[TriLUG] OT:<rant>Intrex just lost a customer</rant>

[Jon Carnes]

On Sun, 2004-05-16 at 17:59, John Franklin wrote:
> On May 16, 2004, at 3:41 PM, Jeremy Portzer wrote:
> > John Franklin wrote:
> >
> >> I can't tell you the number of times I've wanted to open a computer
> >> store called "Top Shelf Computing" just two doors down from Intrex
> >> stocked with components that aren't cheap junk.  <shrug>
> 
> > There is a store like that, known as "Stay Online" -- they are located 
> > at
> > 55 and Sedwick Rd. near RTP.  They used to have several other 
> > locations in
> > the area but couldn't survive due to the necessary higher prices for
> > higher quality components.
> >
> > Look back through the archives of this list and you will see many rants
> > about high prices at Stay Online.  You can't have it both ways.
> 
> I have patronized SO in the past, where my needs met their products.  
> I'm not so concerned with their prices, which indeed may not be the 
> ragged edge of competitive, but rather what they stock being well 
> beyond my needs.  SO carries a lot of industrial level stuff.  Take, 
> for example their non-GigE switches.[1]  They have a couple models that 
> are useful in a home network, but the majority of them are 16 or 24 
> port (far more than I need) or include fiber ports or module bays.  
> They're stuff is probably good, but I've only got a few machines, not a 
> data center.
> 
> What I'd like is a selection of high quality NICs (3COMs, Intel Pros), 
> suitable for a "prosumer" hobbyist without having to wade through a 
> bunch of cheap Taiwanese knock-offs, most of which have known hardware 
> bugs.
> 
> [1] http://www.stayonline.com/switches/index.asp
> jf

Take the plunge! Open up a Fries franchise here. I'm sure it wouldn't
take more than a 1/4 million to get started, that's five "family and
friends" at $50,000 each. Store space is darn cheap right now and you
clearly feel there is a market for it - so go for it!

Jon