🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Nov13.133438.8279@engage.pko.dec.com> jackson@pravda.enet.dec.com () writes:
>The memory for the new systems is priced at $125/MB, which is considerably 
>less than memory from Digital only a few weeks ago. In fact, Digital memory
>is less expensive than that of a third party who announced their memory
>for the DEC 3000 family before we announced the products.  We'll also trade
>in memory from a current workstation when you're upgrading to allow you
>to protect the investment that you've made in memory for our existing products.

Nonetheless it's too expensive... 70ns 1Mb chips are selling for less
than $2.50 per in volume... that works out to less than $25 for a
9-chip SIMM.  If your manufacturing cost is as high as $10/SIMM,
that's still nearly a 300% markup.

These kinds of rediculous markups on memory are common amongst system
vendors however, so on this one DEC isn't alone at least.  I
personally consider this typically nearsighted stupidity, however...
the vendors should have an interest in seeing their systems in
customers hands equipped with as much memory as possible, because that
does the most to increase the perceived price/performance ration of
the system overall.  IMHO memory is a little like tech-support... you
shouldn't be trying to make huge profits on it, you should be trying
to get it delivered as effectively as possible to improve your overall
reputation and acceptance with your customers.

For the more popular personal computers you can get a 4MB SIMM at 70ns
for less than $125.  And don't tell me that it's lower quality... I've
installed probably 1,000 Megabytes of these things in both personal
computers and workstations (including DEC workstations), and if
anything I've had relatively more problems with the workstations.
--
Jurgen Botz                  |   Internet: JBotz@mtholyoke.edu
Academic Systems Consultant  |     Bitnet: JBotz@mhc.bitnet
Mount Holyoke College        |      Voice: (US) 413-538-2375 (daytime)
South Hadley, MA, USA        | Snail Mail: J. Botz, 01075-0629