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Text File | 1993-03-01 | 15KB | 298 lines

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ HELP SEARCHING FOR COMPUTER CONFIGURATIONS │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Important Notes: 1. When you perform a search, the items selected by your search criteria will be listed in PRICE order, beginning with the best (lowest) price at the top. 2 Be SURE to see the hints section at the bottom of this window for help in understanding the abbreviated syntax and assumed standard features used in listing PC configurations. 3. You may find information using any part of the product description. (You cannot, however, search on the amount of the price.) You can even search on part of a word, like "Pana" for "Panasonic". Simply enter into one or all of the text lines (as shown below) words that will be in the product descriptions you want to call up. 4. You may print this help file on your printer usning any word processor. The file name is hhcomp1. The search window provides up to 3 sets of text segments you may use. For example, if you want to see a list of 20mhz (20 megahertz) machines that have 1mb RAM (1 megabyte or 1024K of volatile memory), you would enter: ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ S E A R C H ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ╟──────────────────────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 1 > 20mhz░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 2 > 1mb░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 3 > _░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Notes: If you had entered nothing and just touched enter at the TEXT 1 > line, a non-selective listing would ensue, i.e. everything in the category would list in order of price (lowest price first). When carefully scrutinizing options, this isn't a bad idea. It doesn't matter which you enter first. You could have just as easily entered 1mb and then 20mhz. Searches are case insensitive. It doesn't matter whether you use upper or lower case. After you touch ENTER in TEXT 1 > the cursor jumps down to TEXT 2 >, etc. Note that the cursor is now waiting in TEXT 3 > awaiting further selections. Just touch enter after your last selection and the search will begin. Common sense prevails in choosing text to search on. The database must assume that it will find a string of data in the database exactly like the one you enter (except for capitalizing). So, if you're searching for a "KXP4450 PANASONIC" and get no matches, it may be in (backwards) as "PANASONIC KXP4450". You could: A. Try again as "Panasonic KXP4450" (which works) (Don't enter the quotation marks!) B. Enter only "4450" and browse through the resulting listing to see how it looks in the database or C. Enter "Panasonic" on one line and "4450" on another. Then, regardless what order they come in, you'll find your machine. This is the example shown below: ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ S E A R C H ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ╟──────────────────────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 1 > kxp4450░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 2 > panasonic░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 3 > _░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ THE REASON THIS WORKS IS THAT EACH LINE'S DATA IS TESTED SEPARATELY AGAINST THE DATABASE. If the data for EVERY line you fill in above is found in the database, that item will be listed. Use this method (placing just one word in each line) when you're not sure what order the database's description is in. Be careful about placing spaces between model prefix and number (like KXP 4450 or KXP-4450). This will usually frustrate you because the database typically leaves out punctuation between model name and number. Spaces can be useful, though. For example, if you're in the 386 area but don't want to see any 386sx's, how do you eliminate them. Just search on 386 followed by a space as shown below. ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ S E A R C H ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ║▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓║ ╟──────────────────────────────────────────────────────╢ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 1 > 386 ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 2 > _░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ TEXT 3 > ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ Note that you can see the empty spaces. ════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Editing Features: You may use the left and right arrow keys, tab key and the backspace key to move around within a selection modifying or correcting your text. You may even use the up and down arrows to jump from selection to selection, say from TEXT 3> back up to TEXT 2> to correct an error. However, this requires that you move back down to the last selection box (TEXT 3 >) when you finally hit enter to let the system know that you're really through modifying the data and to begin the search. The editor also has an insert and writeover mode. The default is writeover which means that if you use the left arrow key to move left left and then enter a letter, that new letter will be written over the previous character there. Touch the INSert key and the bottom line will inform you that you are in insert mode. Now when you enter a letter, any text to the right of it is moved to the right. To turn insert off again, just touch the INS key again to toggle it back off. ╔══════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ H I N T S ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════╝ GENERAL HINTS: If you are seriously looking for the best configuration for you, don't make your searches too restrictive. It's better to make restrictions minimal (which means more PC's will be listed) and spend some time paging through them. FREQUENTLY you can find a configuration that has all you want except, say, a VGA monitor, for so much less than those shown with a VGA that you could take the savings, look under Monitors and buy one separately for much less total investment. The alternative consideration is assembly, handling and freight. If, for example, you find a PC and a Hard Drive from separate vendors and save only $30 over a vendor who offers them together, the two separate freight and C.O.D. charges added to the grief of having to install the hard drive yourself will probably make such a small additional cost a good investment. HINTS SPECIFIC TO COMPUTER CONFIGURATIONS: Most of the categories of computer peripherals are very simple to search on. Pulling up a Seagate ST225 hard drive requires only that you enter all or part of the name or model. You can enter ST225 alone and get it since there are only 2 versions and just a few configurations easily understood as they list on the screen. You could even just search on Seag and find it, although you would have to page through a few screens of Seagate hard drives. Vendors of the computer boxes themselves, however, are less organized that the peripheral parts houses. With the exception of some IBM PS/2's and some fixed configuration laptops, computers themselves are configured and labeled in a fashion reminiscent of the Wild West. Remember that many of the prices included here come from advertisements. Caveat Emptor. ┌──────────────────┐ │ ABBREVIATIONS: │ └──────────────────┘ 386SX 22MHZ 2MB 1.2/1.44FD 40MBHD-28MS VGA-C 1024X728 1PP 2SP GP SVC Abbrev. Translation: 386SX 80386sx compatible. If the SX isn't there, it's a regular 386. Other options are XT, 286 and 486. If the manufacturer is a major brand, the brand will precede this. 22MHZ operating at 22 megahertz (cycles/second) 2MB with 2 megabytes(2,048,000 bytes) or volatile RAM memory 1.2/1.44FD EITHER a 1.2 megabyte OR a 1.44 megabyte floppy drive (1.2 & 1.44 means you get one of each) 40MBHD-28MS 40 megabyte hard drive with 28 millisecond response time VGA-C With VGA monitor (which assumes presence of video card). The C means Color. An M after VGA- means monochrome. Other options are: MMON Mono Monitor (TTL unless labeled composite) CMON Color monitor. CGA, the old IBM 640x200 1024x728 The resolution of the monitor listed. The bigger the better. 1PP Has 1 Parallel Port 2SP Has 2 Serial (RS-232) ports GP Game Port SVC Service. They provide on site service usually through a third party. Sometimes spelled out as SERVICE. ╔═════════════════════╗ ║ WHAT IS INCLUDED? ║ ╚═════════════════════╝ Inexperienced buyers may want to avoid items marked "Barebones". Barebones (see summary box below) means that if it isn't listed in the description, it probably isn't there. However, the mother board, box, power supply and power cable are included even when not listed. Gray areas to look for are keyboards and disk controller cards. Look for RAM (640K, 1MB, etc). Some barebones have 0K. Very rarely one has no processor chip included. How do you tell? If it has a megahertz rating, it has a processor chip. Despite all that, an experienced person can get some exceptional buys by buying barebones and adding on. Even for those whose description does not say "Barebones", the monitor and video card must be listed for us to expect there to be one. This is simply because vendors have chosen this convention in their advertisements. Their defense is that everybody seems to want a different monitor anyway. If it doesn't say Barebones you CAN, however, generally assume it has a keyboard even though it is rarely mentioned. Also, DOS and OS/2 operating systems are almost never included in any listing unless it's mentioned. ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ SUMMARY OF WHAT IS INCLUDED: │ ├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ BAREBONES: Includes case, power supply and motherboard with │ │ processor chip (but possibly with 0K RAM) plus anything │ │ else that is specifically LISTED. │ │ │ │ NORMAL: (Barebones is not mentioned in the description) │ │ You can generally assume that it has the barebones assembly │ │ plus :Keyboard │ │ Floppy disk │ │ Floppy disk controller. │ │ 286 and up usually include hard disk controller. │ │ plus anything else specifically listed. │ │ │ │ NEVER assume that Monitors, monitor cards or hard drives │ │ are included unless specifically listed. │ └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ Finally, in the Wild West, simply check before you buy. Ask the vendor specifically what is included and if it will run when it arrives without further investment. (If the answer is "no" ask what you need to add to make it work). Touch ESCape to exit or PgUp to review.