Computer Retailers Last to Switch?

[Rubber Duck]

Who are going to be the ones hanging onto their ASCII portals for grim death?

Well, I would guess it will be the likes of Dell and the Computer Retailers. There are going to be big buck to be made for Upgrades to Vista type systems, and those that are going to be buying online will have very slow existing systems that are unlikely to have IE7, hence in the Far East any form of IDN support.

Conversely, everyone else will not be especially targetting that segment, because if those concerned are updating last due to scarce financial resources and their limited budgets are being earmarked for that all important acquisition, then there won't be much left over for other luxuries.

[jacksonm]

Originally Posted by Rubber Duck

Who are going to be the ones hanging onto their ASCII portals for grim death?

Well, I would guess it will be the likes of Dell and the Computer Retailers. There are going to be big buck to be made for Upgrades to Vista type systems, and those that are going to be buying online will have very slow existing systems that are unlikely to have IE7, hence in the Far East any form of IDN support.

Most people don't buy computers online because of the shipping costs and fragile nature of the goods. You can pick them up in larger grocery stores these days for less than 400 bucks. Hey honey, go to the store and get some milk and a new PC...

I would venture to say that the only real market for buying computers online is tiny businesses (5-10 employees). Small businesses will have an IT manager who will handle purchases from local stores, etc.

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[Fka200]

Originally Posted by jacksonm

Most people don't buy computers online because of the shipping costs and fragile nature of the goods. You can pick them up in larger grocery stores these days for less than 400 bucks. Hey honey, go to the store and get some milk and a new PC...

I would venture to say that the only real market for buying computers online is tiny businesses (5-10 employees). Small businesses will have an IT manager who will handle purchases from local stores, etc.

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Shipping is free most of the time and there's always warranty. You've never bought a Dell before?

[touchring]

Originally Posted by jacksonm

Most people don't buy computers online because of the shipping costs and fragile nature of the goods. You can pick them up in larger grocery stores these days for less than 400 bucks. Hey honey, go to the store and get some milk and a new PC...

I would venture to say that the only real market for buying computers online is tiny businesses (5-10 employees). Small businesses will have an IT manager who will handle purchases from local stores, etc.

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Do small businesses got IT manager? Businesses, small or big, do buy rack servers online. Dell has been losing out to HP on the retail front because nowadays as you say, PCs are cheap enough for people to buy from the supermarket.

[jacksonm]

Originally Posted by Fka200

Shipping is free most of the time and there's always warranty. You've never bought a Dell before?

No! I've hand-built every computer I've ever owned. But I'm not the normal case, either. In any case, I always see a lot of folks buying computers in the supermarket these days, and they are cheap as can be.

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[Rubber Duck]

I think to some extent it depends what you call a computer. Even now there is nothing I would be interested out there for $400.

I didn't buy the first one online I must admit, slight logistical problem there, but it was mail order. I have bought 6 since then, all online.

Originally Posted by jacksonm

No! I've hand-built every computer I've ever owned. But I'm not the normal case, either. In any case, I always see a lot of folks buying computers in the supermarket these days, and they are cheap as can be.

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I looked at this. I found it the cost of the bits was more than the assembled box. In the UK you have always more or less been able to order your own configuration, so it never seemed worthwhile. I have always done my own upgrades.

[jacksonm]

Originally Posted by touchring

Do small businesses got IT manager? Businesses, small or big, do buy rack servers online. Dell has been losing out to HP on the retail front because nowadays as you say, PCs are cheap enough for people to buy from the supermarket.

Big businesses have corporate accounts with hardware vendors, private logistical arrangements, etc. They don't use public websites to make orders, rarely using websites at all. Mostly emailing the sales rep for a quote on such and such...

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Originally Posted by Rubber Duck

I looked at this. I found it the cost of the bits was more than the assembled box. In the UK you have always more or less been able to order your own configuration, so it never seemed worthwhile. I have always done my own upgrades.

Note that I don't build them to save money. I build them because I engineer them to handle very specific compatability and performance requirements. Yes, they always cost 3-4 times the amount that the supermarket HP Pavillions do. I don't care ;-)

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[Rubber Duck]

Actually, my machine is Dell and it is about 6 years old now. Predates XP because I remember upgrading. Still probably outperforms most of the Supermarket PCs of today though due to the dual Xenon Chips. Microsoft say it won't run Vista, but I think it probably would, but it must nearly be time for a new system.

Originally Posted by jacksonm

Big businesses have corporate accounts with hardware vendors, private logistical arrangements, etc. They don't use public websites to make orders, rarely using websites at all. Mostly emailing the sales rep for a quote on such and such...

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Note that I don't build them to save money. I build them because I engineer them to handle very specific compatability and performance requirements. Yes, they always cost 3-4 times the amount that the supermarket HP Pavillions do. I don't care ;-)

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[jacksonm]

Originally Posted by Rubber Duck

Actually, my machine is Dell and it is about 6 years old now. Predates XP because I remember upgrading. Still probably outperforms most of the Supermarket PCs of today though due to the dual Xenon Chips. Microsoft say it won't run Vista, but I think it probably would, but it must nearly be time for a new system.

Yes, it probably does. The supermarket PCs have Celery chips inside.


BTW, just noticed this unregged (I don't want it):

09-f9-11-02-9d-74-e3-5b-d8-41-56-c5-63-56-88-c0.mobi


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[touchring]

The celery chips of today is faster than the xenon chips 6 years ago, i think?

[Rubber Duck]

Originally Posted by touchring

The celery chips of today is faster than the xenon chips 6 years ago, i think?

It depends what you mean by faster.

A celeron chip is only a Pentium 4 which has been castrated.

Hz rating of chips are great for marketing purposes but the way Intel segments the market, it means nothing.

The big advantage of Xenon chips are the wide side buses, which is about how much access the rest of the system has to chip, if that is the right way of expressing it.

[Olney]

Buying a computer is easy... I have 2 choices

1. Go to Apple.com pick the newest model & pay for it
2. Go to the Apple store pick the newest model & pay for it

[jacksonm]

Originally Posted by Olney

Buying a computer is easy... I have 2 choices

1. Go to Apple.com pick the newest model & pay for it
2. Go to the Apple store pick the newest model & pay for it

I've been thinking of getting one for a while now that they have a UNIX operating system (OSX). I simply can't deal with windows.

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[Rubber Duck]

Originally Posted by jacksonm

I've been thinking of getting one for a while now that they have a UNIX operating system (OSX). I simply can't deal with windows.

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Can't get my head around the one button mouse thing.

I think I might have a look a Linux, then again I may just go with Vista if it starts to bed in a bit better.

[jacksonm]

Originally Posted by Rubber Duck

Can't get my head around the one button mouse thing.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm pretty much hooked on a 3 button mouse. Copy/paste in linux/unix is a dream, double click text to copy, middle mouse button to paste.

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[blastfromthepast]

Originally Posted by jacksonm

Big businesses have corporate accounts with hardware vendors, private logistical arrangements, etc. They don't use public websites to make orders, rarely using websites at all. Mostly emailing the sales rep for a quote on such and such...

You are quite wrong. Maybe in Finland they rarely use websites at all, but in the US, institutional vendors have their own websites, with live quotes, and buy all the time online. In the most complicated scenario, you print out specs from website, write up bids to match the specs, and then once approved, order.

As for Apple, all Macs now also run Windows (if you wish), in addition to OS X, terminal based unix programs, and X Windows. Apple's mouse has 2 buttons, two side grip squeeze buttons on the side, and a mini scroll ball that can act as a 5th button, standard.