🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <01bbd60c$4e33f480$0320989e@netex.demon.co.uk>, Innes
Borkwood <innes@netex.demon.co.uk> writes
>I would not like to make any derogatory comments about specific companies,
>so from my experience I would suggest that your friend, as a new user,
>might buy his PC from Dan or Gateway, for example. These companies are
>geared up, and happy to support inexperienced users.
>
>Some Direct suppliers not mentioned above, in my experience, often seem to
>have trouble with delivery dates and answering technical support lines.
>
>You may be interested to know that Time are part of a group called
>Granville. They advertise under several other names which I think may
>include Colossus, MJN, MR PC and others. Often their address is 'Granville
>House' in Burnley, but not always!
>
>Note that in addition to the cost of the machine, your friend should
>consider how good the technical support and after sales service is. It may
>be worth paying a few extra pounds. For example, Gateway has a free phone
>number for pre and post sales and technical support.
>
>Also note that the software bundles offered with many PCs are often old
>versions that can be purchased very cheaply as separate items. When a
>company advertises that their bundle is worth �500 when sold separately,
>you may find that this is true...... at last year's prices. In addition,
>you may find that manuals and discs are not supplied. The 'educational'
>packages given away with PCs are, from my experience, of little value. I
>would recommend going for a mainstream bundle such as the Microsoft Office
>or similar.
>
>Please note that the above information is correct to the best of my
>knowledge is drawn from *personal* experience.
<snip>

To add my bit to this, one of my managers at work has just got a pc from
MJN. The sound card was not configured properly and the CD rom drive was
not setup to work from DOS. A real pain when a couple of the freebie
cd's they supplied with a load of shareware on, would only run from DOS. 

Did I hear an echo in the backgroud of you gets what you pay for :-)

-- 
Philip Martin   ----------------------------------------------------------------
Royal Quays             If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit: 
North Shields.          no use being a damn fool about it !
                                                        W.C. Fields
email philip@philmart.demon.co.uk