We've noticed something happening for a while
now that is worth sharing with you here. It
has to do with the things that are backwards.
The internet has drawn more people into personal
computing in the past year than anyone ever expected,
and circumstances in the computing industry have
caused a most peculiar phenomenon: those with the
least experience end up with the most complicated
computers. Here's how it happens:
After thinking about it and putting it off for years,
a family decides to buy a personal computer. They
shop around, and usually they go to the electronic
superstore or to mail-order, and they get the biggest,
most advanced computer they can afford.
Almost invariably, that computer comes with Windows 95,
the latest and greatest operating system from Microsoft. After
they buy the computer, they travel what can be a trail of tears
to the internet. It has three basic phases:
- The America-On-Hold Phase: Since the computer comes with America Online and ten glorious free hours, they usually start with that. But AOL in this area is a terribly slow connection, and the constant updating of "artwork" makes them wonder if there are artists at the other end furiously drawing the new pictures or something, and they give up. Some give up completely, while some move on to:
- The Compuspend Phase: The computer comes with Compuserve on it as well, so they often try that. That seems to work better, but when they get their credit-card bill, and learn that what they spent on a few hours of browsing could have bought them a new car, they cancel that as fast as their little fingers can dial. Some stop there, and then... some don't. They come to us.
- The Internet Provider Phase: It takes a lot of resolve to go through all of that, and still be willing to keep on trying. But people sense this is important, and they're right. So, they come down to The Internet Mash Unit and they start with the same words... "I just bought this computer a few weeks ago, and I want to get on the internet..."
We sign them up, and we show them the instructions, and then we
wait for them to call when they get home. The truth is, setting
up TCP/IP on Windows 95 is a bear. A big, drooling, heartless
grizzly bear that really doesn't care how long that person has
been trying to see the internet.
So they call, and Glenn and Jason do what they can to help
them, but more often then not, they pack the computer up and
bring it in, and the guys install the stuff for them. Sometimes
that's enough, but a lot of folks blow it away as soon as they
get home.
That's why they call it 95 !We finally
figured out one day. "It's because 95% of our customer support
calls are for Windows 95 users !" And the veil fell from our
eyes, and we could see.
What they don't know, and what we are trying
to tell them every day with
newspaper and radio advertising, is that they could avoid all
of this trouble by simply coming down to The Computer Village
and getting a computer that is configured for the internet to
begin with. It's really that simple.
Some readers might find that kind of a plug offensive, but
we really do mean it. The fact is, a lot of people are spending
too much money for too much computer when they could be spending
less, getting more, and avoiding a lot of frustration.
Our technicians build the best computers in town. Our service
people know their stuff, and we know how to configure the machine
so that you get a good, solid connection. There is enough
frustration in life, you don't have to go out and buy more.
April 21, 1996 Charles Paparella The Shore Journal
(Click here to order your new pentium.)