Compaq Computer Corp.
By Bruce Brown, Cade Metz, and Carol Venezia, PC
Magazine
February 17, 2000
E-Services | Server | Desktop PC
E-Services
Compaq's e-business services have undergone a
significant improvement of late. A new ISP service
(Compaq.net for Business) and an e-commerce solution
with partner Bigstep.com (called the All-In-One
eBusiness Center) help you get online, develop a Web
site, and sell products on that site. Compaq also
provides a Small Business Resource Center, training
courses, file backup, and more via its site. Compaq is a
leader when it comes to giving business complete
e-commerce solutions. Add in top-notch servers and
desktop PCs and Compaq merits a call.
Don't confuse Compaq.net for
Business—a joint venture with
Concentric Networks—with the
original Compaq.net, a standard
dial-up ISP for consumers.
Compaq.net for Business provides
similar dial-up service but adds
much more: tools for developing a
Web site, server space for hosting
that site, additional e-mail accounts, and multiple
dial-up accounts. Compaq offers three different plans:
Bronze ($21.95 a month for 5 e-mail accounts, with
15MB of hosting space), Silver ($39.95 a month for 10
e-mail accounts, with 30MB of hosting space), and
Gold ($99.95 a month for 20 e-mail accounts and 5
dial-up accounts, with 60MB of hosting space). With
each plan, you receive a significant discount if you pay
for a full year up front.
When you register for Compaq.net for Business, you're
given an administrator page, where you can configure
the service to your liking and, through an online
application known as Site Builder, set up your own
Web site. Site Builder is a fairly comprehensive
WYSIWYG tool; it lets you quickly create pages from
scratch, add such tools as a search engine or a
message board, choose a domain name (you pay the
$75 registration fee), and seamlessly publish your
pages to Compaq's servers.
Site Builder does not, however, let you create a Web
storefront. For that you'll want to use the All-In-One
eBusiness Center, which Compaq offers with partner
Bigstep.com. At no charge, you can create a simple
site and host it with Bigstep.com; there's no limit to the
number of catalog items, but you must limit your
graphics files to 12MB. You pay $14.95 per month;
Bigstep.com's online applications walk you through the
construction of a complete online storefront, providing
tools for setting up shopping carts and taking credit
card transactions through Card Services International
(at a charge of 15 cents per transaction).
In addition to helping you develop business and
marketing plans ($25 apiece), the Small Business
Resource Center posts forms for incorporating your
business ($15), over 3,000 legal forms ($3 to $4
apiece), examples of basic business correspondence
letters, free market research, and more. Compaq also
provides business and technical training courses ($20
to $150), online file backup, secure file delivery, online
postage, and several free services, including an online
PIM and several communication tools.
As you read this, Compaq is ready to launch a new
portal, known as MyWorkSpace, that will not only
consolidate all of your Compaq Online Services into a
single interface but provide news, weather updates, and
other kinds of traditional portal data as well.
Server
The Compaq Prosignia Server 740 gives you many
high-end features for a price that's one of the lowest in
this roundup. The most attractive aspect of the Server
740—besides its low price ($3,510)—is the setup and
management tools included. The Server 740 runs a
close second to the outstanding IBM Netfinity 5000 in
all respects.
Setting up the Server 740 couldn't be easier: It starts
with a setup poster, which walks you through getting
the machine hooked up. Next, load up Compaq's
SmartStart for Servers, a suite of tools designed to
make child's play of installing an OS. Once you're
finished configuring the OS, you can replicate this
image across multiple servers. Also included is Insight
Manager 4.4, Compaq's manageability solution, which
we've found to be one of the best packages on the
market today for systems management.
Servicing the Prosignia is an easy affair, thanks to
extras such as a road map affixed to the inside of the
side panel illustrating common tasks like installing
removable-media devices. You won't find a hot-swap
cage for a raid array or remote alerting, and sustained
performance across our three server benchmark test
programs was slower than that of the IBM and Micron.
As a package, though, the Server 740 is very attractive
indeed.
Desktop PC
The Compaq Prosignia Desktop 330 is a solid value.
With two free card slots, two vacant drive bays, and
three available IRQs, the Desktop 330 has plenty of
space and resources, and the easy-access case
design makes for easy servicing and upgrading. The
Desktop 330 was a fair performer. It trailed its
competitors slightly on our ZD Business Winstone 99
tests (a measure of overall system performance) while
posting top scores on our ZD Content Creation
Winstone and Business Graphics WinMark tests
(thanks in part to its top-notch though pricey nVidia
GeForce graphics engine, which is overkill for most
business users).
The paper documentation included with the system is
adequate but doesn't pertain to the specific hardware
configuration. Compaq's Web site lacks a
trouble-shooting wizard, but otherwise users can find
ample help. Aids such as an online configurator and a
wide range of payment methods and arrangements
assist in the buying decision, and Compaq's extensive
service and support programs add to buyer assurance.
Rating:
Server Product: Compaq Prosignia Server 740
Street Price: $3,510
Configuration Tested: Pentium III/600, 256MB RAM,
dual 9.0GB hard disks
Desktop Product: Compaq Prosignia Desktop 330
Street Price: $1,950
Configuration Tested: Pentium III/600E, 32MB nVidia
GeForce 256 graphics, 19.1GB hard disk, 8X CD-RW
drive, 17-inch monitor
Company: Compaq (Company Info), Houston, Texas;
(800) 345-1518; www.compaq.com
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