Calling All UK Windrivers

[MobilePCPhysician]

Dell is great. Buy it online, but buy it from the small business section. Your support number will ring in the U.S. No one with strong accent that can't be understood.

[Jeff the Brit]

Gazzak, Tiny AREN'T on my recommended list ... if I have it right, they're owned by Time. I have a very good word to say about Time, but I couldn't possibly say it here without offending the mods

[TripleRLtd]

NooNoo would use better components than you guys and could assemble them in a better manner???

Nope, but she and confus-ed are somewhat "local" to the Titchski family. Otherwise, I could built it, or, better yet, provide the parts for "ski to build it himself, but what if a part dies? And, I would be burning in with a 115/120 volt PSU, too. That wouldn't make sense.
Yeah, 'ski, you may just want to have Noo, confus-ed, or Gazzak build it and support it. I mean, what are friends for, right?
Of course, that is if dad doesn't decide he likes the Apple. Then who would he talk to?

[gazzak]

Gazzak, Tiny AREN'T on my recommended list ... if I have it right, they're owned by Time. I have a very good word to say about Time, but I couldn't possibly say it here without offending the mods

Apologies JTB, misread it totally. A friend's got a Tiny PC and loves it, so can only say nice things!

[NooNoo]

I like trashing Tiny's - does that count?

[Atodini]

Time for my five pennorth......

AVOID at all costs anything connected with Time, Tiny, Packard Bell, Hewlett Packard/Compaq (same machine - different cosmetics) and in particular Dell!!

PC World/Comet/Dixons/Currys etc. are better avoided as they tend to feature many of the above.

I get to see dozens of these machines, usually just out of warranty and suffering some form of hardware failure, and the words "cheap & nasty" spring to mind....

Underrated, poor quality power supplies are the norm, add in cheap generic processor fans, grade B hard and optical drives and the long-term prospects don't look at all good. Dells don't even come with a floppy drive these days and retro-fitting one is not an easy exercise..

"Corporate" grade Dells are a completely different animal from the mail order boxes....

We've only got one customer (an Estate Agency) with Fujitsu-Siemens's and apart from the usual spyware issues I've never had to get inside one. These were bought as part of a network package (7 machines), wirelessly linked and permanent internet (BT) connection. Their only problems concern their software which is buggy in the extreme. They're all now well out of warranty and still performing well. Interestingly, none of them have Fuji hard drives (wonder why?)

One of our business customers recently bought a couple of EMac's - both have broken down repeatedly - only small things, optical drives mainly but annoying none the less. Admittedly this company (graphic design) really cane their machines but..........

Go with your original idea - Evesham build fine high quality machines, or get a bespoke machine built by Noo, Confus-ed, Gazzak, Corturbra or (if you're really desperate) us!!!!!!!

Good Luck

John

[confus-ed]

Not a bad idea, but when you take into account the shipping costs, plus the fact I'd have to pay VAT/Sales Tax (I think) in the UK... it winds up being more expensive...

So this is another reason why I suggested a laptop - put it in your luggage or carry it on with you when you go 'home' - anything 'second hand' isn't taxable & your own personal stuff isn't either if you want to leave it 'there' - only if you intend to sell it ..

& on the subject of Dell - I feel obliged to add to the notion that 'corporate purchase' == good .. 'private purchase' == bad - one division takes support really seriously as they are busy getting the 'good support=more resales/new orders & renewals' rammed down their throats & will fall over themselves to help, while the other lot (private sales) are all about cheap - as they know with personal sales that support concerns usually come way down the list after price, features etc in a new purchase which is most pc buyers main concern & most of the market, they don't get wise to service until its too late ..

[Garfield99]

http://uk.aldi.com/special_buys/product_461.html

I know its from a supermarket in the UK but saying that it comes with 24M on-site swapout, Looks a pretty good spec too.

[Titchski]

Wow.. so many good ideas and feedback I should have made a poll!

It seems that there's bad from every manufactur - I guess you pays your money, you takes your chance. I'll be calling corts Fujitsu chap for pricing along with pricing up laptops.

Then I'll let the old man make his own mind up. Thanks once again for all the great ideas

[Titchski]

http://uk.aldi.com/special_buys/product_461.html

I know its from a supermarket in the UK but saying that it comes with 24M on-site swapout, Looks a pretty good spec too.

Now this one might fly, my mum loves Aldi, so my dad may be told he's getting a laptop

[confus-ed]

Bearing in mind the 'you pays your money & takes a chance' line of thinking, I'm thinking that whoever you buy from the level of service & support will be most important especially as you are going to get it the neck from your mum if you give less than 100% advice ..

Now this one might fly, my mum loves Aldi, so my dad may be told he's getting a laptop

Aldi buy up surplus stock & rebadge it themselves (much stuff is samsung 'really' but they also rebadge too so the 'inards' might be by anyone), whoever the hell they've got in charge of buying though gets my vote - everything I've ever come accross of theirs has been very good for the money - they also sell extended warranty on most things - so check that out if you decide to try !