Hey Rich. I hope patience pays for you on this as it did on Netcom, but you should at least get Scuba certification for your underwater experiences. ;-) Sometimes, valuable treasures can be found in the depths, eh? I've got one right now myself, but it seems to be well anchored on the ocean floor. Hoping to work it free before I run out of air (patience).
Seriously, I guess my outlook/attitude on CPU is colored by being completely unimpressed with the CPU stores I've shopped lately and doubts about where it fits in the market. It might have been here I read comments about the latter point - something to the effect that the broad line consumer electronics stores like Best Buy may attract more of the first time computer buyers and non-technical home users buying at the low end (and have broader product lines to generate more revenues from the stores) while more experienced users and those buying a second or a replacement machine may gravitate toward direct sellers on the Web. On the Web, I should add, it will be interesting to see how e-tailers do against direct selling box makers, especially as the latter add more accessories, add-ons, software and supplies to their offerings. But that's another subject - too much of the value of CPU depends on whether there is a profitable, growing future for their brick and mortar stores. I'd like nothing more at this point, considering the valuation, than to be convinced CPU can be turned around. IMO, there's more upside if they can do that than in trying to find someone to take it over.
Regards and good fortunes,
Bob
PS: What did you think of ICG selling Netcom to MindSpring for less than they paid us for it? At least it looks that way - maybe they kept some business subs or something. |
