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8 Love Notes

Spiff!!

What's your budget and how much maintenance do you expect to need?

(those kinda effect the better purchase location)

As for what to get, usual suspects come to play. Buy the fastest CPU with the most memory. (Think 1GB)

Dell makes fairly good equipment, but they're the walmart of computers. Handrolling gets you a better system, but it's going to be more expensive and may not work right. If you get a laptop, understand that you're buying an obsolete computer and that it'll be nigh-impossible to get upgrades for it.

Sorry. Ranting, aren't i?

there isnt really a set budget currently; im to get three quotes for computers i want. ill get quotes from dell, sams club, and my local computer geekery stoor, but we will probably buy from the local store. they have been good to us, and their boxes have been really nice. they have also donated systems in the past, so maybe i could name drop a ton and get them to donate some swanky box for me.

and while notebooks are cool and fun and a status symbol, we are a non-profit and dont have disposable cash for stuff like that.

I can't even get a new fax machine.. GRR...

sweetness. it seems too good to be true. buy it quick before they change their minds!

As jr said, if you want a major name Dell is the way to go. However, it's generally better to have a local shop build you a system, as long as you can find a reputable one. Around here, nearly all of the computer shops are run by crooks (and the most popular one is run by a drug dealer, or so they say).

Since you've already got a relationship with your local guys, you should definitely go with them. If something goes wrong with the machine, you do *not* want to wait on hold for an hour for the privilege of convincing Ashish in India to give you an RMA (after another hour of being led through his scripted troubleshooting routine, which eerily mirrors the troubleshooting you've *already* done on your own). Not to mention time in shipping, manufacturer's backlog, etc., all standing between you and having a working computer again...

Just make sure you local shop gives you a good warranty. Sometimes they'll try to stick you with a ludicrous 30-day warranty, with some sort of vague semi-promise that if anything goes wrong after that they'll treat you right. The cost they quote for the "extended warranty" may be exhorbitant. Stick to your guns; tell them Dell is offering a two-year warranty on a similar computer and you want them to match it for a reasonable surcharge.

Also, since you seem to have a fairly loose budget, tell them in no uncertain terms not to use any cut-rate parts (something you can't avoid if you buy from Dell et al). This is, in fact, a bargaining chip when it comes time to discuss the warranty; if they're using quality components (which all carry decent manufacturer's warranties of their own), then the only thing the shop is really warranting is their own workmanship.

i'm biased, but go with the local store. the guys there are professional, above board and in for quality. they will of course build what you request, and do carry a range of products, but they have worked hard at building their reputation and aren't about to tarnish it.

i wish i could buy our computers from them, but i have a national contract i have to purchase off of, hence, i get dells (when there is money).

i don't build my own anymore, it's not worth my time and money. it's easier for me to go in and tell them, "i want this and this and this". a day or 2 later, viola, my new machine. i think the warranty is 1 year, but i've not ever had to use it.

oops, i didn't mean to evangilize there - got carried away.

the local shop carries a standard one year warranty with all the machines they build. the guys that work there are great and always recognize me as 'the girl who knows her schtuff from %NON_PROFIT%'. they will definitely be the ones i will want, only need to convinve the man with the power [what power?] and the check signature.

thanks, everyone!

[the power of voodoo]