Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!rg20+ From: rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rick Francis Golembiewski) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: IBM vs AMIGA cost Message-ID: Date: 10 Mar 90 16:28:44 GMT References: <5527@ur-cc.UUCP> <4251@vaxwaller.UUCP> <4422@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU>, <4254@vaxwaller.UUCP> Organization: Class of '92, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 40 In-Reply-To: <4254@vaxwaller.UUCP> richc@vaxwaller.UUCP (Rich Commins) writes: No I'm comparing this to my AMIGA 1000. > > Four years ago AMIGA Today IBM > -------------------- --------- > $2500 AMIGA system $2400 IBM 80386 with 80387 co-processor > $ 500 Monitor (Sony) $ 600 Monitor NEC 3D > $1000 20Meg harddisk $ 500 65 Meg Harddisk 28msec > $ 700 2Meg memory $ 400 4 Megs of 80ns memory > ----- ------ > $4700 $3800 > + $$$$$ for software + $$$$$ for software > > Four years ago a dollar was worth more! You forgot a VERY big consideration for the amiga side +4YEARS USE of a COMPUTER. Computers (and cars) are in general a TERRIBLE investment because their sale price plummets as newer techonology comes out. So why ever buy a omputer? Because it give you a certain amount of utility be it increased productivity on a job, or enjoyment from playing games, or the joy of having a very expensive door stop. Also don't compare today's technology to yesterdays technology... Ever used an apple II+? I got one for $3K in 1980 with 48K and 1 143K floppy drive, wow that is an incredibly slow machine for $3K, I could get a really cool 386 today with that money and $3K was worth more in 1980.... However I wouldn't have had a computer for 10 years! Now 4 years ago, you couldn't GET a 386, and 286es were NOT cheap, When I got my amiga system (in late '86), here was the costs: Amiga: $1295 (monitor & CPU) IBM 286 clone: $900 CPU (6Mhz 640K 1 floppy drive)+$1000 EGA monitor+display card+$100 MS-DOS. So a CLONE with about the same functionality, but inferior graphics as the amiga I got cost about about $800 more. This is the reaason I got an amiga, if you keep waiting for technology to get better then yes you will be able to get a more powerful machine for less money, but you also have to do without a machine, so you have to decide when you need the machine, and what you can actually buy. -Rick Golembiewski rg20+@andrew.cmu.edu