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Opinions needed.

hirohiro
edited January 2007 in Everything Else
I am needing some help on a decision.. So a computer illiterate came up to me the other day, and asked me to sell him a desktop. Although he has an amazing laptop (which he does not know how to use well), he wants to buy a "decent"-to his standards- desktop.

I am probably going to sell him:
-Intel Celeron processor (speed currently unknown)
-About 100mb of ram (or more)
-And altogether about 10 - 20 gigs of hd space.
-Windows 98/or 2000. (Yes I know, Windows *_*)
-The rest is all shit that will make the computer run, and have Internet, word processing, etc.. Which will completely fulfill his needs..

I am also going to throw in a decent CRT screen with resolution topping around 1024 x 748, keyboard, mouse, the basics..

Now, I need your opinions.. I can most likely get about C$100 for this package. Should I completely fuck him over and sell it for like C$200? I am discussing the deal with him tomorrow, I just need to know if this is morally acceptable. ^_^

By the way, it will (obviously) all be in a case with power, fan, etc.. More or less it will run and work for his needs.

Lastly, the only reason I want more money, is so I can add it to my working fund for my MacBook. (See it is for a good cause ^_~)

Any and all opinions are appreciated.

Thanks.

Comments

  • AprecheApreche
    Do whatever you want. If you don't feel guilty about it, then you probably didn't do anything wrong.
  • hirohiro
    What would you do Scott?
  • JasonJason
    hiro, it sounds like you're looking for a second party to justify something that you feel is wrong. What does it matter what Scott thinks? He can't tell you it's alright to do something that makes you feel guilty.
  • AndrewAndrew
    Probably the most important question is what is the computer going to be used for? Then find which costs would be best for a computer of his needs. I also noticed you didn't have a graphics card in there. Are you going to make sure the MB has integrated graphics then? If not, then you missed something.

    Also, if you need to feel justified for the computer, you probably aren't versed enough in hardware to be making this decision. Take him to a third party expert or have him join the forums and ask around here.
  • hirohiro
    It will have an integrated graphics card. It will have everything it needs to boot up into windows, and work.
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    This guy will hate you for selling him this system. The first thing he is going to do is buy some piece of software and find out it will not run on this old jalopy.
  • GreatTeacherMacRossGreatTeacherMacRoss
    edited January 2007
    My policy when I was working at Gateway was to never sell a Celeron....ever. I had more returns of those because they "weren't as fast as they were in the store". Which is bogus, but people were always happier with the Pentium. I would NEVER go below 256 MB RAM, EVER. 128 is garbage, and it will run slow as balls. 256 minimum, my recommendation is 512. Also, no one sells Win/98 or 2000 anymore. Get him XP Home. It's more stupid-proof than 98.

    EDIT: My shameful spelling is a result of a rushed morning and lack of using Firefox's spellchecker. That is all, move along.
    Post edited by GreatTeacherMacRoss on
  • AprecheApreche
    edited January 2007
    My policy when I was working at Gateway was to never sell a Celeron....ever. I had more returns of those because they "weren't as fast as they were in the store". Which is bogus, but people were always happier with the Pentium. I would NEVER go below 256 MB RAM, EVER. 128 is garbage, and it will run slow as balls. 256 minimum, my recommendation is 512. Also, no one sells Win/98 or 2000 anymore. Get him XP Home. It's more stupid-proof than 98.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • kenjurakenjura
    I have a number of problems with this.

    Firstly, I would never recommend Windows 98 or even 2000. If you're considering a pre-XP OS, why not just install Linux? If you're going Windows, XP is a necessity. Since you'll be the support for this, do you really want to explain why his new digital camera didn't work when he plugged it in, or his newly upgraded video card doesn't seem to work without some arcane "driver disk"? This is to say nothing of the security implications of any build of Windows pre-XP/SP2.

    Secondly, the hardware is just too cheap. Diminishing returns means that all old hardware bunches up together in the ultra-cheap price range. I would never recommend a single-core CPU of less than 2 Ghz or a dual-core/mobility chip of less than about 1.5. Any amount of RAM less than 512 MB is right out; I strongly recommend 1 GB, even for a limited user, unless running Linux.

    Thirdly, CRT? Come on. Just, come on.

    Lastly, I personally would never earn a profit on a computer I built for someone else, unless I was actually running a business. You're already likely to be the primary support contact; why allow money to entitle someone to it? As soon as your client starts talking about C$200 or more, you're in the price range of entry-level desktop systems which will be fully supported by OEMs. This is not to mention some of the amazing deals I've seen on complete Dell systems; try hounding sites like slickdeals.net (ok, that site kinda sucks now), and a million others just like it.

    I'm not ethically opposed to any of this, it's just not what I would do.
  • AndrewAndrew
    Thirdly, CRT? Come on. Just, come on.
    What? There is nothing wrong with a CRT...
  • GreatTeacherMacRossGreatTeacherMacRoss
    I have a CRT. I love my CRT.
  • MamathMamath
    edited January 2007
    That system will get him almost nowhere. >_> Find out/tell us what he wants to use it for!
    Post edited by Mamath on
  • hirohiro
    He knows nothing about computers.. His parents are rich.. He wants the computer to "type homework" at home, although he has a laptop. This is why I am selling a piece of shit. lol. He has even told me, that he does not want that great of a computer, and specified Windows 98 or 2000 would be fine. For what he would do on this computer, it will be great.
  • MamathMamath
    Well, make sure he knows that "typing homework" is basically ALL it will do and then...whatever. He'll pay whatever he thinks the ability to type homework is worth to him, I guess.

    Go go, free market!
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