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In article <1647@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com>, boris@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com (Boris Altman) writes:
> I've heared that there is a difference in grades of Seagate disks.
> The highest grade going to biggest clients like IBM and the lowest
> going to small companies.
> So, if I buy a disk from Jasmin say for $600 do I really get a disk
> of lower quality than if I buy a GCC (or someone elses) product for
> twice as much? Is the grade of the disk marked anywhere on the disk?
> Should a buyer be concerned about it or there is practically
> no difference? I hope qualified people can explain the difference.
> 
I think I'm qualified to comment, as I've done software for a variety
of disks, including the popular Seagate ST225N, for a variety of 
companies.  I have never heard any such thing.  So far as I know, the
disk that you buy from Jasmine is (statistically speaking) identical
to the disk you buy from GCC, DataSpace, Apple, IBM, or anyone else.

Jasmine's low prices are the result of a cash-up-front sales policy
and direct sales only.  GCC (for example) sells through dealers, 
which means that the dealers buy on credit from GCC, which means that GCC
buys on credit from its suppliers, which means that you're paying
a lot of financing and distribution costs, and you're supporting
many more people than if you buy direct from a manufacturer.
[For Boston area newsreaders, "We have no mortgages, so our costs
are less.  Come on down!" - Ernie Boch]

This is not to say that you're wasting your money when you buy
through a dealer.  Is local service and support important?  But
you never know, until you need it, whether the dealer is really
competent to provide it.

Ephraim Vishniac
decvax!wanginst!wang!ephraim