Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!mcsun!ukc!edcastle!gtoal
From: gtoal@castle.ed.ac.uk (G Toal)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Repairs (was Re: Floppy drive disk errors)
Message-ID: <11272@castle.ed.ac.uk>
Date: 25 Jun 91 10:01:43 GMT
References: <7961@acorn.co.uk> <11265@castle.ed.ac.uk> <1991Jun24.215955.4061@comp.vuw.ac.nz>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Edinburgh University
Lines: 32

In article <1991Jun24.215955.4061@comp.vuw.ac.nz> gavin@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Gavin Flower) writes:
:
:The Archimedes is a good machine, but it still needs to have
:good service to back it up.
:
:It is essential that suitable service be assured for these machines
:as only then can a professional recommend anyone to buy one and
:maintain ethical standards.  Also major companies normally consider
:the level of support for a micro to be very important.  Not to mention
:the average home user who *DOES NOT* want to get involved with soldering
:in any way.

That's exactly the position I'm in. I've just finished a system for
indexing free text on CD Roms.  The client code runs on PCs, but tje
creation code was created on an Archie 540.  I *had* intended to
sell turnkey systems based on A540s, but my experience of Acorn kit
(which as a hobbyist I think is great) and its reliability is such that
I'm having serious thoughts about porting my stuff back to DOS.  (With
a 4Mb DOS box and dos extender, it'll just about run :-( )

And it's not just my own hardware failing (two archies, three keyboards,
umpteen disk drives) that worries me -- I have once before persuaded
a client to buy Acorn kit (someone who did heavy TeXing and bought
a top-end 440) - and he has had his hard disk die once and the replacement
is now starting to wobble...

I've had a Dell PC for 3 years without a single fault.

So yes, I too am having serious doubts about recommending Acorn
equipment to clients.

Graham