rose@sunset.sedd.trw.com (08/02/90)
I would like to buy a good computer. Are there specific things to look for when examining a clone. It does not seem to me that there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Would it be better to buy a bare bones (Case, Mother Board, and Power supply) and then purchase the periferals seperately (Hard Disk, monitor, etc)? Post or email and I will summarize the results Thanks in advance marc
psrc@mtunq.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm) (08/05/90)
In article <432.26b6a54f@sunset.sedd.trw.com> rose@sunset.sedd.trw.com writes: > I would like to buy a good computer. Are there specific things to > look for when examining a clone. It does not seem to me that there > are a lot of things that can go wrong. Ho, boy, you haven't been reading the netnews PC groups very long, have you?-) There are a *lot* of things that can go wrong. Your system (or parts) can be completely DOA (dead on arrival); they can not match the ad you thought you were buying from; they can take weeks longer than promised to arrive; they can be incompatible with the software you want to run, or with other peripherals you want to add. Worst of all, you can find yourself on indefinite hold when you try to get service after the sale. By the way, in addition to buying clones from mail order companies, you can often haggle with "value added resellers" (VARs) for good prices on name brand equipment. (If you're just an individual, you can probably get a decent price on an AT&T WGS 6386 this way, hint, hint, plug, plug, plug.) Step one: look at back issues of PC Magazine for reviews of systems in the class you're looking for, and at the current issue of Computer Shopper for good prices. (Note that some of the firms in Computer Shopper may not be companies you want to do business with. See step two.) Concentrate on places that have thirty day money back guarantees. See if they list name brands for their components (a plus if the mail order place goes under, and you need your pieces fixed). Step two: read all of the appropriate newsgroups for awhile. (comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware is a good one for MS-DOS based systems.) Look for horror tales, and for recommendations. Gateway 2000 has low prices, and generally good reviews here on the net (but they're backordered on the popular systems). Step three: sit down and figure out *exactly* what you want, and how much you expect to pay for it. Think about what your really want and/or need, as opposed to what you can get a good price on. (A super-VGA card and monitor is nice if you're running Windows, but few other applications support anything above vanilla VGA.) Write it down. Step four: call around. (If you've gotten recommendations for a certain company, and you like their prices, you don't *need* to comparison shop.) Do the prices you're quoted match the ad? Are they offering a bait and switch, or do they give you something of value for a few dollars more? ("Would you like a NEC Multisync 3D instead of the non-name SVGA monitor for an extra hundred dollars?" That's probably not a bad deal, but except for name brand safety, I don't know what it buys you.) What *exactly* happens if you want to return your system and get a refund (e.g., who pays shipping? is there a "restocking fee"?), or if you need service? Don't be afraid to ask for a written guarantee! Do the advertised prices "reflect a cash discount", that is, do you pay a surcharge for using a credit card? Is technical support done over a toll-free line, or will you be paying big bucks to the long distance company of your choice* every time you're put on hold? Is the system FCC class B certified (can you run in at home without worrying about catching flack for blanking out your neighbors' TV?) Step five: buy with a credit card. If you have real problems, and you can't resolve them with the vendor, you may be able to get your bank to stop payment on the charge until problems are resolved. (If you're really paranoid, order by mail rather than over the phone; if you get burned, the mail fraud laws can work to your benefit.) > Would it be better to buy a bare bones (Case, Mother Board, and > Power supply) and then purchase the peripherals separately (Hard > Disk, monitor, etc)? If you throw all the piece parts together, throw the switch, and don't get a DOS prompt, will you know what to do? Do you have anywhere to test the individual components? If not, buying components probably isn't a good idea. Paul S. R. Chisholm, AT&T Bell Laboratories att!mtunq!psrc, psrc@mtunq.att.com, AT&T Mail !psrchisholm I'm not speaking for the company, I'm just speaking my mind.
mm@lectroid.sw.stratus.com (Mike Mahler) (08/06/90)
As part of my job I needed to find the lowest price PC that would run the IBM PC/370 Channel Emulator (an IBM made board). Only the DEL System 200 seemed to be 100% HARDWARE compatible in this respect. For what it's worth... -- "And I'm hovering like a fly, waiting for the windshield on a freeway." -Genesis (Peter Gabriel)
rose@sunset.sedd.trw.com (08/07/90)
Most of the responses I have gotten indicate that it is best to buy a clone
with the all or most of the hardware in place (i.e. tested by the manufacturer).
With this in mind I would still like to know if there are specific things to
look for in a clone to help insure that it is a good one. For example is there
a specific brand of motherboard, monitors, etc. to look for (or avoid)?
As an example of a Clone with a good price. In the 7/23 Microtimes (LA computer
rag) there is a new? clone called STAR by Microsys Automation Inc. in Sante FE
Springs, CA. They have a 386/33 w/32 kB cache w/intel 82385,
105 MB (15ms) Imprimis IDE HD
Super VGA Monitor/Card (1024/768) (512kB on Card)
1.2 MB and 1.44 MB Floppies
Only 1 MB or RAM (but you can figure approx $80 /MB)
All this for only $2665
Any comments/Things I should check before buying?
Thanks in advance
Marc