: >So, by going mailorder through Gateway, I save ~13%.  Plus, I get
: >technical support over the phone, free software package.
: >
: Have fun trying to get hold of technical support over the phone.  At least
: locally you can walk right up to the dealer and tell him what is wrong, and
: he has to fix it.

Phone support is quick and competent from many mail order firms, but not so
quick and not so competent from others (Gateway included).  But my experience
with computer retailers (which is significant) has lead to the conclusion that
sales personnel and retail-technical personnel are forbidden to actually learn
about the products they sell.  Talk about incompetent!  O.K., so a few percent
of their answers are correct, but those salesmen don't even realize how stupid
they are.   ...  .......  O.K.  ...I'll settle down now....  .... let me
catch my breath.....  ..

Fact: retail stores never provide a better value in terms of price per product.

Retail outlets are desirable, however, to those people who aren't interested
in learning about computers enough to make their own decisions.  This is fine;
for example most of my education about carpeting, wall paper, lawn mowers,
microwave ovens, etc. has come from sales personnel.  I assume I must be an
idiot.  But I don't care about those things.  I do, however, care about my
computer - i.e. I demand features and performance, and I'll be damned if I'll
pay some high-school drop out commission on an over-rated, over-priced system
and in the process be subjected to his distorted B.S.

G.L.