Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think!masscomp!daly
From: daly@masscomp.ccur.com (Patrick Daly)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Wall Street Journal Ad
Message-ID: <9366@masscomp.ccur.com>
Date: 5 Feb 90 18:39:31 GMT
References: <26325@cup.portal.com>
Reply-To: daly@masscomp.UUCP (Patrick Daly)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Concurrent Computer Corporation, Westford MA
Lines: 44

In article <26325@cup.portal.com> Don_C_Rudolph@cup.portal.com writes:
>The Wall Street Journal has an ad for a Packard Bell "PACKMATE 286
>computer with VGA color monitor."  This system is sold through an
>outfit called DAMARK out of Minneapolis.  Features include:
> 
>  30 MB hard drive
>  12 MHz 80286
>  1 3 1/2" 1.44 MB floppy    1 5 1/4" 1.22 MB floppy
>  1 MB RAM on mother board
>  VGA card
>  480x600 256 colors monitor
>  MS-DOS 3.3 + GWBASIC
>  2 serial ports   1 parallel port
> 
>$1499.  1-yr warranty.  Factory New & Perfect.
> 
>Questions:  Is this a good buy for a novice computer user?

I think so.

>            Does anyone have experience with DAMARK?
>            Would the Packard Bell be a true IBM clone?

I have a fair amount of software loaded and thus far
have not run into any incompatibilites.

>            Is there enough information here to go ahead with the
>              purchase?

Just for comparison....
I just bought a Packard Bell Legend V a week ago.

The difference I can see is that I got:
    o 60 Meg HD
    o VGA is on the motherboard
    o Separate mouse port so as to not use a serial port
    o Borland stuff thrown in (sidekick), and DOS manager, and other stuff...
      For my purposes, I didn't find these software 'freebies' all that useful.

The rest of the features is the same as you listed.   I paid $1699.

If you look hard you can go a little cheaper.
I was satisfied with the price and didn't feel like shopping around any more.
I could have gone mail order and saved a few more bucks.