HOW TO GET THE COMPUTER YOU WANT WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE

 
HOW TO GET THE COMPUTER YOU WANT WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE

By M. Nasser Bey

I have been using computers for years now and have never owned a new one.
Like many people I had little money when I started looking for a machine.
Back in the early 90's when I got my first machine most new ones were way
out of my league in terms of cost, it was then i decided to try to get a used machine.

Early on; many used machines that I could find were from colleges and companies that were upgrading. These organization may have had contracts to buy new machines every year or two and so they just gave the machines away or tossed then in the trash in some case.

I started my search for a good used machine at the libray in the magazine stacks looking for computer magazines that listed used resellers. I found several and sent for infomation which usually meant a catalog. After saving money from my business I got my first used Macintosh in 1995, it was an old Mac SE. As time went on I found I needed software and internet access.

Using the software on the machine I began reading "readme" files on somthing called Gopher Space which was and still is a precursor to the web for file searches. Using a program called gopher I began locating free software all over the world. Other sites like JUMBO.com and DOWNLOAD.com provide unregisterd copies of software I still use, if you can stand the message asking you to register everytime the program comes up it can be a pretty good deal.

As I began to build my small business I found it was useful to conduct trades of services for the things I needed instead of buying. One program I traded for was a Desktop Publishing program,that led to me offering ad space in the publications I created. I was able to trade services with several internet service provides for free internet access long before free access was being given away by the big guys. I have found that some Non-profit organizations give free internet access to people who provide information on the net, check the organizations in your area, if you find one that provides this service, tell them that you are an INFORMATION PROVIDER and fill out their forms. They will send you the software you need to go online. Just don't abuse their service by spamming anyone or you will get yanked!

I was able to locate much of the software I have been using in used bookstores since many such store have used computer how-to books and in the back of these books there are CD's or
packs of disks. some of it is out of date and unsupported but still very usable to go online or perform other tasks like writing or web browsing.

Over the years I began trading advertising space for more used computers, getting an entire system, a Mac IICx and 21 inch monitor for advertising space! Later I needed better systems and began looking around for where to get them , then I discovered Ebay (http://www.ebay.com), after a conversation with a business contact. I began searching for what i needed and found that timing my bids in a certain manner often assured my winning the bid on the need equiptment.

I was able to bid on software and hardware that would have cost me hundreds more at retail.
To date I have about $5000 worth of equiptment and software that cost me less than $1500 to buy! You might say why bother looking for used stuff when new cost so little?

My answer is that you may not always need new stuff if some of the older stuff
will do. Take computers. I am now using a five year old Mac Power pc with 34 megs of ram and system 8.1, I use it mostly to web browse and desktop publish. I use a 56k modem too.

The processor on this machine is 90mhz, properly configured the machine brings my web pages up rather quickly, my mail downloads are quick aswell, both the machine and the 21 inch color monitor I use are used and work very well and have cost far less than new!
For alittle effort and some sound research you too can save money and have a good system, If however you are one of those people who has to have everything new than God bless you and go right out and get what you need. I have never paid retail for a computer related item and never will. Bartersites and trade sites of every kind are turning up on the net, just go to any browser search engine and type in BARTER or EXCHANGE OF SERVICES or AUCTION and COMPUTER , you are bound to find what you want for much less than full price. Once you start getting what you want in a computer for less you will wonder why you did not do this sooner.

Never pay for anything you can barter for.

Today ofcourse you can get a free computer from a big online provider or other company if you are willing to sign up for internet service for a year or more in some case and endure a mountain of advertising on your browser. Just go to any search engine and type in FREE COMPUTER. My own site at http://mnbey.freeyellow.com has links to bartersites and message boards to post your needs to. Good Hunting.

M.Nasser Bey Email: africalink1@mailcity.com
visit our site at : http://mnbey.freeyellow.com

About the Author

Formerly Publisher of the Africalink
Trade Newsletter and Currently the Publisher of the AAA credit Guide, the Middle East Banking List, the Guide to Trade in Africa and Reports on how to make money in just about any field.

 Muhammad Nasser Bey

More Articles