🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <40nrin$1dbk@seminole.gate.net>,
Chad Irby <cirby@news.gate.net> wrote:
>G (blackbob@sashimi.wwa.com) wrote:
>
>: Okay, $300 for the motherboard,
>
>I checked on this- the places that sell P75 motherboards for this price 
>sell them *without CPU*.  So add an extra $350+ for a *real* motherboard.
>$650 for a motherboard *with* CPU.

I stand corrected.  $1050, then.

>: $200 for 8 MB RAM,
>
>Where do you get this?  I can't find RAM *anywhere* for under $38/meg.
>So this is $300.

I have seen 1 MB SIMMs for $25 used.  I'd be thrilled to get anywhere
near $38 for mine.

>: $120 for 240 MB HD,
>
>Comparing to a 500+ meg HD on the Mac.  240 megs isn't enough for *any* 
>modern computer.  But you can get a 500 meg HD for about $200.

Then your software is bloated.  I'm happily using Linux in
240 MB (and not because I'm cheap; I have an unused 170 MB
connected...I can't find use for it, though!)

>: $10 for keyboard, $20 for mono monitor/card,
>
>Sorry- Monochrome is 1970s technology.  

Uh, the Macintosh Classic, released in what, 1990, had monochrome,
no?  ;-)

But seriously, many people do not WANT color.  If I had SVGA
hardware, I'd still use it in text mode 100% of the time (and
I would be completely wasting the money for the SVGA hardware).

>But I'll let you buy a nice SVGA card for $100.  And a basic monitor
>for $250. (13" 640 by 480)

This is really very inflated.  Before its retirement, my
SVGA hardware (14" 1024 by 768 and 1 MB card) cost $175 
together.  Would you like a copy of the check?

>: $10 for I/O card,
>: $50 for PS, $0 for Linux...we're talking ~$700 for the absolute
>: perfect computer (okay, okay, add $1000 to replace the Pentium MB
>: with an Alpha if you want to get real dreamy).
>
>Oh- and we forgot the modem.  And your extras.  And the CD-ROM.

My comments about the SVGA hardware apply to the CD-ROM.  I DON'T
WANT IT!

>No- we're talking at least 
>           $1700
>
>...and you can get a PMac 5200 for about that- with more RAM and a bigger 
>monitor.

For $1700, you can replace the Pentium + MB for one of the
$1300 DEC Alpha MB's, run all of the above hardware (I think it
even includes the stuff on the I/O board), and have the
fastest microprocessor on the planet.

Also, the PC is running Linux, so we'll need an extremely stable
UN*X for the Macintosh.  So we'll add AUX for $x00.  Woops, doesn't
run on a Power Macintosh.  Looks like we're back at square one.
Maybe NT will do, though.

>...but the cheapo motherboards aren't.  And the I/O card isn't.  And the 
>keyboard is a $10 piece of crap.  And due to the low prices here, a lot 
>of this stuff isn't "name brand" anyway.  And when the incompatibilities 
>start popping up...

You keep mentioning silly problems like this.  What the heck is
wrong with my $10 keyboard?  It's like six years old and works just
fine.  If it's not name brand, but works, what's the problem?  What
incompatibilities does putting machines together piece by piece
cause?  Please mention specific events, not ``I know tons of people
who have problems''.

>So to summarize: for the same amount of money, you get a slower, less- 
>capable machine (lousy graphics), and you still have to assemble it 
>yourself.  Bargain City.

I can assure you that the aformentioned Alpha PC is quite a bit
faster than the 5200.

Look at ME.  I do NOT want CD-ROM, graphics, sound, etc.  etc.
I want a text only platform with a lot of CPU power, and sufficient
memory (RAM and HD).  If I have to pay for stuff I don't use, then,
well, I may as throw out money.  I do NOT experience incompatibility
problems, borken hardware, etc. etc.  For >> ME <<, is there ANY
reason why it would be more cost effective to buy a Macintosh
instead of a PC?

Cheers, Terry Murphy