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ComputerTalk Magazine 2
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ART3
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1992-07-27
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93 lines
The Price is Right
by Tony Curro
Has anyone noticed how prices for computers are dropping? COMPAQ,
and CompuAdd to name a few have dropped prices; and it is believed that
IBM will announce another price cut near the end of July.
Prices should be dropping steadily over the next several months.
This would be a good time for those who are considering a faster system, or
even a new system, to stop considering, and do some serious buying.
I was never a fan of name brand computers; maybe because I bought
parts here and there, and then pasted them together, to get my systems, of
which there have been at least six. For a corporate environment you buy IBM
and other names for the service and support. Home users can also do this;
but should consider the price differential. Clones today have improved
dramatically since the first ones came out 10 years ago. Today you have
much more true compatibility. I have yet to find a piece of software of
hardware that would not run on my system.
This is not an ad for J&R Computers, but since I do quite a bit of
shopping there, I always have a catalog handy. The following is just a
guideline on some prices.
Premier 386-25 w/130mb HD, 4MB RAM, 512K SuperVGA card, Dual 1.2
and 1.44 floppies, 2400 modem w/fax, Mouse and Windows 3.0- $1399.95
This is WITHOUT a monitor.
Premier 486-33 with all of the above plus 487 coprocessor, PFS
Windows Works and DOS 5.0 -- $1999.95
Premier 386SX w/42MB IDE HD, 1MB RAM, 5 slots, 800x600 SuperVGA,
Dual 1.2 and 1.44 floppies, DOS 5.0, 2 serial & 1 parallel, LOTUS WORKS.
$699.95
Premier 386SX without Lotus Works, but with 2 MB RAM, and all of
above plus MOUSE and Windows 3.0.. $799.95
I have no personal experience with PREMIER.These are just a few
prices. As you can see, they are affordable. Other systems are comparably
priced. Even name brand ones.
For a monitor on a budget I recommend the Panasonic Panasync C1381i
for around $330. It has a .28mm dot pitch, 1024x768 interlaced or 800x600
non-interlaced. Compatible with MCGA, VGA, SVGA, 8514/A & Macintosh II. For
its capabilities this is an excellent monitor at a great price.
Next one I would suggest is the one I have, which is the Sony
MultiScan HG. Carries a price tag of close to $600. Dot Pitch is important.
The lower the number the better the resolution. The Sony has a .25. NEC
monitors are .28, and were in the $600-700 range. Sony makes a monitor for
$350. But it is can only do 640x480.
We now have a computer and monitor. We can type, and see what we
type. We have to print it. A good quality 24-pin dot matrix printer should
cost about $200-300. These have letter-quality mode and several other
features, including fonts. My printer of choice would be a LaserJet. The
IIP-Plus is around $780, with the IIIP going for $980. There is a medium
ground here, and one I have travelled, the HP DeskJet 500. It is about
$400 and uses an inkjet cartridge, which has better quality than the 24-pin
printer. If you need color on a budget, I would suggest the HP DeskJet
500C for about $690. Although you can use regular single sheet paper on the
color printer, I suggest the specially treated paper to really shine. If
you want to blow everyone away, pick up the HP PaintJet XL-300 for about
$2300; or even better the QMS Color PostScript for $5800.
Modems have also come down in price. High speed modems have become
more compatible with each other. There was a time when two different brand
modems would not talk to each other at high speed; this has changed
dramatically.
I know people are in financial straits; and many are concerned if
they will have a job tomorrow; but if you have the money, and are thinking
about buying a system, this would be a good time to do so.
With all these falling prices, there may be a price to pay. Major
companies are dropping prices. To do so they may have to cut down on
support. This could mean poor, or severely curtailed service, to the
end-user. I have always been an advocate of mail order with their great
prices. Now, I would think about getting equipment locally as I could
return to the store more easily. A mail order company, in today's economy,
may not be there tomorrow.
Now that you have all the good stuff above, you need software. Load
up a communications program and call your favorite BBS. While on there
download ComputerTalk. In CTM, you will find reviews of many software
programs that will help make your life easier. We are also in the process
of trying to get some hardware to review.