From: Bert_-_Raphael@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: ba.general
Subject: SUMMARY: Local clone computer companies
Date: Sat,  5 Sep 92 19:14:19 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)

 
There were only a few responses to my request for recommendations of
local clone suppliers.  There were votes for Computer Art (now Art
Computer Technologies?) in Milpitas, Wentek, Tower Computer on Bascom in
San Jose, Dominos for the do-it-yourselfer, and reference to a favorable
vote for Hi-tech (in Milpitas) from a previous survey.  Negative
comments about HQ in Palo Alto, and Frys.  (I have also seen negative
comments about both HQ and Access Computer, elsewhere on the net.)  All
anecdotal and not statistically significant, but it's still nice to get
SOME guidance before making this kind of decision.  

The full responses follow, for those who may be interested.  Thanks to
all who did respond.  Additional comments will also be welcome.

  --Bert  ( raphael@cup.portal.com )
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Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 
From: close@lunch.wpd.sgi.com (Diane Barlow Close)
To: Bert_-_Raphael@cup.portal.com
Subject: Re: Local clone computer recommendations?
Organization: Self employed, eh.

Stay away from HQ computers in Palo Alto.  We got horror stories from
dissatisfied buyers when we asked a similar question 6 months ago.
Highest recommendations went to Hi-tech and Computer Art, both in
Milpitas.  We went with Computer Art (now Art Computer Technologies,
believe) and are very, very happy.  For more info you can ask my
husband, Paul Close, pdc@sgi.com, as he's the one who did the
research.
--
Diane Barlow Close
        close@lunch.wpd.sgi.com
        I'm at lunch today.  :-)
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Date: Sun, 23 Aug 92 17:09:47 -0700
From: Landon Dyer <landon@apple.com>
To: Bert_-_Raphael@cup.portal.com
Subject: Re: Local clone computer recommendations?
...
I'd stay away from Fry's.  (I've bought two machines there.  Both
times they treated me like an idiot, fucked up the s/w configuration,
and made me cool my heels while their techs made sure the serial ports
worked.  These were *laptops*.  Sheesh).
About a month ago I got a machine at Tower Computer, on Bascom (50 Mhz   
486, 8Mb, I added my own drives and display).  While they are not
totally wonderful, the machine is fine so far and has a 5 year g'tee
(I think that they've been around for two or three years, and have two 
stores, so 5 years is not total fantasy...).
-landon

[don't ask what an apple employee is doing with a 486 box... :-)  ]  
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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 92 11:07 PDT
From: terry@uts.amdahl.com (Lewis T. Flynn) 
To: Bert_-_Raphael@cup.portal.com
Subject: Re: Local clone computer recommendations?
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA


In article <64458@cup.portal.com> you write:
>I'm finally ready to buy my next PC clone (486) computer, and need advice
>about where to go.  There seem to be dozens of bay area companies making
>systems and selling them for less than the leading mail-order companies
>(like Gateway or Zeos).  Are these local systems as well built and reliable?

Mostly. What most of them do is build a system from components: no name
case, motherboard, VGA card, disk drives, etc. What you need to do is
find out what the component brands are. Northgate and the others basically
do the same thing. Northgate does make nice kerboards, though.

>Are the companies likely to be around for the length of the warranties?
>I would prefer to deal locally, but need some advice: Which specific bay
>area (preferrable San Jose to San Carlos) clone companies are particularly
>good?  Which should I stay away from?  All anecdotes and ideas welcome.  

I use Wentek (2 motherboards, 1 system and another system on order, plus
lots of little stuff). They guarantee their stuff of rone year (even if the  
manufacturer's warrantee is shorter). The systems are Symphony or Eteq
motherboards with AMI bioses, floppies are Teac, hard sisk are usually 
Connor, but they offer others, VGA cards are generic with either Trident or
Tseng ET4000 chipsets (others available), etc.
...
Terry
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Date: Tue, 25 Aug 92 09:36:41 -0700
From: Roger Haaheim <rog@sc.hp.com>
To: Bert_-_Raphael@cup.portal.com
Subject: Re: Local clone computer recommendations?

I got a 386/40 from Domino.  It's a build it yourself, they help, they
guarantee.  I have had it for several months and am thoroughly
satisfied.  Nice thing about doing it yourself is that you KNOW whats   
going where and what to do to fix it.
         Good luck

(they have several locations throughout the bay area)
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