Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!samsung!caen!uflorida!reef.cis.ufl.edu!jdb
From: jdb@reef.cis.ufl.edu (Brian K. W. Hook)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: part-by-part vs. system
Keywords: which?
Message-ID: <26570@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU>
Date: 29 Jan 91 23:22:08 GMT
References: <84782@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Sender: news@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU
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Organization: UF CIS Dept.
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In article <84782@unix.cis.pitt.edu> kwgst@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Filip Gieszczykiewicz) writes:
>
>	386/33
>	387/33 (Cyrilix sp?)

It's CYRIX.

>	4MB

I'd pay the extra bucks and get the full 8MB (should cost no more than 200)
>	200MB IDE
>	14" VGA (non-interlaced) + SVGA (1K X 768 X 265) card /1MB
>	101 keyboard + tower case + 250W ps
>	1.2MB + 1.44MB drives
>	2S/1P/1G port card
>	trackball (hate mice)
>	60MB tape backup	

>
>	Even though I found the best prices on the above system, when I
>	compared my price with that offered by GateWay 2000, mine
>	was more expensive. (I did not cound tape drive, 387, and trackball
>	in comparison - just the "basic" system). 

Gateway is a large company, and buys is vast quantities compared to mail order
houses.  Therefore, they can charge as much or less than the mail order
companies and get you on the labor.

>
>	Now, I have some questions:
>
>	1) Gateway 2000 offers the above system (less tape, 387, trackball)
>	for $3195. Now, if I decide to buy from them, can I tell them to
>	put a 387 and/or tape and trackball for me - instead buying them
>	from other sources? Do they carry that stuff? Do you think the
>	prices will be comparable to other sources?

Call Gateway.  They would LOVE to talk to you.  You can call and ask
questions, you don't have to buy when you dial!  They should stock the
387, but you usually get priced like crazy.  I doubt they carry a trackball,
and they probably have tape drives available.

>	2) Can I specify what brand hard drive, for example, I want? They
>	just say "200MB IDE" in their ad. Can I ask them for a Maxtor xxxx
>	(paying the difference, of cource)? 

If you're lucky you will have a limited selection to chooose from, but I
doubt it.  Oh, by the way, I personally think that MAXTOR sucks.  IMHO,
of course. :)

>	3) They don't say, in their ad, if they do or do not "burn in"
>	their systems. Do they?


It's not cost effective for a company to NOT burn in their systems.  Since
they assemble the components, you would imagine that they would test it
at some point.

>	Also, a comparable system, for the same price, was from a
>	company called "Insight". Anyone heard of them? How good are
>	they?

Insight is the company that is associated with Hard Drives International.
HDI is the best mail order company I have ever dealt with.  Period.  They
give great tech support, and they have INCREDIBLY knowledgeable sales
staff.  I asked whether I could have an IDE and RLL drive hooked together
(with 2 drives on the RLL) and the lady, without even pausing, affirmed
this and stated that I would only get 8-bit bandwidth from the RLL since
it would become the secondary controller.  Pretty smart people.  Then again,
I do suppose they are paid to do this.

>	How does the "free technical" help work? Does one have to give
>	them a special number that tells them that you are THEIR customer?
>	
>	Should I just give them a call? :-)

Call them.