HANG OUT YOUR SHINGLE

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For the record, the current speed-record-holder is probably Apple's Power Macintosh 8100/110 with a 110 MHz Power PC chip, but any number of IBM-standard PC brands are appearing with 120 MHz Pentium chips, 16 megabytes of RAM and onboard CD drives. They are said to be bargains at between $4,000 and $5000 with monitors included. Maybe they are for those with that kind of scratch, but let's scale down quite a ways and start at the bottom.

A Used Computer

For most small businesses, for students, for managing home finances, playing computer games, and accessing on-line services, Pentiums and Macintosh Power PCs are overkill. They may be able to calculate a trajectory to the Moon faster, but not even a whole team of them could increase my fumble-fingered typing speed.

As long as 10 years ago, hard- and software reached a level of optimum capability for normal home and business use ...that is, any good-quality machine dating from 1985 or later will run competent software offering all the speed, memory, and data-storage capacity most of us really need. The hot new versions accomplish the self-same tasks-they just do it a little faster and with a whole lot more inessential bells and whistles.

So, do consider buying used. Many computer hobbyists and image-conscious or leading-edge businesses and researchers think they need new computers every six months. Their trade-ins are barely broken in by that time.

If they've lasted through "burn-in" (or have been repaired during the warranty period), solid-state electronic devices don't wear out. A gently used computer will serve for years-decades-till repairing the few wearing parts such as the cooling fan, disc drives, keyboard, and mouse becomes more costly than buying a new model.

Consider a lightly used machine obtained through a private sale, or a reconditioned computer from a commercial reseller. Your new machine may not offer true "multi - tasking"-the ability to run several full fledged software programs at once, or be able to print, answer the phone, turn off the coffee maker, help plot your novel, and play a computer game all at once. You may not have 256 colors or be able to run the latest versions of popular programs either. But you'll have a solid, competent machine-cheap. Look in the computer magazines for current prices for used computers.

Private computer purchases are not as chancy as buying used cars or appliances, but if you are a novice it's best to take along a friend who is computer-knowledgeable. A really worn computer will have worn looking keys and its drive mechanisms will make a rattly or grinding sound. Look in local "For Sale" periodicals and in the classifieds.

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