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Over the last five years, I have made the miraculous
transformation from an early adopter to someone living life on the
low end. The key to this transformation was the analysis of the jobs
I needed my gadgets to perform. I realized that I was buying tools
with too many features and too much overhead.
I found over time many benefits in running the low end. The first
and most obvious of these benefits is the savings at initial
purchase. When I look at computers, I try to shop about 8-12 months
behind the latest model. This allows me to buy relatively new
machines that have depreciated after the release of newer versions.
Typical savings are up to 40%, with larger price cuts if I don't mind
buying on eBay
or similar consumer-to-consumer sites.
This year's discontinued model was last year's top of the line
machine.
I will typically use the difference in funds to add accessories I
could not have purchased staying at the bleeding edge. For example, I
could go to the Apple site tomorrow and buy a PowerBook
G4 867 for $2,299 and be extremely happy. As an alternative, I
could look at my requirements, and buy a used or refurbished
PowerBook G4 550 or 667
and add a huge hard drive and maximum RAM for the same money - or
less. In the case of the 667, I could probably find one under Apple
warranty.
I would be able to handle all of the computing tasks with an older
model without paying the premium for a new machine. This logic is the
same that is applied to buying a used vehicle for less initial cost.
And as in the case of a used car, buying a used computer will keep
you from worrying about depreciation as Apple updates computers each
year.
A second benefit of life on the low end is the fact that units
have been in users hands for an extended period. During this time,
the manufacturer has been able to address problems and provide
solutions to end users.
I have a good friend who loved computer games. Over time he
learned to wait at least six months after a game release to buy the
product. His logic was that in addition to bargain prices, the
developers will have patched the software, and the gaming community
will have added to the games value in the guise of mods.
One of my personal experiences with problems on the bleeding edge
was in my purchase of the Compaq iPaq Pocket PC. I initially bought
the machine at inflated prices immediately after release. The demand
had far outstripped Compaq's ability to produce the units. After a
few months in use, users were reporting numerous problems with the
units. I experienced three of the most major and was required to send
for replacement units each time. This would have been avoided had I
simply waited a few months to buy.
This leads to a third benefit of the low end, the availability of
accessories. In the above iPaq example, I waited months before being
able to buy a CF sleeve. The keyboard I needed was purchased almost a
year after my initial machine purchase. Each time I paid a premium
for the scarce accessories. My total investment was at least 40-50%
higher than it would have been few months later. It is fairly simple
to find parts for my PowerBook
Pismo or iBook. Accessories for both are easy to find and, in the
case of the Pismo, are often discounted below fair market value
(thanks eBay).
Perhaps my favorite benefit of the low end is the ability to own
more gadgets due to the cost savings. I am one who could never decide
between the Palm OS and Pocket PC. Both camps have strengths and
weaknesses, and I was jumping back and forth too often to make
sense.
Last quarter, I applied my low end philosophy to my PDA purchases.
Rather than spend $600 for a top of the line Palm or Pocket PC, I
grabbed a Sony T615 at closeout and a Jornada 568 at closeout. My
total investment for both units was around two-thirds of the total
for one machine at the high end. I can know straddle the fence and
use both machines without feeling too guilty.
I am sure my new revelations regarding my electronic needs are
obvious to readers of Low End Mac.
For everyone reading this article on a G4 machine, a counterpart is
reading this on a text based browser on a Performa 475.
My message is to keep up the good work and use those tools that
meet your needs. Help your friends and family realize the value of
the dull edge.
Kevin Webb spent the last seven years selling
technology consulting services. Of that time, at least two years have
been devoted to trying to convince the world that the Macintosh is
the pinnacle of the computing experience. He is the proud owner of
eight Macs, ranging from a
new iBook to a Classic.
You can read about his newest computer in Kevin
Webb's PowerBook G4.
Recent articles by Kevin Webb
How Macintel could spell trouble for Windows, 06.15.
"Apple has been working to change the game from simply a hardware discussion to an integrated system approach - the digital hub."
Mac of the Day: PowerBook 190cs, Aug. 1995 - The last 680x0-based PowerBook could take a PowerPC upgrade.
List of the Day: Apple TV List The Apple TV List is a forum to discuss the Apple TV.
August 28 in LEM history: 95: PowerBook Duo 2300 - 00: Gaming on older Power Macs - 01: AppleShare on Linux - From Beebs and Acorns to Macs - 02: Sleep of Death, - Think smarter? - It's the software, stupid - 06: PowerBook 5300 reminiscence - You might be a Mac fanatic if... - Hiding complexity behind elegant simplicity
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