I've had the following computers.

Packard Bell (Win95) POS -piece of sh!t

Hitachi Laptop (Win95) Great system - still works.

Gateway Desktop (Win98) Great system until kids broke the power button but it still works -Donated to a friend's dad who fixed it.

Gateway Laptop (Win98) Great system, sold it to a coworker.

Dell Desktop (WinME) POS - numerous hardware failures, Dell eventually replaced it with another system with WinXP for free.

Dell Laptop (WinXP) POS - constant failures involving the video card and display. Fixed by Dell and my brother's sister in law uses it.

Dell Desktop replacement mentioned above is still working but floppy drive failed. This is the system I am looking to replace.

Dell Laptop (WinXP) current laptop. Working fine for now but I am due to upgrade this in a year.

Apple Mac Mini - Great Computer so far.

So I placed an order with Gateway on Feb 10th for a new system.
Got an automated response within minutes.
Heard nothing for 3 days.
I emailed them and they said the web interface was slow and that it was approved and being built and would arrive on Feb 28th.
Almost three weeks but OK.
Email them again today because they still showed my system as not being built or shipped online.
"Sorry, we are waiting on a video card and it won't ship until Mar16th."
Five weeks to build a computer???

Wouldn't give me any free upgrades or shipping do compensate me on their poor service.

So I canceled the order and bought another Dell with identical specs.
It's scheduled to ship in Mar 2nd.

Hmmm

5 weeks  vs 5 days.

They just lost a customer.

Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late.

Gateway never had my business.  Shitty products sold for too much money.

You still buy desktops from vendors?

Build your own!

Quoted: Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late.

So comp an upgrade to DVD burner, upgrade the RAM, something to make the customer feel appreciated.  It ain't hard, and it ain't expensive.

Throw them a bone, or throw them away; your choice when you disappoint a customer.

Quoted: You still buy desktops from vendors? Build your own!

I helped a friend build his own. He's very good with computer building.
He wanted a particular ASUS motherboard and had nothing but conflicts with video cards and one sound card. Got a different board and all was well.

He spent days on it.

It seemed like too much of a hassle to me, calling three different video card vendors and one sound card vendor on top of the motherboard vendor and the place he bought the board from just to find out that they weren't compatible.


I'd rather know that it will work right out of the box.

Gateway has essentially been e-machines for a couple of years since they bought them out.  I can't think of a more stripped-down, bottom of the barrel computer other than Packard Bell pieces of shit from 10 years ago.

Older Gateway's weren't bad at all.

Desktops PC's I build.  First one of mine was a 8088 clone from a storefront builder.  Every one after that I've built, up to my last Athlon 2800 box before I went Mac.

Notebook PC's I've had phenomenal success with IBM ThinkPads.  Don't know how Lenovo is doing.  Toshiba from a few years ago kicked ass as well.  Rest I've dealt have been mediocre at best.

Went Apple, on my second PowerBook (17" G4 - my son got my first 15" G4). Both still going strong.

Quoted: Quoted: Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late. So comp an upgrade to DVD burner, upgrade the RAM, something to make the customer feel appreciated.  It ain't hard, and it ain't expensive. Throw them a bone, or throw them away; your choice when you disappoint a customer.

That's my point exactly! Dell sold me a couple of turds and they replaced the desktop after 2 years for FREE! No shipping costs or anything.

I've spent thousands on computers from both companies and although the Dells had problems, Dell made it right TO KEEP MY BUSINESS.

I'd have accepted free shipping and waited until the 16th but they didn't seem to care.

I have had many Gateways over the years and have always been pleased.  However I built my own desktop for the first time about a year ago.  With the exception of laptops - I won't ever go back.

I had my Gateway laptop within a week upon ordering it.  Which is good considering the route it took to get to my house.  Suzhou (only an hour train ride from Shanghai) - Memphis - Shanghai - Anchorage - Seattle.

Try Apple.  Everything works (as it should) every time.  No random crashes, no conflicts, no viruses.  

Quoted: Quoted: You still buy desktops from vendors? Build your own! I helped a friend build his own. He's very good with computer building. He wanted a particular ASUS motherboard and had nothing but conflicts with video cards and one sound card. Got a different board and all was well. He spent days on it. It seemed like too much of a hassle to me, calling three different video card vendors and one sound card vendor on top of the motherboard vendor and the place he bought the board from just to find out that they weren't compatible. I'd rather know that it will work right out of the box.

I'd rather know what every single piece of my system is and how it works.

ASUS boards are for the more advanced, IMHO.  I bought an Intel board, an Intel Processor, quality RAM, a good HDD, DVD writer, case and power supply and probably saved about 300 bucks versus a vendors computer.  And I know exactly whats in my system and how it works.

If the OP used a damn Packard Bell running Win95, he probably knows enough about PCs at this point to build his own.  My first PC was a Packard Bell running Windows 3.1 and MSDOS.

Building your own requires a certain degree of knowledge about how PCs work, but there are plenty of websites and knowledgeable people to help.

Quoted: Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late.

True, but he is leaving because they were unwilling to compensate him for his trouble.  Free shipping/upgrade the card to one they had/throw in a free game . . . they are a major corporation, they ought to have a handle on Customer Service.

Quoted: Quoted: Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late. True, but he is leaving because they were unwilling to compensate him for his trouble.  Free shipping/upgrade the card to one they had/throw in a free game . . . they are a major corporation, they ought to have a handle on Customer Service.

When I bought my CMMG upper, they  told me 6 weeks for the barrel I wanted.  6 weeks to machine a piece of chrome and steel!

I stuck with it, because they're a quality company.  If you like Gateway computers, accept that their suppliers might be out of stock and you might have to wait.  Dont EXPECT freebies.

Quoted: Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late.

I don't agree.   *They* gave a ship date, so it was *their* responsibility to notify the customer concerning the delay when they could no longer meet their stated obligation, and offer alternatives.  

They may have been out of that *exact* vid card, but you can be damn sure they had  others they could substitute.  

If their supply chain is so volatile that they 'dont have time to contact every customer when a shipment is very late' then they should not offer 'ship dates' and instead just say "we cant say when it will ship... you'll get it when you get it"

Quoted: Quoted: Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late. I don't agree.   *They* gave a ship date, so it was *their* responsibility to notify the customer concerning the delay when they could no longer meet their stated obligation, and offer alternatives.   They may have been out of that *exact* vid card, but you can be damn sure they had  others they could substitute.   If their supply chain is so volatile that they 'dont have time to contact every customer when a shipment is very late' then they should not offer 'ship dates' and instead just say "we cant say when it will ship... you'll get it when you get it"

I am EXTREMELY particular about my video cards.  They are NOT the same.

I like gateway cause they advertise on the outdoor channel and during hunting and fishing shows. Dell, HP, Fujitsu,  none of those do that.

if I didn't build my own I'd buy a Gateway.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Gateway lost a customer over soemthing they cant control.... Depending on what vid card it was it will/can make ANY vender late. I don't agree.   *They* gave a ship date, so it was *their* responsibility to notify the customer concerning the delay when they could no longer meet their stated obligation, and offer alternatives.   They may have been out of that *exact* vid card, but you can be damn sure they had  others they could substitute.   If their supply chain is so volatile that they 'dont have time to contact every customer when a shipment is very late' then they should not offer 'ship dates' and instead just say "we cant say when it will ship... you'll get it when you get it" I am EXTREMELY particular about my video cards.  They are NOT the same.

I agree.  But that doesn't relieve Gateway of the responsibility of letting the customer know, and offering alternatives (wait for original card, choose alternate card, cancel order).   I wasn't trying to say that GW should have made the substitution without asking the customer first.

i've built my last 6 or so desktop systems since about 2000. Works out great. I save money, get what I want in the process. Takes about 20-30 mins to get a system all together up and running.

Try Apple. Everything works (as it should) every time.

Nothing in the world of computers works as it should, everytime. Not even Macs.

No random crashes.

Not true either. Also when a PC crashes there is a reason for it, its not random. You might not know the reason but there is one. Most of the time its an id10t error.

no conflicts

A Mac is not a PC. There is nothing personal about that brand of computer. Upgrading a Mac to your personal specs is a little more difficult. Hard to find conflicts when most of your parts are from the OEM or made for them to their specs. I dont know if thats good or bad but if it works for you go for it.

no viruses

Your joking right? Any computer can get a virus or spyware when online. The only 100% safe computer is an off computer.

There's the old Gateway, fine computers, great prices, great support, the customer is king yadda, yadda.

The Gateway of today is crap. Flimsy computers, customer support so bad that if you buy one in the store, their internet support won't recognize your computer even when you regester it. Strictly still alive only based upon previous users past results with good service and not realizing the company isn't the same.

Kind of like a Schwinn bicycle. Living off of old times.

Holy crap - Gateway is still around?

Quoted: You still buy desktops from vendors? Build your own!

No shit.  My friend just bought a Gateway and I looked at him like WTF!!!  I could have built it BETTER for a lot less.

Quoted: They just lost a customer.

I don't blame ya but looking at your history with Dell products, I would have looked elsewhere.

Quoted: Try Apple.  Everything works (as it should) every time.  No random crashes, no conflicts, no viruses.

Thats BS. I have students with Macs that crash, lock up and have conflicts.

Quoted: Try Apple.  Everything works (as it should) every time.  No random crashes, no conflicts, no viruses.

Dude, I love me some Apple.  I'm busting my ass for an applecare certification right now.  Kudos for your sentiment, but I think it should read, "fewer random crashes, fewer conflicts, uncommon viruses UNLESS YOU USE OFFICE".  

Try retrofitting a MegaRAID card into an XServe G5 and come back and tell me how hunky-dory the whole thing is Then again, Apple has always sucked in the server market, hardware and OS both.

Gateway's circling the bowl though.  Dell is cutting them out of their core market, which was cheap-ass bottom of the line everyday desktops.  Dell's dynamic has changed too though.  Now they sell the cheap-ass BOTL desktops and boutique shops like Alienware are replacing them in the high end PC market.

As for building your own, there's only a certain subset of the market that will work for, namely those that know enough to do so but don't yet value their time enough not to want to.  Add up the cost of components and then figure out how much you just paid yourself per hour to do so and you'll be buying a "good enough" machine from Dell or an expensive one from Alienware.  

I used Dell pc's and laptops in the network environment at my last job, lot's of problems.  I am now an admin of an all IBM/Lenovo office, I have had at most 3 computer or laptop hardware issues in the last 18 months and I have around 100 here.

Gives me more time to surf arfcom and play with the servers!

Update.

I ordered the computer Late Monday night from Dell.

I signed up for an email update when it shipped.

I got the email on Wednesday morning and the tracking #s from FedEx show "Package data transmitted to FedEx"

Two days to build it.

Oh, and Gateway emailed me this morning to let me know my computer is delayed. Nice they tell me ON THE DAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!

And Gateway's site STILL shows them processing my credit card info prior to building!