.org > (Kevin Reichard) writes: > > >anderson@dogie.macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) writes: > > [re whether NeXT should be in the banking business] > > >>Our credit union will finance computer purchases by faculty, > >>students, and staff. I think other institutions of higher > >>learning have similar arrangements. I think NeXT has its > >>hands full enough without setting up a financing arm at this > >>point. > > >The UW Credit Union's interest rate two years ago was 16 > >percent, while the credit union I used (CUNA) was 14 > >percent. A 16 percent interest rate ain't that good a deal, > >Jess--on the educational end, IBM's new financing rate is > >under 10 percent, while Apple's old financing rate was > >around 8. > > And how do IBM's and Apple's gross sales compare to > NeXT's? Banking is a tough business, one that needs lots > of liquidity. > Does that REALY Matters? My father is in the Jewelry bussiness and I believe that his bussiness is a LOT SMALLER that NeXTs. You can go there and get credit at a LOW interest (6%)!! And we are not broke! We are actually making MORE MONEY! Anyway Apple does not have his own bank or does it? > If NeXT decided to become a bank, on top of all their other > problems, they'd need another giant influx of cash to > capitalize the venture, and they'd need a way to write off > loans that turned into bad debt. That would mean higher > computer prices. C'MON NeXt does not have to finance the computers they sell. They can get a bank that is willing to finance their computers at a special rate. That's what we do at our bussiness. You can even have a credit card with the name of your store without owning a bank! I think that what Apple did a few years ago (their low finance rate) helped a lot of students to get a computers. That makes the computer even more atractive to buy and after all, students will be the next profesionals in own society. Isn't it a good idea to get as big a piece of that market? Richard Dib AT&T Bell Laboratories
kls30@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Kent L Shephard) (02/13/91)
In article <17766@cs.utexas.edu> osborn@cs.utexas.edu (John Howard Osborn) writes: >Again, I feel it is in NeXT's best interest to set up a financing >organization for students and other academic purchasers. The University >of Texas credit union, while it does give computer loans, doesn't let >students become members. Other schools may be similarly fucked-up. >As an aside, when I went to my bank to ask about a computer loan, they >wouldn't finance a NeXT because they only finance "personal computers." >(By definition (the Bank's) a computer must cost less than $5000 to be >a personal computer.) > >- >-John H. Osborn >-osborn@cs.utexas.edu At educational prices a NeXT should qualify as a personal computer. At San Jose State Univ. NeXTstation 105 ---- $3395 NeXtstation 200 ---- $3895 What is their problem with that. Even at retail a NeXTstation 105 is $4995 which technically is less than the $5000 price limit they set. KeNT - owner of a '030 cube just waiting to be upgraded. BTW --- I'm hyped!!!!!! -- /* -The opinions expressed are my own, not my employers. */ /* For I can only express my own opinions. */ /* */ /* Kent L. Shephard : email - kls30@DUTS.ccc.amdahl.com */