🚀 go-pugleaf

Patrick Joseph Tierney (pjtier01@starbase.spd.louisville.edu) wrote:
: Stephen R. Savitzky (steve@starport.COM) wrote:
: : 
: : If you get a PC, try to buy a generic clone from a local dealer, 
: : rather than a mail-order brand-name system that may have 
: : proprietary components and cost you more to repair.

:         But if you get a "generic clone," be sure that you do your 
: research.  Much of what is out there at the electronic superstores
: are of very poor quality.  If you're going with PCs, look at PC Mag
: or PC World or some other source which rates the services of each.

This is very true. I used to avoid the generic clones like the plague
because they inevitably came with the absolute worst quality motherboard,
add on cards, and peripherals. You could always upgrade each piece to
something reasonable, IF you knew what to ask for, but the reality is
that few people knew anything, even those that thought they did! Find
someone that knows something and take them with you.

Lately I've seen that some stores around Silicon Valley have gotten their
act together. First, their is the mass migration to the new ATX form factor
motherboard so even generic clones can have options like the PS/2 mouse.
Second, they have begun to use quality motherboards, since initially the
really junky motherboards are not available in the ATX form factor (nor
are the really junky power supplies and cases). The Intel Marl (Pentium)
and Intel Venus (Pentium Pro) have become defacto standards for the ATX
motherboards, and both are excellent boards.

The small stores will also let you upgrade the keyboard, mouse, or any
other component, though many of the mail order places will do the same.

On Saturday I ordered a system for my sister-in-law, an Intel Venus Pentium
Pro 200 with 32MB EDO, Creative Labs 32 Sound Blaster card, Diamond Stealth
video, 8X CD, 2GB HDD, USR Sportster 33.6 (not Winmodem), Logitech PS/2 mouse
(they did not carry the Microsoft PS/2 mouse), and Microsoft Natural Keyboard.
The price was about $2250 without monitor. For this price I could only buy a
name brand system with 16MB and a 133 or 150 Mhz Pentium. This system is really
overkill for her and her 3 year old, but with memory prices heading up, and CPU
prices not scheduled to fall for a while, it will delay upgrading for several
years. I wanted her to wait for the P55 MMX, but she didn't want to.

These systems still lack FCC certification, and are not UL or CSA listed.