>: >George, if you don't want to shop around and refuse to consider mail order that
>: >is your choice, ditto with used items. Hell, in this town they sell 14.4
>
>: Mail order is cheaper but depending on where you order from determines
>: the quality of the product
>
>Have you found this to be true? I haven't.
To some degree I experienced it myself a long time ago getting a European
power supply and connections instead of a North America one! :) Other
then that, things have been fine for me but from others I have heard
computers arriving DOA and local outlets from the main branch refused to
honor warranty concerns, computers coming in with specifications other
then ordered and yes, even modems giving out slightly after they were
being used etc.. all from areas such as Ontario and Quebec.
>: but then you have to question whether it is the external USR Sportster Si
>: they are offering (I am sure they state it) which is software controlled
>: data compression etc. which leads to numerous conflicts with hardware
>: controlled ones. The software controlled ones are indeed cheaper like
>: the prices you stated. If not this, then they are probably just clearing
>: house to make way for 28.8s. Oh yes, I assume USR products and not some
>: crap name like Zoom or something
>
>Ok, be a brand name snob if you want to, but at $70 CDN who cares? 14.4 modems
Actually I would care a lot.. a review in some PC magazines says a lot of no
name or unpopular modem companies trim the specifics on the communication
guidelines to achieve their low price point making their modems unstable
with some connections.. especially when connected to a modem not of their
own brand name. Some modems like the Zoom 14.4k modem use software controlled
flow control and data compression etc. which really hits on the reliability
and usefullness of the modem when connected to ones with hardware control
(which most are).
>are obsolete, looking for a top of the line obsolete modem is silly.
Some are saying looking for a 14.4k modem anyways now is silly.. especially
with the 33.6s out and the 28.8s soon to drop more.
>: I am not shopping around for a 14.4k modem and I won't deal from a place
>: that I don't know readily about or have access to or buy brand names that
>: compromise the quality of the product.
>
>Brand names don't mean as much as you think they do. You want a note from God
>that something you buy will last forever. I would rather ride the PC wave and
As stated above yes they do but no, Byte magazine and word of mouth from people
I know are not God. :)
>: Paying $70 out of province saves you on PST costs but you still have to
>: pay for GST and shipping charges and wait for the delivery when you can
>: probably pay $10 - $20 more and use it right away and get local support.
>
>What support do you need for a freaking $70 CDN modem?
>You plug it in and use it. :)
I meant in general here but there have been many cases locally where modems
died shortly after getting them via mail order and people had a hard time
getting another, properly working one... and this was from supposedly
good name companies.
>: Like someone else pointed out to you, this is great if you know how to
>: shop good and look all over Canada to buy the cheapest modem possible, do
>
>If I lived in Ontario I would just walk down to the local computer store and
>buy one for $70 CDN.
For some reason you reminded me of Norm MacDonald on Saturday Night Live there
when he goes "Let me put this into perspective.." :)
>All they have to do is pick up The Computer Paper or any other PC magazine.
>If I can save $130 by waiting a week I will do it, and shipping is cheap within
>Canada (For a modem maybe $5, $6.50 insured).
True I guess... when I mentioned in my messages a long time ago about where
I bought some of my original computer equipment to (local stores), after
that for the most part I relied on mail order as it was cheaper (getting most of the stuff from the states even) and on some occasions I had to anyways but a
few incidences have turned me off and if I see a price locally that isn't
much in the difference, I'd buy it locally to save the hassle.
>Anyway AT doesn't consist of a bunch of newbies do they? Unless they are
>shipping USR modems they are making a sizeable profit on the modems. I would
No they are not newbies and for some reason I doubt they are shipping them
with USR modems. :) Yes, I can see how they are making a large profit.
>rather they let dealers provide the modems myself.
Yes, this would be nice.
>: Anyways, I justed wanted to know if it was local or where you found the
>: price that cheap, a simple question, there was nothing more to it.
>
>Never thought there was. :) You have your answer now so you can stop asking
