| You might be surprised at the answer. Through | | | | could be $250.00 to $300.00 or more. After |
| the years I have been asked this question many | | | | paying that much for parts plus the labor many |
| times. People understandably would like to know | | | | are thrown in the junk rather than fixing. The |
| the answer before spending their money. Many | | | | same goes for power supplies. Many times the |
| think that the only answer is in the big names | | | | off the shelf power supplies won't work in these |
| that they have heard. And it's no wonder these | | | | computers. They will make you pay dearly and |
| same companies have spent millions promoting | | | | many times the power supply will need to be |
| their names. | | | | special ordered from the major manufacturer. |
| What would make up the best computer? In my | | | | In other respects I think the computers are about |
| opinion it should have a minimum of these qualities. | | | | equal. Taking into account that almost all of the |
| Be reliable, easy to upgrade, parts readily available, | | | | parts in the major Brands are made by the same |
| easy to work on and long lasting. The only one | | | | companies that make the generic parts. In |
| that meets all these requirements is the generic | | | | selecting your generic computer do some |
| computer that is built by you or a computer | | | | research in is quality of product. What desktop |
| dealer. | | | | computers will last, and which ones would not? |
| Computers are different than almost any other | | | | What are the highest quality components? Does |
| product. You probably wouldn't want to build your | | | | the company offering you desktop computer |
| own car for example. But early on manufacturers | | | | deals provide good warranties? Finding a cheap |
| began supplying Cases motherboards and the rest | | | | computer is less exciting when you find out that |
| of the parts to build a computer. So an industry | | | | that computer is a lemon. The fact is that |
| sprang up and some bigger companies plus local | | | | desktop computer deals are not real deals if you |
| dealers built computer to your specifications. | | | | get a machine that doesn't last out of them. |
| These had many advantages the main one being | | | | Our discussion has only covered desktops and the |
| that you could find parts anywhere at reasonable | | | | pc. The apple computer is a different story and |
| prices. | | | | isn't covered here. Laptops are another story also |
| What sometimes happens for example is say a | | | | and I will cover these in another article. If you |
| motherboard goes bad. Because of the way the | | | | were to ask almost any computer dealer I think |
| major manufacturers computer is built a generic | | | | most would agree with what I have said. |
| or another manufacturers won't fit this has | | | | Lately the majors have started to make their |
| nothing to do with the electronics it's a mechanical | | | | computers more compatible. Maybe they have |
| thing it physically won't fit or screw holes won't | | | | begun to see the light. In the mean time I hope |
| line up. Now the generic motherboard might run | | | | you will consider buying your computer from your |
| $80.00 to $100.00 while the major manufacturers | | | | local dealer or repair shop. |