saw an add for this on the television:
http://www.supercomputersale.com/
anyone ever been to something like this, or planning to go? it's $8. dec 6, 7, 8 @ the gateway center (in collinsville, i believe)
Yeah, I have went to it the last few times. It is great if you are building a system or just need to pick up some spare parts. The prices are *near to pricewatch prices, but it will come out about the same if you figure for all the shipping would cost you. You get a dollar off admission if you register with them and print out the verify e-mail. I think the site to do that at is http://www.supercomputersale.com
later.matt
I always get into those things for free. It's very easy. You go right up to the ppl at the door and say the four magic words.
Jon
"I'm with the band?"
Well, Jon, thanks for intriguing us with your social might. What exactly are those words?
If I had to guess, those words would be, "I'm detective John Kimbal!"
Damn it!!!! why do these always have to occur when I am broke???????
Victor
"I have a return." (Make sure you have some sort of computer item box, can be empty, and a receipt, bogus, too)
Don't go when they first open on the first day, they might think there is something suspicious about that. I've been to two of them in collinsville. I'm glad I didn't pay. There was nothing but 100%, pure grade A crap.
They hate returns, but let you in.
Jon
Hmm! On second thought, Liz won't like that I posted that. My defense: I was legally insane brought on by an acute case of Sleep Devravation. Good night.
Jon
I haven't ever been to a show like this, but I may have to agree with Jon on the crap part. I had a buddy who bought a computer at that show. He would never shut up about how much less he paid for his than I had paid for mine 9 months earlier. The problem was that the vender "wasn't done installing windows on it yet." He called me up when he got it home wanting my product ID so he could finish installing it. He didn't get a Microsoft Certificate with his PC. I wasn't going to share mine with him after his gloating session.
Sounds like a real honest salesperson there. There may be many good vendors there, I think anyone who goes should be educated on what they want, and what they are willing to pay. Too many common folk get taken at these things.
I agree. The one we have back home, the Lake County Country Computer Expo, though usually full of local retailers, is still one of those places you should count your fingers at before leaving.
Though I have made a few good scores there before, like a CD-ROM drive for my laptop for $5!
--Beanie
You will find a rare steal there that is actually worth the cost of the item plus the entry fee. However, these tend to go quickly.
Often, the software is outdated, so are the books for sale if they're reasonably priced lower than a normal book store.
If you want brand spankin new stuff - top of the line name brand - it is a difficult find at a better cost than online. If, however, you want to tinker and upgrade the processor on your old motherboard to the most it can push (like a PIII - 800) and play with overclocking, you could probably find a good buy on one and the memory to go with it.