Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!csc.ti.com!ti-csl!m2.csc.ti.com!m2!mmeyer From: mmeyer@m2.csc.ti.com (Mark Meyer) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Should I buy? Message-ID: Date: 5 Oct 90 03:47:31 GMT Sender: mmeyer@csc.ti.com (Mark Meyer) Distribution: na Organization: TI Computer Science Center, Dallas Lines: 44 In-Reply-To: 1h1a0m@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu's message of 4 Oct 90 15:04:33 GMT I recently ordered a Packard Bell 286 system from the mail-order company Damark International. However, due to tremendous response, it's now on backorder, and probably won't ship until the start of November. Just after I ordered, I read all this stuff in this newsgroup saying bad things about Packard Bell's customer service, and I had second thoughts. Because of the backorder, I have the opportunity to back out of the deal. Should I? Here are the details of what I'm getting: 80286, 12 megahertz Two floppy drives, one 3-1/2" 1.44MB and one 5-1/4" 1.2 MB 30 MB hard drive 1 MB RAM expandable to 3 MB VGA card VGA 14" color monitor, 640x480, 256 colors IBM and AT compatible 8 expansion slots Dual floppy/hard drive controller 2 serial ports, 1 parallel port Zero wait state Real time clock/calendar System configuration in CMOS with battery backup AT style 101 professional keyboard MS-DOS 3.3, GW BASIC (So what? I've already got Turbo C) 145 watt universal power supply Socket for 80287 coprocessor on motherboard One year manufacturer's warranty Factory new and perfect (so they say) The price I'm being charged for all this? Including shipping? ... $1250! Twelve hundred fifty dollars! It looked like a really good deal at the time. They say, you get what you pay for, but I'd really like to upgrade to a 286. The Packard Bell line got a fair review from a recent PC Magazine survey, but after what's been said in this newsgroup, I'd like some more opinions. Atdhvaannkcse. -- Mark Meyer USENET: {ut-sally!im4u,convex!smu,sun!texsun}!ti-csl!mmeyer Texas Instruments, Inc. CSNET : mmeyer@TI-CSL Every day, Jerry Junkins is grateful that I don't speak for TI. "I just can NOT handle weirdness..." - Boy George