OT Really good computer deal

That is a good deal for a basic PC. One would be hard pressed to build one for cheaper, that's for sure. Incredible that a screen is only $20!

You'll need at least 512MB of ram to run XP well, but it has a decent speed front side bus so should be pretty quick. Weird how they don't let one choose 1GB.. They must have it simmed out so a

The $359 deal looks even better as it has a faster FSB, larger HD and has an upgrade path to 1GB ram.

Hard drives are NOTHING now. I bought a 200 gig drive 4-5 months ago for $99. There's so much hard drive space in this house right now that I won't even let that sway my decision. :-)

Hey, they have to get rid of their obsolete stock somehow. If you only do email and web browsing go for it. Just don't expect to play brand new games on it with all the settings on high.

If the kids can check their email and do general web browsing with it and it can host my 1000 hits/minute bugadventures/jeepadventures/railadventures websites and I can play Zork on it then it's *perfect*. :-) Actually I'm not really kidding. I have no interest at all in the fast graphics games on the computers. None. If my kids do then they are more than welcome to get a job and buy the hardware to build a computer than can run those.

Good deals - yes. But some people may be surprised when they read through the specs to find out that certain items like a 3.5 floppy, cheapo speakers, etc now cost extra. Didn't just about every PC come with those a year or two ago (at a higher price though)?

Also - check out the Dell newsgroup. There was (is?) a raging thread about not getting a windows cd included w/ the pc and many phone calls are necessary to get one mailed.

Still, it is a good to the have options / choices that allow a low price. But just be sure that you know what are (not) getting.

=================================

" ..... I ain't no bandleader!!"

Sheesh!

decent speed

You're right -- the HD was really just a minor advantage. The faster front side bus would be something that would make me sway because that is where you feel the performance increase for most apps. Also not having a maxed out sim space is nice in case you want a future upgrade.

Floppies are often left out because few people use them anymore. A similar thing happened when we did away with the 180/360 5" floppies and the 8" floppies before that but now I am taking the way-back-machine :)

On the newer laptops, serial ports are often left out. Actually, technology would have been 20 years ahead of where we are now if we didn't over the years get bogged down developing stuff for quirky RS232 ports, IMO. It is a brave new world :)

wow...i may have to trade in this commodore 64 on one of those badboys...