Chris, Good catch on the free E-Trade computer. I would much rather do something like that than get tied into an overpriced ISP. I assume they don't pay interest on the $1000, so that is another minor cost?
I have no idea how anyone is making any money with these cheap PCs, and, when I look at the PC co. eps reports, I think the answer is they are not and will never. With E-Trade, they think that you will be so impressed that you will want to remain trading with them instead of Brown & Co., which is both cheaper and better. They may be right, but I doubt it.
With the boxmakers, they often use these "free" pcs as comeons and then try to whack you with options, like car dealers do. "Yes, sir, the car is only $17,000. Oh, you want brakes and headlights with that? You should have told me. $27,000 now." <g> The difference is, there isn't that much difference between a fully loaded box and a cheapie. Especially if you use it mostly for Internet access and word processing.
I have looked into some of the free ISPs. A couple look feasible, but I plan a long test period before telling 17 million people I have a new E-mail address. <g> In the meantime, I am trying to wean them over to my SI E-mail address. Just my luck, as soon as I get them all posting here, SI will either go down forever or SI Bob will suspend me for using up too much of the wave length. <g> |
