What would be your "dream" computer store?

[tikiyaki]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

As big of a fan as I am of Apple's products, I'd have to pass on the Apple store as the ideal computer store. Conspicuous waste of space is common, like one of those $1k purse stores, and I often feel out of place.. like I'm not hip enough to be there or something

Plus we went to one to buy a computer a while back and had to spend about 10 minutes telling the sales guy no,... no,... no,... and oh btw.. NO! Because he kept trying to sell us AppleCare and .Mac and Office and whatever else... this after I told the guy we have our own web hosting (he should've taken the geek hint )

I have to admit that the tech guys there (at the genius bar) are usually really cool though.

Bard, having owned probably 10 Apple computers in my life I can tell you one thing. To buy an Apple and NOT spend the $250 for Apple Care is a HUGE mistake. Unfortunately, as much as I love Apple, their support for their machines is downright insulting, basically nil. You buy AppleCare, and it's a whole nother story. They actually come to your house and fix your computer.

I bought a new G5 off of someone on ebay. Turns out it was a gray market (probably from Canada) Lucky for me I bought AppleCare. I had to replace the super drive once and the logic board - TWICE. Unfortunately, their stuff breaks alot, and without that stupid AppleCare, you're screwed.
Their coverage with AppleCare is really great tho', and you can get pretty much any support once you have it...phone,tech service, even support for some of their software.

[Bard]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

Bard, having owned probably 10 Apple computers in my life I can tell you one thing. To buy an Apple and NOT spend the $250 for Apple Care is a HUGE mistake.

I don't wanna run doc's thread too far off-topic here, but I'll say that I've had (generally) really good experiences with Apple's tech support, even without the AppleCare, at least going in to the store. And the one time we really could've used it, they wouldn't have let us anyway (repeatedly defective screen on a laptop, they started blaming it on us after the warranty ran out, even though it was the same issue). You get a computer that costs $1000 and a proper warranty costs you $300 .. sheesh, might as well just stash it away and use it as a "down payment" for an updated model if it breaks within 3 years. I might get it if I got one of their really expensive laptops or something, but I don't

[pzarquon]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

It would definitely have a fire extinguisher.

[tikiyaki]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

I don't wanna run doc's thread too far off-topic here, but I'll say that I've had (generally) really good experiences with Apple's tech support, even without the AppleCare, at least going in to the store. And the one time we really could've used it, they wouldn't have let us anyway (repeatedly defective screen on a laptop, they started blaming it on us after the warranty ran out, even though it was the same issue). You get a computer that costs $1000 and a proper warranty costs you $300 .. sheesh, might as well just stash it away and use it as a "down payment" for an updated model if it breaks within 3 years. I might get it if I got one of their really expensive laptops or something, but I don't

Yea, I have issues with Apple's "support". I think some of their people on the phone are downright callous, so in order to avoid problems, I just spend the $250.

[Altivec]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

We need a Fry's here in Hawaii. That would do it.

[adrian]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

Dream computer store?

Hmm, It would have at least 1 each of the following:

Sub sandwich deli or just a meat and cheese deli
strip bar
biggest selection of beers on tap
latest gadgets at super cheap prices

Well, there's a subway, and a night club near us (I don't know if they have strippers) and I think Longs sell beer.

And we already have a lot of cheap products: PSUs for $40, speakers for $13...

It would definitely have a fire extinguisher.

That's really pissing me off right now.


And I really wished I had parking there, because I just wasted an hour going back home to shower, only to get a call from a client that they want to have the service at a later time tonight. I could have finished repairing a computer right now.

[Beachboy]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

My 'dream' computer store? An Apple Store in Waianae Mall! Better yet...Makaha Marketplace!

I'm an Apple ProCare customer and visit the Ala Moana store fairly often. All of the staff I've dealt with have been knowledgeable, very cool and a lot of fun. I'm particularly impressed by one salesperson...an Asian lady about my age (tutu material!)! She runs around in the Apple t-shirt and bermuda shorts and just proves that we don't get older...we get better! She's my hero!

i know exactly who you are talking about! She is great isn't she?

I'd think Apple at Ala Moana pretty much hits a home run! The only way to improve on that store is make it bigger! Perhaps Apple's Kahala will be just that shop?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

What I'd love to see in a Dream computer store?

Lots of parts to build any level of computer and that includes P3's. Pegboarded blisterpacks and bins chock full of parts for the modder.

And how about a service to build a computer based on need not fluff. Come in tell the tech what level of computing you are planning on doing and build the most economical yet efficient system for the money.

I'm in the process of finishing off three builds for three people all with different needs. Randal it's almost done, I'm doing the burn test and the only problem is the SATA drive cables. I need to figure out a way to keep them from unplugging. Standard IDE cables pretty much sit in their sockets well. These new SATA cables require some tie downs to ensure the hard drive is connected to the mobo. Not good if that SATA HDD is the one with the OS on it.

But I'd love to see a computer store sell recycled computers. I scour the refuse recycle centers for throw away computers as well as the Salvation Army for donated stuff to build computers then give them away to needy families.

I actually was able to load a Pentium II with 384Mb of PC2100 RAM, install a 64MB PCI graphics card and a DVD-ROM drive, then load in Windows XP-PRO and run a movie off of it with no glitches.

Imagine that the entire build (except for the OS) came from throw away parts from the heap of computers that was found at the refuse center.

For most people, if all you need is to do word processing, spreadsheets, Email and general web browsing (Hawaii Threads), you don't need some Duel Core 1gb 250Mb HDD fire breathing system.

This P3 was able to run XP Pro and Office XP while run a DVD movie and the hard drive was a feeble 8gb WD IDE pulled from a 486DX (pre Pentium) computer.

Computers like these loaded up with Windows XP Home, decent memory and a separate graphics card could be sold for the cost of the OS because everything else was generally discarded.

Add to that recycled monitors, keyboards, mice and cheap new speakers, you could sell an internet computer system for as little as $100. And for school purposes that's about all you need. If it will run XP then it'll run Office, and a Pentium II will do both.

That's what I'd like to see at a computer store, recycled computer systems for the masses.

[Bard]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

Right on, Craig!! We have a group here called Free Geek that does that sort of thing. They collect donated computers, recycle the ones with usable parts into new machines (which can be bought cheaply or had for free if you volunteer for enough hours there), and whatever can't be reused is ripped up for scrap metal and such. I spent a morning volunteering there once with my wife. It was kinda fun to see some of the dinosaurs that come through (think old IBM mini-frames).

[Cameron]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

I actually was able to load a Pentium II with 384Mb of PC2100 RAM, install a 64MB PCI graphics card and a DVD-ROM drive, then load in Windows XP-PRO and run a movie off of it with no glitches.

Imagine that the entire build (except for the OS) came from throw away parts from the heap of computers that was found at the refuse center.

For most people, if all you need is to do word processing, spreadsheets, Email and general web browsing (Hawaii Threads), you don't need some Duel Core 1gb 250Mb HDD fire breathing system.

This P3 was able to run XP Pro and Office XP while run a DVD movie and the hard drive was a feeble 8gb WD IDE pulled from a 486DX (pre Pentium) computer.

Computers like these loaded up with Windows XP Home, decent memory and a separate graphics card could be sold for the cost of the OS because everything else was generally discarded.

Add to that recycled monitors, keyboards, mice and cheap new speakers, you could sell an internet computer system for as little as $100. And for school purposes that's about all you need. If it will run XP then it'll run Office, and a Pentium II will do both.

You should seriously consider throwing linux on those machines. It's not the easiest when it comes to more complicated things, but if all the user wanted was to do is watch videos, listen to music, browse the web, read email, and take care of businuess an easy linux distro would do just fine (ie ubuntu or fedora).

I figure a linux install with the following would probably run quicker and have more functionality than an xp install on old hardware and cost nothing.

vlc or mplayer for movies
xmms or amarok for mp3 and music
firefox for web browsing
thunderbird for email
open office for word processing, spreadsheets, powerpoint, ect

not to mention all the little free games and things you can throw on it as well.

plus in ubuntu(not sure about fedora) theres an easy control panel where the user can add over a couple hundred other little apps and programs with just a couple clicks of a mouse, with virtualy no risk of screwing anything up.

If you want free ubuntu cd's mailed to you just go to there site and you'll get them in a few weeks http://www.ubuntu.com/.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

I'd love to install a linux system but am having a problem loading it onto a hard drive. I did it once but the install never stayed put. I ended up using a dedicated cd-rom drive as the first boot device to load the OS.

If I could load a linux OS onto a hard drive and make it stick I'd be doing that instead of paying for XP Home for these builds then the cost would be basically nothing as you can install Open Office for your office suite, download Firefox for your browser, use AVG and Ad-Aware for your internet security all for FREE.

[Altivec]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

I'd love to install a linux system but am having a problem loading it onto a hard drive. I did it once but the install never stayed put. I ended up using a dedicated cd-rom drive as the first boot device to load the OS.

If I could load a linux OS onto a hard drive and make it stick I'd be doing that instead of paying for XP Home for these builds then the cost would be basically nothing as you can install Open Office for your office suite, download Firefox for your browser, use AVG and Ad-Aware for your internet security all for FREE.

What linux distro did you try?

[adrian]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

*watches as the geeks come out*

Add to that recycled monitors, keyboards, mice and cheap new speakers, you could sell an internet computer system for as little as $100. And for school purposes that's about all you need. If it will run XP then it'll run Office, and a Pentium II will do both.

Actually, that's what we do - except its hard because XP costs that much. Maybe we can install Linux and have a whole new generation of Linux people. I mean, some people who uses our internet cafe just know how to navigate inside the browser, so maybe there's a chance that I can put ubuntu on it and they'll never know the difference.

Infact, all I need is to find a 4th computer and install ubuntu on it - upgrade to FF2 and maybe I can set it as an internet computer. hmmm....

[craigwatanabe]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

What linux distro did you try?

I've tried Knoppix and Linspire off CD's and can't figure out how to do it. I know there's a way but I'm not quite there yet.

[Bard]

Re: What would be your "dream" computer store?

Wish I was there and I'd be happy to help you with the Linux installs Craig :\ What I usually do is get an Ubuntu installer CD (not the "live" CD) and just install it the old fashioned way. It's pretty easy to go through it as long as you don't want anything exotic (just use one partition, install the default software set, do updates).

'Course once you've installed SLS Linux once or twice... Almost any modern distro looks easy.