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Re: If you could design a $300 homecomputer today, what would you choose?



On Fri, 13 Jul 2001 23:46:09 +0200, "T.J.T van Kooten"
<thomas@-nospam-worldonline.nl> wrote:

>
>Ralf Quint <Ralf_Quint@hot_mail.com> wrote in message > >As OS? (Linux is a
>> >Build in programming language? (please choose anything but Basic!)
>> What's wrong with BASIC? It's easy to be "build in", as it is an
>> interpreter and there are a lot of BASIC variations out there that
>> would stand any comparison for ease of use and performance....
>> Or you you suggest something more academic like Smalltalk, Lisp or
>> Java???
>The reason is that Basic will being a good language for beginners isn't the
>best language to learn the art of programming (structure, modules etc..) .
>I'm not up to date up to date on recent Basic dialects but I believe the
>same problem still applies. Once you get to the higher programming languages
>this becomes evident and you have to 'unlearn' before you can start again.
>
>Don't  get me wrong. Basic was a good beginners language but these days I
>think Python is far more suited for newbies and novices.
>
Well, than you have never used a real good BASIC interpreter/compiler.
A lot of "old" Business BASIC versions are not much different than
more modern HLL. And even the BASIC used in machines like
Amstrad/Scneider or the good old BBC were a different ball game too.
Not to mention HP "Rocky Mountain BASIC" for technical apps....
Don't just think the crappy C64 basic or stuff like this... ;-)))
>
>
>> If you buy a million pieces of ANY component, you get FAR below the
>> usual retail prices. a quick look on pricewatch reveals
>> CPU: AMD Duron 700Mhz $24 (Celeron 700MHz $42, VIA Cyrix 700 $37)
>> Memory: 128MB PC133 $9
>> Mobo: Intel 810 $38 (build-in video!, USB, keyboard,...)
>> case w/ p/s $25 (ATX desktop)
>>
>> Ok, that is a pretty mix, bu assuming large quantities as you
>> mentioned, this is less than $100 for the major parts. Add a few $10
>> for network and sound and smaller stuff, no problem...
>>
>I forgot to mention that you would have to include labor and manufacturing
ok, but i also mentioned that in quantities you get probably prices
below what i mentioned from a general wholesales web site above.
>costs and the basic essentials (special casing (not just a standard box),
>cooling, cables etc...). These things eat into margins.
Well, not much cables in a modern computer, ok add another $2 and
maybe $5 for keyboard and mouse. As for materials to build it, you are
still way below $100.

There will be additional overhead, like labor, shipping and
advertising, for which i would assume even more money than the actual
labor to build it. 

But the biggest catch would be to get the start with several million $
financed first, without knowing IF such a product would actually
sell...
Well, i don't have that much money to gamble with, and if i would, i
would rather lay somewhere the the tropical sun than writeing these
lines ;-)))

Ralf