why do non-geeks pay for fast computers?

[FoBoT]

you know, the people that only run AOL on dial up and print out a term paper once in a while and play spider solitare for 3 hours a day

they go and spend $1000+ for a Dell/HP/Gateway PC running a 47 GigaWatt Uranium powered computer with 700 million Giga Megabytes of hard drive space and never use 5% of the capacity of the thing even after 3 years of use

why don't they just get an old refurbed box? like this one? add a modem for $10 and you got a PC that will run AOL and do word processing and solitare for under $100

IBM 300PL PII400 64MB 6GB CD w/Video and Sound Only $89.50


General Features:
Intel Pentium II 400MHz Slot 1 Processor
64MB RAM
6GB hard drive
CD-ROM drive (speeds may vary)
1.44MB floppy disk drive
S3 Trio3D integrated video
Crystal Audio integrated audio

 

[notfred]

Maybe they want a new computer with a warranty and tech support?

 

[stebesplace]

lmao

 

[Pastore]

Give them a week on that P2 400 with 64 MB of ram and they will have so much garbage/ads installed that it would put it to a crawl.

 

[Viper GTS]

Bragging rights, stupidity, who knows.

99% of the PC user population would do just fine with the system you listed... Though I would upgrade the RAM to at least 256 MB. Properly configured, running a good OS, that box would be quite suitable. Hell, even I would probably be OK with it... I just like to have power when I need it.

Although, if they wanted to do any gaming they would find that S3 video a little frustrating.



Viper GTS

 

[Pepsei]

Why do bad drivers pay for fast car?

Why do fugly guys get sexy chicks?

hmmmm... bad example..but you get the point...

 

[Bignate603]

Because according to popular american belief, we need the best, no matter what. We need the ability to do things we never will, just like all these SUVs that never leave the pavement.

 

[Hoober]

New operating systems, i.e. Windows 2000, and XP require a goodly amount of memory if you want to run them with any degree of effeciency. Even non-geeks don't want to wait fifteen minutes for Windows to load.

Pretty sure Office has turned into a resource hog, too.

 

[BDawg]

Why do people who aren't race drivers own $300,000 sports cars? Why do people with no intention of driving off road own suvs?

 

[POLYRADICION]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
Why do bad drivers pay for fast car?

Why do fugly guys get sexy chicks?

 

[KeyserSoze]

I think Best Buy is single-handedly responsible for this.



Always trying to sell you the better/faster/cuter machine.







KeyserSoze

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Pepsei
Why do bad drivers pay for fast car?

Why do fugly guys get sexy chicks?

hmmmm... bad example..but you get the point...

actually , i think you have a good answer here

 

[mrCide]

because people tell them to!

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Hoober
New operating systems, i.e. Windows 2000, and XP require a goodly amount of memory if you want to run them with any degree of effeciency. Even non-geeks don't want to wait fifteen minutes for Windows to load.

Pretty sure Office has turned into a resource hog, too.

ok, you could add 256MB of RAM to the system about for $35

so know it is a $135 system to run AOL on dial up and play solitare

and i mentioned solitare meaning the system isn't used to play "real" games that require a decent 3D video card

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: KeyserSoze
I think Best Buy is single-handedly responsible for this.

LOL!!

its all Best Buys fault, works for me

 

[Skel]

Because they can....

 

[dawks]

What pissed me off, was that an old man was taking an MCSE course with me. He was there via Workers Compensation. They payed for his schooling and bought him a computer. He got Dual Athlon XP 2100+, 1 GIG of ram, two 80GIG harddrives.. a Geforce 4 4600 128meg... And so on. But he is/was totally paranoid. He never played games, never installed any programs until he got 4-5 comments from people about the program. And so on. He also tried to delete as many 'un-needed' files as he could, he hated wasting space. Although he never used more then 5 gigs of the 160 he had. And like I said, he NEVER plays games with that system. What a fricking waste.

The non-geeks probably spend so much becuase they dont know any better. They think 'cheap' systems are incredibly slow.

 

[SherEPunjab]

Because the stupid pimply faced brace faced Best Buy and Crap USA employees tell them they need nothing less than 2.5Ghz and 512mb of RDRAM to run AOL 8.0.

 

[Krye]

why do non-geeks pay for fast computers?

Marketing. That is all.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: DaZ
And like I said, he NEVER plays games with that system. What a fricking waste.

Some people think that spending $1000+ to play video games is a fricking waste.

 

[iamme]

also take into consideration that local B&M stores don't sell slower, older generation computers nowadays. even though a Pentium III computer will suffice for their tasks, they'd have an easier time going to Best Buy, Circuit City, or even Dell and buying a P4 2.4GHz with 100GB of HD space.

another aspect is that people think that buying a super fast computer will be a better investment in the long run (ie. less upgrades). at least, the CSR's at the store will tell them that.

 

[Toasthead]

Beacuase they ask us geeks for advice on what to get and we tell 'em you need to get the best!!!

--toast

 

[Nohr]

Because fast processors make music sound better and the internet run faster and helps kids do their homework.

 

[SherEPunjab]

Originally posted by: Toasthead
Beacuase they ask us geeks for advice on what to get and we tell 'em you need to get the best!!!

--toast

i never do that. first question i ask them is

"what will you use it for?"

They always hate that when i ask them that. its like they WANT to spend more on something they DONT' need.

 

[TrueBlueLS]

bragging rights?