I have bought several hundred computers both personally and for businesses I have worked for, including Gateways, Dell, Compaq, HP, NEC, Packard-Bell, Acer, Apple, Micron, etc.
I have had instances of problems with every vendor. Of course, one gets biased by particularly bad situations, or with vendors with a greater number of problems. Of the group above, my personal dog has been HP. Best has been Compaq. For home PC's, Gateway has given me few problems and always been responsive. When I talk to other people, their particular situations often differ.
So does it matter? On a small scale, possibly. However, I find it hard to determine any trend from peoples experiences. So when people ask me what brand they should buy, I find it hard to recommend any one vendor. Depends on the user, there intended use, the knowledge of that person, and a bit of luck. Not what most people would like to base their decision on, but I have yet to find a near 100% reliable box maker.
My suggestion about potential surging demand is based on personal experience. I have not bought a new Gateway in almost a year, but never had to wait to get through when I contacted them in the past. Obviously, either I was lucky, or something has changed. Maybe it is they have gotten poorer in customer service, or maybe it is that they've gotten busier.
Kory |
