Xref: utzoo comp.sys.tandy:1288 comp.sys.ibm.pc:27804 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!lll-winken!uunet!attcan!lsuc!maccs!cs3b3aj From: cs3b3aj@maccs.McMaster.CA (Three More Exams) Newsgroups: comp.sys.tandy,comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: Is there really no better value? Summary: Radio Shack's Canadian prices Keywords: TANDY PRICES Message-ID: <2537@maccs.McMaster.CA> Date: 24 Apr 89 01:19:12 GMT References: <1454@csm9a.UUCP> Reply-To: cs3b3aj@maccs.UUCP (Three More Exams) Followup-To: comp.sys.tandy Organization: McMaster U., Hamilton, Ont., Can. Lines: 91 Well, I have the 1989 Radio Shack "Technology Book" (hereinafter to be referred to as the catalog) to give the non-educational prices ... these are in Canadian dollars, so you might want to tweak the numbers a little to get them into US funds if you're south of the border. Well, here goes ... In article <1454@csm9a.UUCP> japplega@csm9a.UUCP (Joe Applegate) writes: >For aproximently $900 the Tandy SL $1599.00 Cdn >8088 - 8 Mhz. Nope ... it's an 8086 (unless the catalog is a typo ... but "8086" appears in 3 places on the page) >1 5 1/4" 360K floppy >CGA graphics (ok... expanded CGA... whoopie) Herc and CGA compatible, with CGA enhancements ... but how many programs support those enhancements? >Parallel / Serial ports (Tandy Standard) >384K Ram This is laughable >3.2 (?) Dos IN ROM 3.3 >DeskMate (which probably should count against it!) IN ROM >To make this a usable computer one needs: >CM-11 CGA Monitor - $399 $699 Cdn or CM-5, $499 Cdn or VM-5 monochrome $249 Cdn Of course, it's debatable whether a computer with a CGA is actually usable :-) >upgade to 640K - $189 $??? ... they don't list this in the catalog >20 Meg HardDisk - $599 Hard disk card - $899 Cdn >Total System: ~ $2100 $3200 Cdn + memory upgrade >Compare this with: >IBM PS/2 model 30 package: >8086 - 8 Mhz (8086 has improved throughput over 8088) same throughput as 1000SL, unless Tandy screwed the design up [ ... feature list which is better than Tandy's deleted ... ] >Cost: $1800 >Gee... there goes Tandy's value right out the window! Yeah ... you know you're charging far too much when IBM's cheaper than you are. I think I could get a 10 MHz 8088 clone with the same features as the Tandy for under $2000 Cdn ... my 12 MHz AT clone with 44M 25 ms hard drive, Herc clone, monitor, 640K, 1.2M drive, 2 parallel, 1 serial, 1 game only cost me $2400 Cdn! >Tandy 1000 TL vs. Model 30/286 > >While an equivelent system is impossible just on the basis of Tandy's CGA vs. >IBM's VGA the cost of the 286 package vs. Tandy is roughly the same $2100 >(assuming a 20 meg. HD is added to the Tandy)... >But with the IBM you get Windows, Word, and Excel... and VGA graphics... >With the Tandy you get DeskMate... and Tandy's 16 color graphics for games! >need I say more! 1000 TL: 80286 8 MHz, 640K, DOS 3.3 in ROM, 3-1/2" 720K, 101-key keyboard, same enhanced CGA, hi-res RGBI monitor, DeskMate (whoopee), 20M hard card costs $3600 Cdn. By the way, it looks to me like they include 128K of video memory in that 640K, so it's really only a 512K machine. But don't forget one very important feature on the 1000TL: it comes with a built-in version of Hangman. That's gotta be worth at least $12.99! :-) Has Tandy cleared up the compatibility problems they used to have a few years ago? And how about their modem prices - $199.95 Cdn for a 1200 baud half-card modem? Or their Logitech serial mouse for 169.95 Cdn (these cost around $100 in the store where I bought my clone) I can see why someone might want to buy a name brand computer (because you figure they'll be there if the thing breaks, and also some people don't have faith in the quality or legality of clones), but why Tandy would price their systems above IBM's is beyond me, too. -- ====================================================================== ! Stephen M. Dunn, cs3b3aj@maccs.McMaster.CA ! DISCLAIMER: ! ! I always wanted to be a lumberjack! - M.P. ! I'm only an undergrad ! ======================================================================