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From: barry@pico.math.ucla.edu (Barry Merriman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Why is NeXT memory so expensive?
Message-ID: <1057@kaos.MATH.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 7 Feb 91 01:06:10 GMT
Sender: news@MATH.UCLA.EDU
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Organization: UCLA Dept. of Math, UCLA Inst. for Fusion and Plasma Research
Lines: 26

Mnay folks have pointed out that next is really overcharging
for memory (RAM and hard drive). Does anyone know why?

You could chalk it up to NeXT trying to skim some
easy profits---but this seems doubtful due to the sheer
magnitude of the overpricing, which will prevent just about
everyone from buying NeXT memory.

For example: for a 16MB RAM upgrade, NeXT wants $2995!!!.
Since the current retail RAM price is about $700--$800
for 16MB (depending on whether you use 1MB or 4MB SIMMs),
we see that NeXT is charging nearly 4x (!!) the going rate!
(ignore installation costs, which are a small fraction of that
markup).

Only an idiot would apply 300% markup in an effort to ``skim''
some profit. So there must be another explanation? Perhaps they
got stuck with a shipload of overpriced RAM back in 1986?



--
Barry Merriman
UCLA Dept. of Math
UCLA Inst. for Fusion and Plasma Research
barry@math.ucla.edu (Internet)