[thelist] Hardware Purchase Advice

Hershel Robinson hershelr at netvision.net.il
Wed Jun 30 10:52:43 CDT 2004


Foreword: this letter is basically asking for hardware advice, not giving
it, so if you're not interested, feel free to skip it. :)

I spoke to the owner of a local PC store and he told me that of 90% of the
machines he sells, he never hears from them again. The other 10% come back
with some sort of problem, very often power supply problems. He does not
sell Dell machines, either.

So when I bought a new machine last year, I figured that if I bought a
no-brand machine, I stood a 90% chance of being satisfied with it. I thus
bought a well-outfitted machine from the dealer who gave me the best deal. I
find myself in that 10% bracket, now, however. The problems with this
machine are not quite such that it can be returned as I can not prove they
are entirely hardware-related. I did send it back once and while they did
not charge me for the 'repair,' it did take them two weeks and all they
managed to do was replace the CPU fan.

My financial situation has improved ever so slightly since then, and my
appreciation of good hardware has also improved significantly and I am now
prepared to purchase a new machine. My previous machine (before the lemon)
was a Dell, and I never once had a problem with it. In several years. I
looked into getting another Dell, but one dealer never answers his phone and
the other never returns my calls. I can not order from Dell directly because
I live in Israel.

I am given to understand, however, that next to buying a machine from a
well-known and reputable company, a hand-picked machine where each component
is chosen for its quality and compatibility with the whole, should be as
good or even better. (Or I could always try try again with the other
purported Israeli Dell dealers.)

There is an online company here that was recommended to me that will allow
me to pick my components and they will build it for me. Problem is, while I
know basically what I want, as in which CPU and how much RAM, beyond that, I
do not know how to pick hardware components--which motherboard manufacturer
over which and is it really worth twice the price for DDR of such and such a
speed etc.

I wonder then if any kind Evolter(s) would be willing to assist me with this
project? The dealer's site is only partially in Hebrew and the actual
products and details are all in English. If anyone is available, please
email me off line.

Thank you,
Hershel

<tip type="Hardware Purchase" author="Hershel Robinson">
The value of a dual-head video adaptor has been discussed before on thelist.
I myself am a user of such a system and I can tell you that, as a
programmer, it is without question an aid to productivity.

To go from my browser, open to a test page, back to my code, I need only to
move my eyes. I can also compare a full monitor's worth of code against
another without flipping between windows.

The small monetary investment I think pays off in the long run. Not to
mention it will impress your friends. ;)
</tip>



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