[geeks] WTB: cheap 386 or 486 Laptop to run SCO

[Rick Hamell]

On 11/16/13 1:44 PM, Lionel Peterson wrote:
> I'm reminded of a similar, yet opposite experience with my first IBM
> compatible PC - a 486DX-33 IIRC.
> <snip>
>
> The BIOS was, for some reason, set to run the CPU at 4.77 MHz. Changing that
> setting made a HUGE difference!

I have an similar tale. This older gentleman came into our Computer 
store telling us "I'm going to put you guys out of business," and "Tell 
me who your suppliers are" while dropping $1k on RAM. He apparently 
tried to start his own Computer business, but 90% of the time ended up 
bringing in the computer to us to fix. It was always something really 
simple that anyone who had used a computer (back then,) for more then a 
couple of days could have fixed. He purchased a lot of parts off us, 
including a few full computers (leave your logo off the case,) and we 
made a lot of money off his screw ups.

The last time we saw him, he brought in his own machine, a 486-66 DX. I 
don't remember the exact issue, but it was something stupid, minimum 
charge that I ended up waiving because he was sort of a nice guy overall 
if you could get him to talk about anything other then computers. By 
this time he had stopped saying he was going to put us out of business, 
except he did try to get our suppliers' names still even once grabbing 
the mail from the mailman to get names from our bills. He pays, takes 
the computer home and then comes back about an hour later slamming the 
front door open and breaking the glass yelling "I want to see the 
Destroyer!" (Myself)

"You broke my computer! It's really slow! You changed the processor out 
and now it says 33 instead of 66! I demand a new computer or I will sue 
you out of business." I looked at him incredulously for about 30 seconds 
and finally said, "Did you by chance accidentally hit the 'Turbo' button 
on the front of your computer and turn it off?" And proceeded to show 
him the button on a demo machine. He stormed out without saying 
anything, my boss pulled up his Credit Card information and charged him 
for a window replacement for the front door (Emergency service too, just 
under a grand,) and we never heard or saw from him again.


-- 
Rick Hamell

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