----- Original Message -----
From: Earl Truss <[log in to unmask]>



> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Gunnar Bagge <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> > Steve Moskowitz wrote:
> > > the recent announcements of free PC's w/ 3 year access agreements at
> > approx $22/month  look like a good value.
> >
> > "But what most glowing accounts of this "free" AOL PC deal
> > missed is that you have to sign up for nearly $800 worth of
> > connect time from CompuServe, over three years. The Wall
> > Street Journal did the math and figured that the real cost
> > to AOL for the connect time and hardware was about $500, so
> > AOL is going to make about a $300 profit on every "free" PC
> > it manages to foist on the unwary.
> >
> To look at it another way:  How much will you pay in three years to
> connect with a different ISP?


Many (most?) local service providers have some type of discount plan for
advance payments.  I have a semi-annual contract with my provider, and I
only pay $85 per six months.  He also has a one year rate of $150 -- and
that's unlimited service, BTW.  If I worked out a 3 year contract with him,
I'll bet I could get it down to $350-$375.


> Probably nearly $800 and you won't have a
> PC that you paid nothing for and used for three years left at the end of
> that time.  How much the ISP makes out of the deal is also irrelevant
> since it is the same either way also.  I don't understand this
> objection.
>

You've cut off the rest of his message, but I believe his point was that the
"free" PC is a stripped down model with very low quality no-name parts and
there would very likely be compatibility issues if you try to upgrade or
add-on.  AND, it probably only has a 30 day warranty (just a guess on my
part <g>).

But since no one has posted the DETAILS of any of these offers, we are ALL
just guessing.......

                         PCSOFT's List Owner's:
                      Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
                       Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>