[geeks] PC Hardware (Power Supplies)

[James Fogg]

> My father (who was in the electronics business) used to say that about
RCA
> TVs.
> Having a brief time in the industry, I can honestly say that a company
> will not
> put a part in if it costs them a penney or so and they see no need for
> that part.


There are some surprising twists to this. A company may LOAD parts into
an assembly in order to make it a base building block suitable for many
models. It's sometimes cheaper to waste parts than to warehouse many
assemblies, schedule manufacture and resources and arrange for
outsourced parts.

We see this in the auto industry all the time with wiring harnesses.
Ever wonder what that dangling connector is for? It's something like the
more expensive stereo with power antenna that you didn't order.

The biggest example of this I've ever seen is the Suzuki Vitara and the
Chevrolet Tracker. They INCLUDE the 4X4 front axles, differential and
transfer case on all models. If you buy a 4X4, you get the transfer case
lever and the internals for the transfer case. Junkyards and dealers are
always getting requests for the transfer case internals and lever
assembly.