GW2K or Dell?

[jbarrett at acad.suffolk.edu]

On Sat, 6 Dec 1997, Michael Dargan wrote:

> We're about to upgrade some of our public Internet access stations from 
> various models of 486s to Pentiums.  We've had good luck with a couple of 
> Dell Optiplexes used by staff.  However, I can get Gateway E1000 series 
> machines for several hundred dollars less than similarly equipped Dells.  
> I'm interested in hearing GW2K E series stories, praise, gripes, etc.
> 
> ---
> Michael J. Dargan                               office: 319 291 4496
> Technical Systems Administrator                    fax: 319 291 6736
> Waterloo and Cedar Falls Public Libraries         Waterloo, IA 50701
> 
> 


Gateway and Dell both make fine products, I've used them both. One thing I
consider a drawback to Gateway PCs is that you have to buy any add on
peripherals from Gateway. I encountered this once when I tried to upgrade
a Gateway P-100 to multimedia.  I ordered an upgrade kit from Creative
labs and spent 4 days of hell on the phone with the CD-Rom manufacturer
and Creative Labs Tech Support and Gateway trying to determine why I
couldn't get it to work. A Tech at Gateway finally told me the kits they
sold were configured for their machines and a multimedia kit bought from a
supply house off the shelf wouldn't work. I don't mean to knock Gateway,
so much, but in my last position, we bought 19 Gateways (P100s) and within
6 months four machines crashed seriously enough to require Gateway to
replace the hard disks. This represented about twice the failure rate that
is normal. 

If I could only choose between Gateway or Dell I would go with Dell. Dell
is not perfect, I have had some software problems with Dell but nothing
that required more than one or two phone calls.

On the other hand, I have used an equal number of Compaq Prolineas as
Dells and Gateways and consider them to be superior machines. As I say, if
you can only choose between Dell and Gateway, go with Dell, the extra few
bucks will be well spent. If you're not limited to those two
manufacturers, I recommend you consider Compaq PCs. 

Jim
----
James A. Barrett                  |  jbarrett at acad.suffolk.edu
Systems/Tech. Services Librarian  |  Phone: (617) 573-8592
Suffolk Univ. Law Library, Boston |  Fax: (617) 723-3164