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Home Home and Auto Buying Electronics Buying Your Next Computer

Just because you have no knowledge of computer hardware or software - you don't know a DRAM chip from a poker chip - you need not blindly gamble and become a victim of marketing hyperbole and practices that (surprise, surprise!) do not always benefit the consumer.

"Learn from history, or be doomed to repeat it" is the old adage that should fit here, but too many of us do not feel as though we have any history from which to profit.

Actually, we do, in a peculiar way. It is the automobile that has provided industry and American consumers with lesson upon lesson on what not to do!

Home business enterprise, telecommuting, informational needs, shopping and education are just some of the factors of modern life that demand more and more Americans own a personal PC or laptop computer system. The numbers differ from survey to survey, but there is no denying that the computer now easily ranks with the automobile as our most important personal necessity in the new millennium.

Computer design and programming, along with Internet growth and burgeoning general consumer needs have turned once relatively small businesses into a modern multibillion dollar segment of the nation's economy. This growth, while providing solutions to many problems, unfortunately has given rise to unwanted consumer headaches, confusion, swindling, household budget waste, and a strain on pocketbooks of all sizes. Sound familiar?

As with the family car, once the computer's warranty expires (or is nonexistent on certain components), nothing is worse to hear at your local discount parts supplier than the words, "I'm sorry, but that is a dealer part." This simply means that you are forced to buy the part you need only from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), or go to an authorized retailer or service center and pay usually inflated prices. That starter-solenoid switch you could purchase for another similar automobile model at $25 is now going to cost $60 and there is no guarantee that you will have, or be able to find, specifically designed tools necessary to complete the repair if you could have done it yourself.

Even worse, whether you take that car to the dealer or to another repair facility, is to discover that what was once a simple reach in, unbolt, and replace procedure now requires hours of cost-intensive labor peculiar to your make and model.

The computer industry, although still experiencing growing pains and feeling its way through consumer, economic and technological minefields, presents its own unique, but similar problems for the technologically challenged.

Today, there are hundreds of makes and models of computers, peripherals and associated component manufacturers, all offering bells and whistles that claim to be state-of-the art in design, capability and function. And while fierce competition is driving down upfront costs, consumers are finding that their backsides are getting blistered from the backend cash outlay for upgrades, repair, and after-market accessories.

Our lessons derived from years of car purchases and auto maintenance should remind us, too, that with any computer system - what you buy - where you buy - and from whom you buy it - all mitigate your present options and greatly affect your ability to solve future problems when they arise. And be certain that they will.

Unlike the accusations frequently leveled at the automotive industry about "built in obsolescence," the computer industry realistically has no such problem. The true difficulty for high-tech marketing mavens and ultimately the consumer is that by the time a product reaches the shelf it is instantly obsolete. Bigger, faster, more powerful equipment, generally being sold at a lower price by a competitor and touted as being the "next generation technology" is on its way before the ink on your check is dry.

With such a technologically volatile industry, it is imperative to shop carefully today, because essentially you are shopping for tomorrow.

Working the telephones close to home or personally interviewing computer dealers, repair services, and consultants will reveal to almost anyone a wide array of options that may, or may not, be penny-wise. Whether for a new system, or to upgrade and potentially repair an older model, there are certain considerations and conditions that need following before you spend another dime.

Know what you need and what you don't! Quite often a system comes loaded with dozens of games (often for children) and other useless, disk space wasting programs that should in no way be a buying factor. If what you're looking for are accounting, word processing, or data base programs, concentrate on these. Ask others about functionality pluses and minuses - too much computer or program or can be as bad as too little - both ways you could lose. Remember that old truck?

Dealer warranties are great, but what you are left with afterward can be more costly in the long run. When the warranty has expired, the only options may be to pay high service fees and overly priced parts costs. Often you're asked to return the unit to a store who will then ship your computer off to a distant service center where extended downtime along with the costs of repair can be detrimental to most owners. The worst part of this scenario is that a little research would have shown that too few repair services existed in your home area and those that were in business may charge a $90 "bench-fee" - the price just to look inside and work on that particular model.

A little bit of knowledge, coupled with sound advice based on proven, efficient, cost-saving solutions are the consumer's best defense.

Ask yourself, friends, and the "experts" these questions. If you don't understand the technological lingo - skip it! You only need to know what works, what doesn't and what happens when things aren't going according to plan. What you do with the answers your receive (and those you don't) could save you a truckload of money and headaches.

Know your dealer or repair center - get and check references.

Finding a knowledgeable, reputable dealer is always half the battle. Too often consumers are faced with dealing with young, inexperienced retail sales clerks who really don't care if you ever come back to that particular store again.

Know the procedures for all repairs.

Do your options under a warranty or service plan include in-home repair? If not, can the unit be serviced locally, and what is the normal downtime and guarantees? What are your potential, uncovered costs?

What are the relative costs for parts and service on your particular model? Again, that "bench fee" and other factors such as technical difficulty, and general parts availability may greatly affect your decision to either purchase a particular model, or use a particular service. Many models and components are scheduled to be discontinued, or industry trends will dictate that much of what you are dealing with, or just thinking about today, will no longer be available a year from now. A knowledgeable sales or service representative should be able to at least council and guide you toward better purchase and upgrade decisions.

Keep doing your homework.

Read, talk about and listen to what you can to become better informed about the industry, your local market area, and other information that will make you a better consumer. Your own knowledge is your best defense.

Chances are you know which auto dealers and used-car lots to stay away from in your home town, and you know from direct experience, and that of others, the horrors of auto repair. Pick your product, the dealer, and the service center with as much care as you would your next car and you can't be steered too far wrong.

Technology has only changed the road on which you drive - the roadmap for a fun, economical and enjoyable ride is still the same.

H.P. Barrett III is a freelance writer, columnist and news writer currently living near Atlanta, Ga. The 48 year old perpetual college student is now putting the final touches on his first novel that is scheduled for publication later this year.

Do you have a time or money saving idea that wasn't included in this article? Please send it to tips @stretcher.com. We get the best ideas from our readers!

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