Has anyone heard of "OS specific" hardware?

[Alias]

Not too many, at the prices that Dell and HP are charging these days.

On low end, yes, high end with a real person for support that you can
look in the eye know his name is Ron, no.

I have recently shut down the computer sales part of my business, and
now just do service, repair, and support work. My sales are pretty
much confined to replacement parts only.

With complete systems, including monitor, printer, and Windows license
retailing for under $500 there is just no way a small operator can
survive.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Don't compete with the 500 POS. Sell computers that are born to last
more than a year and sell them in person support. That said, you're
right, for small businesses, you make a lot more doing support and
repair but they gotta have something to support and repair in the first
place and if they get it from you, you'll be the first one who will be
installing their new scanner or fixing up the mess they've made with
Windows.

Alias

 

[Kerry Brown]

Although for the most part I agree with you I do still have small business
customers and high end gamers who buy their pcs from me. Both are markets
that Dell doesn't serve very well.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

If I understand this, I may in fact have to do some downloading, but I
should be able to match hardware and software through a little digging?

Correct.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Curt Christianson]

I agree with Jerry and Alais--if your machine has to have everything
*exactly* as one wants it, both hw snd sw, that is most certainly the way to
go. My machine,just the way I want it, no bootleg sw, no software which a
mfgr. had installed, for items I would never want. Sounds great, two
problems:
1) No warranty, except on a selecr few items. and
2) Even though It may have been your design, you'll find the price of doing
so somewhat prohibitive--It couldn't come close to "Mass Produced 'Puters
USA", with 100's 0f stores, across the country

If you guys are willing to pay that price, then go for it. BTW, I agree
with you, and would like to do the same in the near future.

--
Curt BD-MVBT

http://dundats.mvps.org/
http://www.aumha.org/

 

[Eric]

My company actually owns a copy of WinXP Pro with a multiuser license. We
bought some IBM PCs with XP Pro preinstalled, and they wouldn't let us
install our own version. After doing what we normally do to one (FDISK,
wipe out all partitions, create and format one partition), it would not
complete the install. I had to use another one (fortunately purchased
multiple identical PCs) to create IBM's restore disks (about 13 CDs) to
reinstall their stupid version.

Buying a PC with an OS already installed may not be the best option... if
you get one of those without OS disks, have a bunch of blank ones ready.
Otherwise, buying a WinXP Media Center PC should work fine for WinXP Pro.

 

[Eric]

I agree with Jerry and Alais--if your machine has to have everything
*exactly* as one wants it, both hw snd sw, that is most certainly the way
to go. My machine,just the way I want it, no bootleg sw, no software which
a mfgr. had installed, for items I would never want. Sounds great, two
problems:
1) No warranty, except on a selecr few items. and
2) Even though It may have been your design, you'll find the price of
doing so somewhat prohibitive--It couldn't come close to "Mass Produced
'Puters USA", with 100's 0f stores, across the country

If you guys are willing to pay that price, then go for it. BTW, I agree
with you, and would like to do the same in the near future.

--
Curt BD-MVBT

http://dundats.mvps.org/
http://www.aumha.org/

If you want the generic PC with good customer support and/or warranty, go to
a box store like Dell.
If you want the best PC for you, do some research (ie read reviews on
tomshardware.com), pick out your own parts, find a "build your own PC site".
Depending how specific you make your hardware requirements, and if the box
store is offering big special sales, it may cost you more to build your own
PC. IF you pick the right hardware, it may save you money in the long run.
You'll also find those generic package PC sales companies don't offer the
best hardware (ie. I didn't see any Raptor HDs on Dell).