The education portion of the meeting focused on the advantages and disadvantages of buying a computer from a mail order vendor, national chain store, or a locally-owned business, with members giving their own experiences. It was generally agreed that a member's level of computer experience would determine where that person would buy a computer.
Then the discussion centered around locally-owned computer shops, and what they offered in the way of service, repairs, and upgrades for the computers that they sold. One member visited five locally-owned computer shops in the Roseville area and found that all built computers from standard parts and all specialized in IBM-compatibles. The choice between an Intel and an AMD CPU was determined by the price/performance level that a person wanted. Warranties were fairly standard, with the businesses giving free service for a specific time on parts and labor, plus the manufacturer's warranty on the components.
There is a market for used computers, and some businesses offered used computers with a limited warranty. The only down side was the possibility of the store going out of business.
Generally speaking, the group decided that locally-owned shops offer a full range of computers, from entry level to the most advanced. Their computers are competitively priced, trouble-free, and giving personal service to their customers is an important part of their business.
—
Bob Kromrey
