[comp.sys.apple2] clone quality

ericmcg@pnet91.cts.com (Eric Mcgillicuddy) (06/02/91)

<stuff about no-name componets and price/performance/quality deleted>

> John M. Grohol                     ||  Nova University - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
> Internet: grohol@novavax.nova.edu  ||  Center for Psychological Studies

The mail order company you mention will replace the part free within the
warranty period I don't doubt, but where do you take it for repair? you have
to mail it to them, unless you live close by. (a number of direct sellers are
near me, so thi is not a problem to me).

I have had no problems with any Apple II for at least three years after
purchase, my 386-33 has had HDD controller failure twice and keyboard errors
five times in the two months I have had it. Reset allowed the computer boot,
but still annoying. 

At a summer job a couple years back, my boss got a couple no-name clones to
run the customer base. They both failed within two years and the company was
not around to repair them. half a dozen clone makers have failed locally in
the past year, one fairly major. This may be only 10% of the market, but is
still disconcerting to see, particularly if you know someone who bought stuff
from one of the failed companies. I have no idea how many mail order companies
fail, there is no way to tell, one month you see an ad, the next you don't.

Getting a clone gets you a lot of raw power for a good price, but sometimes
the price is just too good.

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MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET (06/04/91)

This is in reply to the people asking where to go if your clone breaks and the
company is no longer in business:

You can always find a place in almost any city now that will repair clones.
The architecture of ibm compatibles (including ibm) is not that difficult.
You can even order a kit to build your own.  You'll always be able to find
someone to repair it.  Of course, if the clone maker went out of business
before your waranty did, then you're outa luck, but the money you saved by
getting clone by mail order, in most cases, will still be to your advantage,
even after the repair bill comes in.

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