From: roking@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu (robert king)
Subject: Re: New Computer Recommendations:  Brands?
Organization: Northeastern University, Boston, MA. 02115, USA
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 04:03:33 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.185948.25045@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> hartzman@kilroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Les Hartzman) writes:
>I'm looking for some recommendations on computer brands for PC-clones.  A
>friend is looking to buy a computer, and my source dried up.  Is Gateway
>any good?  Compuadd?  Dell?
>

Well, I was in an unusual situation for a Mail-order purchaser, I did
not have a credit card.  Gateway was more than willing to take a
Cashier's Check for COD (with no COD charges).

The sales staff was very helpful, and the system even arrived a little
earlier than had been indicated.  However, it was a 25MHz instead of a
33!  When I contacted Gateway about it, the salesperson was very
helpful,, and immediately cut the paperwork to get me my refund.  I
kept the 25 as it would have taken a couple of weeks to get the whole
thing straightened out, and I would have to send the old system back as
I did not have a credit card as security against the return of the old
system once the new one had arrived.

In their defense, the staff has bent over backwards to help me (once I
have gotten in touch with them :) )  and would have covered the cost of
the shipping to get the new system to me and the old system back.  I
managed to blow up windows playing with display drivers... and their
tech support told me what I was doing wrong that was making Windows ask
for a disk not included in the install kit (standard from Windows, BTW).

I ould advise getting a tower, however, as there is no space in the
mini-desktop for a second hard drive other than a hard card.  The board
can be expanded up to 64Mb, and a 256K cache.  The board can also be
blown out to 33MHz, and can take a DX2 (for 50 or 66).  All in all not
too bad.  The system comes with a very comprehensize set of system
manuals, a full DOS and Windows manuals.

I could have gotten the 33 if I had really wanted it, but I was running
the 25 and it was sufficient for my present needs..  In the future I
will upgrade the system if I need to.

So, you can draw your own conclusions about Gateway...  I think I would
prolly buy another Gateway.  I will let you know for certain once I find
out if the other person in my building that ordered a 33 gets a 33 or a
25 :) - but then they all call me paranoid.

>I've heard good and bad about all, but any good recommendations about any
>makers which are easy to deal with when problems arise (always the kicker!)
>would be appreciated.  
>
>I'm figuring a minimum of a 486/33, 200M IDE, SVGA monitor, et al.  Any
>recommendations on any of the above components is also appreciated.
>

The 14" is alright, but a bigger one would be better for 800x600 or
higher modes in Windows or other such.  Make sure your board is
expandable, unless you are already planning to buy a new system in a few
years when your current one becomes hopelessly outdated :) :)

>Thanks in advance.
>
>Les
>
>-- 
>Les Hartzman                hartzman@kilroy.jpl.nasa.gov
>Jet Propulsion Laboratory   M/S 238-528    (818) 354-5964
>4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena,  CA.  91109


Bob King
roking@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu
Newsgroups: hartzman@kilroy.jpl.nasa.gov
Subject: Re: New Computer Recommendations:  Brands?
Distribution: na
Organization: Northeastern University, Boston, MA. 02115, USA
Keywords: new computer, brands

In article <1992Nov9.185948.25045@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> hartzman@kilroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Les Hartzman) writes:
>I'm looking for some recommendations on computer brands for PC-clones.  A
>friend is looking to buy a computer, and my source dried up.  Is Gateway
>any good?  Compuadd?  Dell?
>

Well, I was in an unusual situation for a Mail-order purchaser, I did
not have a credit card.  Gateway was more than willing to take a
Cashier's Check for COD (with no COD charges).

The sales staff was very helpful, and the system even arrived a little
earlier than had been indicated.  However, it was a 25MHz instead of a
33!  When I contacted Gateway about it, the salesperson was very
helpful,, and immediately cut the paperwork to get me my refund.  I
kept the 25 as it would have taken a couple of weeks to get the whole
thing straightened out, and I would have to send the old system back as
I did not have a credit card as security against the return of the old
system once the new one had arrived.

In their defense, the staff has bent over backwards to help me (once I
have gotten in touch with them :) )  and would have covered the cost of
the shipping to get the new system to me and the old system back.  I
managed to blow up windows playing with display drivers... and their
tech support told me what I was doing wrong that was making Windows ask
for a disk not included in the install kit (standard from Windows, BTW).

I ould advise getting a tower, however, as there is no space in the
mini-desktop for a second hard drive other than a hard card.  The board
can be expanded up to 64Mb, and a 256K cache.  The board can also be
blown out to 33MHz, and can take a DX2 (for 50 or 66).  All in all not
too bad.  The system comes with a very comprehensize set of system
manuals, a full DOS and Windows manuals.

I could have gotten the 33 if I had really wanted it, but I was running
the 25 and it was sufficient for my present needs..  In the future I
will upgrade the system if I need to.

So, you can draw your own conclusions about Gateway...  I think I would
prolly buy another Gateway.  I will let you know for certain once I find
out if the other person in my building that ordered a 33 gets a 33 or a
25 :) - but then they all call me paranoid.

>I've heard good and bad about all, but any good recommendations about any
>makers which are easy to deal with when problems arise (always the kicker!)
>would be appreciated.  
>
>I'm figuring a minimum of a 486/33, 200M IDE, SVGA monitor, et al.  Any
>recommendations on any of the above components is also appreciated.
>

The 14" is alright, but a bigger one would be better for 800x600 or
higher modes in Windows or other such.  Make sure your board is
expandable, unless you are already planning to buy a new system in a few
years when your current one becomes hopelessly outdated :) :)

>Thanks in advance.
>
>Les
>
>-- 
>Les Hartzman                hartzman@kilroy.jpl.nasa.gov
>Jet Propulsion Laboratory   M/S 238-528    (818) 354-5964
>4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena,  CA.  91109


Bob King
roking@lynx.dac.northeastern.edu

Newsgroups: dead.article
Subject: New Computer Recommendations:  Brands?
Summary: 
Followup-To: 
Distribution: world
Organization: Northeastern University, Boston, MA. 02115, USA
Keywords: 


Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware