Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site felix.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!bmcg!felix!zemon
From: zemon@felix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Buying your first home computer
Message-ID: <152@felix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 17-Nov-83 13:55:59 EST
Article-I.D.: felix.152
Posted: Thu Nov 17 13:55:59 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 22-Nov-83 01:40:32 EST
References: <13616@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: FileNet Corp., Costa Mesa, Ca.
Lines: 46

Buying a computer is just like buying any other expensive
and long lasting item/tool/machine/....  You should follow
three steps, quitting at any point along the way if you
realize that you are chasing a dream.

1) Decide what you want the computer to do.

   Be hard-nosed about this.  Way too many people buy
   computers and then discover that they have wasted
   many hundreds of dollars on something that sits unused.
   It's tough deciding this, especially if you have never
   had a computer.  On the other hand, you can rule out
   a lot of task as impractical without even trying them.
   For instance, you might think about keeping your addresses
   on the computer.  Is it really more convienent to a) go
   to the computer, b) turn it on and wait for it to warm
   up, c) put the right disk/cassette in the machine,
   d) run the program, e) tell it who you want, f) try to
   remember the phone number as you walk back to the phone
   than it is to look up the phone number in the little
   book next to the phone?  Many home "uses" of a computer
   fall into this category.

2) Decide how much money you can spend.

   Decide this BEFORE you are in a store with a salemsman
   explaining how it is "only" $30 per month.  $30 per month
   for three years is still $1080....

3) Take your time shopping and get the best deal.

   Look at a lot of systems.  The last "comprehensive" list
   of microcomputer systems that I saw ran for over six pages!
   Ask salesmen for the price of the COMPLETE system.  Many,
   many systems are priced unbundled.  For example, you can
   buy an IBM P/C for about $1500 but you will spend over
   $3000 for a complete system with extra memory, printer
   and SOFTWARE.  That's a bit difference.


-- Art Zemon
   FileNet Corp.
   ...!{decvax, ucbvax}!trw-unix!felix!zemon
   (714)966-2344