🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <DyxFvG.Eq1@nsc.nsc.com>, scharf@mirage.nsc.com (Steven M.
Scharf) wrote:


> 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.

Considering all of the reviews in the PC magazines and the reputation of
the compay I would consider Dell a name brand company.
For $2599 you get a 200Mhz, 32MB SDRAM, 512k pipeline burst cache, 3.2 GB
harddrive, 15" monitor-upgradable to 17" for $199, 2MB EDO Virge Video
Card, 8X CD, AWE32 Wave Table Card, Altec Lansing speakers, MS Office
Professional with Bookshelf for Windows 95, additional $129 for a 28.8
modem. They have a Pentium Pro 200 version with a 17" monitor and different
accessories for $2699
I am not a representitive for Dell I merely find their prices, and
reliability ratings very good. Dell has a website where you can order a PC
with the exact components that you want online, which should appeal to
those people who like to tailor the system to their exact needs. Unlike
other systems that give you software you may or may not need Dell includes
MS Office Professional on this system, if you want to do serious work the
latest version of word, excel, powerpoint, and access might come in handy. 
I do not know if you got any software with your system, and you may not
have needed any, but that is certainly a concern for a first time computer
buyer. No one should be convinced at the software's value by merely looking
at the ad for what is included or the long list of titles. If a home system
that is meant to entertain children is desired look at Apple and Compaq and
see if any of the included software will keep anyone in the family occupied
for more than 30 minutes before deciding how valuable the package is. Of
couse for many people Office is overkill and a works program would be much
better.
The price considerations between Apple and a PC clone should not be a
factor, compare what you would have to buy for the PC to bring up to the
Mac standard equipment ( sound, video, SCSI port, etc.) . I use both a PC
and a Mac and find the Mac much easier to use, and certainly easier to
manage files on. Without spending a lot of money for a very good video card
with lots of RAM the Mac will have a better quality video output, many
software titles are optimized for better color and graphics on the Mac. 
There is certainly more software for the PC, a lot of it is not very good
however ( exactly how many flight sims or doom clones does one person
need?) and there are certainly as many or more educational software titles
because of the Mac's tradtional domination in that arena� a dominance which
is quickly becoming a thing of the past. If the child is a teenager, or
younger, who seems to have an inclination to seriously get into computers
and computer gaming a PC is probably a better choice.
If anyone does not want to take their computer that seriously and wants to
get lots accomplished with it get a Mac, if they take their computer and
the graphics ability seriously also get a Mac.

-- 
   I want to be able to say of us that we saw that the United States could
not be
 turned into a gigantic Switzerland or Holland, that it could not be a hermit 
nation hiding a defenceless, feeble body within a huge shell; that it could not 
be shut up and kept from its share of the world's commerce until it was 
smothered by a power hostile to it in every conception of justice and liberty 
when it might have prevented such a fate.
Henry Cabot Lodge