Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!watdcsu!haapanen
From: haapanen@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: No problem AT clones (Flame on Compaq)
Keywords: naive' expectations doom frustation, exasperation
Message-ID: <4200@watdcsu.waterloo.edu>
Date: 10 Dec 87 05:41:30 GMT
References: <2001@briar.Philips.Com> <3151@bnrmtv.UUCP> <636@qetzal.UUCP> <2363@killer.UUCP> <483@hscfvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: haapanen@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (Tom Haapanen)
Organization: U. of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 51

In article <483@hscfvax.UUCP> pavlov@hscfvax.UUCP (G.Pavlov) writes:
>In article <2363@killer.UUCP>, jonm@killer.UUCP (Jon Meinecke) writes:
 
>> It may well be that a low cost PC-clone provides the best
>> price/performance/reliability match for a particular situation.  The
>> quality of customer support, especially for non-technical users, and
>> dealer and manufacturer reputations may, however, make a larger
>> initial investment payoff in the long run.

>  Alternatively, one can (should, actually, if spending someone else's money)
>  consider offerings from other comapnies, particularly AST, which I believe 
>  are at least equal to Compaq's ("reputation" for) quality, have wide distri-
>  bution, exhibit innovative design, yet are significantly cheaper.

A case in point: I have an AST/286, a friend has a Compaq 286.
Neither of them has any sort of reliability problems.  But, we both
decided to install 3.5" disk drives in the machines.  Here's what
happened:

AST:
Remove cover (screws are pretty tight).  Uh-huh, have to remove hard
disk to get at screws for floppy disk (6 screws for hard disk, 4 for
floppy).  Install revised cable on floppy, install drive.  Replace
hard disk, plug in cables, replace cover.  Run setup, select 720K for
drive 1.  AST's MS-DOS works with no problem.  Driveline isn't
supposedly supported, but when I added drivparm=/d:1 /f:2 it was OK.

Compaq:
Remove cover.  Oops, need a Torx, get one from Canadian Tire.  Oh, #10
won't work.  Go back, exchange for #15, and remove cover.  Where to
install -- cable will only reach to the left side.  Must remove all
expansion cards (more Torx) and fron indicator panel.  Remove blank
panel.  Aha, drive needs rails.  Install rails (included) --- but hey,
Compaq doesn't use the IBM-standard rails!  After an hours' worth of
customizing, rails will fit and attach, although not as steady as IBM
or AST.  Find a power connector since Compaq doesn't supply spare
power cables.  Make connections, replace cards, panel, cover.  Setup
has no option for 720K drives, Compaq DOS 3.1 won't recognize it.
Switch to generic MS-DOS 3.2, add drivparm line to config.sys.   Drive
now works, but on boot the machine complains that setup has not been
run.  Try Phoenix setup, but appears that Compaq uses non-standard
setup.

Conclusion:  The AST is more nicely built, has good service, standard
components, and is significantly cheaper than Compaq.  Of course, this
is just my (and my friend's!) opinion.

						\tom haapanen
						haapanen@watdcsu.uucp

I have no association with AST, except as a satisfied user of their products.