Re: Gateway vs IBM PCs

On Wed, 09 Jul 1997 15:20:19 +0000 Doug Barnes <Doug.Barnes@InfoAve.Net>
writes:
>A VP at our company recently proposed that the folks he is
>responsible for start using Gateway 2K PCs, in large part because of
>their initial costs. Our current policy is we get all IBM PCs (In an
>effort to be as standardized as possible). We are in the process of
>moving most users from OS/2 to Windoze 95. 
>
>Any comments about the hardware piece of this equation?
>
YOU WILL REGRET IT.

You can buy a Pentuim 166 system for $800 and you can spend $1200, ever
wonder why?  No its not the IBM "name" that costs more. Its because the
low guy finds all the junk parts.
We sell PCs and we have made some.  About a year ago we were bidding on
local government PCs and consistantly lost on price.  One day after
returning from a bid opening (and losing) I said "here is the price we
have to meet, what do we have to do to get there?"  Two of us searched
our sources for the "deals" that  would allow us to meet the price which
had just won.
We did put together (on paper) PCs which would have won the bid, but it
was such junk, we decided not to bother bidding to the local government
in the future.

I am not saying that GW does this, but something effects the cost.
BTW: How much do you think you will save (make sure you conpare apples
with apples) OK apples is poor choice, but you get what I mean.  I think
IBM & HP have some good prices now.

As far as "standardization" the only standard is the case and maybe the
cardboard box with the cows.  I know someone that ordered two "identical"
PCs on the same day.  When they arrived, he found that they had different
drives and video boards. Who knows maybe they had different motherboards
and/or chipsets.  You won't find this from IBM & HP.  
BTW: its not because we are IBM & HP dealers, we sell them all if the
customer insists.
Frank
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