I was informed that Taiwan produces much more than the 15% you have stated here, but I do not have any solid evidence to that effect, so you could very well be right. However, you are also correct about the "greed" issue, and the perceived effect can be much more powerful than the actual effect. I think RAM falls into a little more vague territory than cars, however, because we usually don't associate brand names with memory. So, it's easier for the industry giants to justify the price leap because we also cannot necessarily identify where the RAM might be coming from. As far as avoiding the purchase of RAM? I make PCs for customers, and I have to put RAM in them, so that is not an option. The only real vote that can be taken in this arena is by the end-user. They have to decide to hold off on a PC purchase until after the prices drop. That is not an easy prospect. I think we are all just stuck riding this one out. Kyle >From: Art Cassel <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] RAM >Date: Sun, 17 Oct 1999 22:30:12 -0700 > >One month ago, I paid $95 for a 128Meg stick of Micron 8ns Ram. Generic >RAM is >now going for $229 after rebate. This is bull! Taiwan produces app. 15% >of the >RAM sold. If 15% of the RAM sold disappears for one week (or even two), >how is a >200%+ price increase justified? How about greed. Please, just say no, and >avoid >buying RAM until the backup forces them to drop the price. This is the >same as >if Toyota had a strike that lasted a week and General Motors raised the >price of >a Suburban to $85,000. > > > > >Date: Sat, 16 Oct 1999 17:37:28 GMT > >From: Kyle Elmblade <[log in to unmask]> > >Subject: Re: RAM > > >Prices locally where I am have tripled. A 32MB DIMM that cost about >$25.00 > >four weeks ago now costs over $90.00. The reason? The earthquake in > >Taiwan > >has severely crippled production for a short time. This is (pardon the >pun) > >an aftershock of that event. They will come back down as the plants get > >back into full swing, but we will see these kinds of prices through > >Christmas. At least, that's what the analysts say. > > >Kyle > > > >From: Phat Nguyen <[log in to unmask]> > >Subject: [PCBUILD] RAM > >Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 15:29:07 +0700 > > > >Hi everyone ! > >I'm from Vietnam. The price of RAM in Vietnam is increased in over double >( > >ex. 30USD to 70USD), please show me if the proce in the world is >increased > >too, and why ? > >Thanks in advance. > >Nguyen Dinh ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Curious about the people moderating your messages? Visit our staff web site: http://nospin.com/pc/staff.html