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Re: Microcenter

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  Re: Microcenter Chicago Paddling-Fishing <jwn@ripco.com> - 2016-09-25 06:57 +0000
    Re: Microcenter Crawford Sausage Company <mea@brandylion.com> - 2016-09-25 12:16 -0700
    Re: Microcenter dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com (dye) - 2016-09-28 21:24 +0000
      Re: Microcenter Geoff Gass <glg@tanzenmb.com> - 2016-09-28 23:57 +0000
        Re: Microcenter Michele <eatshitanddie@spammers.com> - 2016-09-29 00:50 -0500
        Re: Microcenter dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com (dye) - 2016-09-30 16:15 +0000
    Re: Microcenter dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com (dye) - 2017-08-03 16:24 +0000
      Re: Microcenter barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> - 2017-08-05 09:38 -0500
        Re: Microcenter Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> - 2017-08-23 13:15 +0000
          Re: Microcenter Geoff Gass <glg@tanzenmb.com> - 2017-08-23 14:23 +0000
            Re: Microcenter Chicago Paddling-Fishing <jwn@ripco.com> - 2017-11-05 09:08 +0000
          Re: Microcenter Don Seeley <see-sig@fakedomain.com> - 2017-08-30 16:24 +0000
            Re: Microcenter Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> - 2017-09-02 21:52 +0000
              Re: Microcenter Michele <goaway@noseytwats.com> - 2017-09-07 01:42 -0500
              Re: Microcenter dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com (dye) - 2017-10-14 20:39 +0000
          Re: Microcenter tert in seattle <tert@ftupet.com> - 2017-09-25 00:52 +0000
            Re: Microcenter Kristian M Zoerhoff <kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com> - 2017-10-04 01:39 +0000
              Re: Microcenter nobody@[127.0.0.1] (David W. Tamkin) - 2017-10-04 15:01 +0000
                Re: Microcenter Kristian M Zoerhoff <kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com> - 2017-10-04 19:11 +0000
                  Re: Microcenter Michele <goaway@noseytwats.com> - 2017-10-06 00:16 -0500
                    Re: Microcenter Kristian M Zoerhoff <kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com> - 2017-10-07 22:26 +0000
                      Re: Microcenter Michele <goaway@noseytwats.com> - 2017-10-07 23:00 -0500
                        Re: Microcenter Geoff Gass <glg@tanzenmb.com> - 2017-10-11 23:19 +0000
                          Re: Microcenter Michele <goaway@noseytwats.com> - 2017-10-12 00:39 -0500
                            Re: Microcenter Geoff Gass <glg@tanzenmb.com> - 2017-10-13 17:51 +0000
                              Re: Microcenter Michele <goaway@noseytwats.com> - 2017-10-14 22:45 -0500
                              Re: Microcenter barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> - 2017-10-21 23:49 -0500
                      Re: Microcenter barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> - 2017-10-21 23:48 -0500
                  Re: Microcenter nobody@[127.0.0.1] (David W. Tamkin) - 2017-10-07 02:56 +0000
              Re: Microcenter Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> - 2017-10-10 03:11 +0000
                Re: Microcenter Kristian M Zoerhoff <kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com> - 2017-10-11 16:07 +0000
                Re: Microcenter dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com (dye) - 2017-10-14 20:46 +0000
                  Re: Microcenter barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> - 2017-10-21 23:51 -0500
                    Re: Microcenter dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com (dye) - 2017-10-23 23:06 +0000
                Re: Microcenter Chicago Paddling-Fishing <jwn@ripco.com> - 2017-11-05 09:25 +0000
                  Re: Microcenter Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> - 2017-11-07 03:18 +0000
                    Re: Microcenter Chicago Paddling-Fishing <jwn@ripco.com> - 2017-11-07 05:15 +0000
                      Re: Microcenter Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> - 2017-11-26 05:57 +0000
                        Re: Microcenter Chicago Paddling-Fishing <jwn@ripco.com> - 2018-01-14 01:57 +0000
                          Re: Microcenter Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> - 2018-01-17 04:03 +0000
                            Re: Microcenter Chicago Paddling-Fishing <jwn@ripco.com> - 2018-08-13 06:48 +0000
                              Re: Microcenter barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> - 2018-08-17 19:24 -0500
      Re: Microcenter Max <betatron@gmail.com> - 2017-08-05 21:07 -0500

Page 1 of 3  [1] 2 3  Next page →

#3705 — Re: Microcenter

Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>In article bje@ripco.com says...
>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>> 
>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>> door.

>Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of 
>fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb 
>instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.

>Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years 
>opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly 
>COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?

>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds 
>that
>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>> 
>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>> a waste of floor space but who knows. 

>I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin 
>but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those 
>bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking 
>through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do 
>that anymore.

They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).

>Microcenter always had Raspberry Pis and Arduino stuff but this was 
>quite an expansion.  If I were a lot younger or had young kids it would 
>be interesting to play with these kits and learn how to build a robot 
>and program embedded systems.

They have some quadcoptor stuff in that area too, lots of kids enjoy playing
with them.

>> And along the same lines, unless I hit my head pretty hard and didn't
>> realize it, I swear I saw a Menards commerical advertising mattresses. You
>> know, the ones you sleep on.
>> 
>> I know it's an uphill battle for them to compete with Home Depot and Lowes
>> but mattresses? 

>Menards carries Purina One dog food.  I always feel funny buying dog 
>food and socks there.

Menards carries kayaks too...

-- 
John Nelson
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Chicago Area Paddling/Fishing Page
       http://www.chicagopaddling.org   http://www.chicagofishing.org
 (A Non-Commercial Web Site: No Sponsors, No Paid Ads and Nothing to Sell)

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#3707

On Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 1:57:35 AM UTC-5, Chicago Paddling-Fishing wrote:
> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
> >In article bje@ripco.com says...
> >> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
> >> 
> >> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
> >> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
> >> door.
> 
> >Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of 
> >fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb 
> >instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
> 
> >Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years 
> >opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly 
> >COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
> 
> >> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds 
> >that
> >> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
> >> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
> >> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
> >> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
> >> 
> >> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
> >> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
> >> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
> >> a waste of floor space but who knows. 
> 
> >I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin 
> >but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those 
> >bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking 
> >through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do 
> >that anymore.
> 
> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
> 
> >Microcenter always had Raspberry Pis and Arduino stuff but this was 
> >quite an expansion.  If I were a lot younger or had young kids it would 
> >be interesting to play with these kits and learn how to build a robot 
> >and program embedded systems.
> 
> They have some quadcoptor stuff in that area too, lots of kids enjoy playing
> with them.

I have my eye on a $1000 model but will wait a few years for
the price to come down.  The el cheapo drones they sell are cheap
plastic toys.  

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#3709

In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>> 
>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>> door.
>
>>Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of 
>>fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb 
>>instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>
>>Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years 
>>opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly 
>>COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>
>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds 
>>that
>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>> 
>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>> a waste of floor space but who knows. 
>
>>I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin 
>>but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those 
>>bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking 
>>through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do 
>>that anymore.
>
>They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>
>>Microcenter always had Raspberry Pis and Arduino stuff but this was 
>>quite an expansion.  If I were a lot younger or had young kids it would 
>>be interesting to play with these kits and learn how to build a robot 
>>and program embedded systems.
>
>They have some quadcoptor stuff in that area too, lots of kids enjoy playing
>with them.
>
>>> And along the same lines, unless I hit my head pretty hard and didn't
>>> realize it, I swear I saw a Menards commerical advertising mattresses. You
>>> know, the ones you sleep on.
>>> 
>>> I know it's an uphill battle for them to compete with Home Depot and Lowes
>>> but mattresses? 
>
>>Menards carries Purina One dog food.  I always feel funny buying dog 
>>food and socks there.
>
>Menards carries kayaks too...

....and Sprecher regular and low-cal root beer!

--Ken


-- 
Ken R. Dye                               an optimist is a guy             |
Chicago, Illinois                        that has never had               |
http://dye.datsun510.com/index1.html     much experience                  |
dye1146 at g mail dot com                                    archy        |

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#3711

dye <dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com> wrote:
> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>> 
>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>> door.
>>
>>>Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of 
>>>fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb 
>>>instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>
>>>Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years 
>>>opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly 
>>>COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>
>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds 
>>>that
>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>> 
>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows. 
>>
>>>I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin 
>>>but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those 
>>>bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking 
>>>through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do 
>>>that anymore.
>>
>>They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>
>>>Microcenter always had Raspberry Pis and Arduino stuff but this was 
>>>quite an expansion.  If I were a lot younger or had young kids it would 
>>>be interesting to play with these kits and learn how to build a robot 
>>>and program embedded systems.
>>
>>They have some quadcoptor stuff in that area too, lots of kids enjoy playing
>>with them.
>>
>>>> And along the same lines, unless I hit my head pretty hard and didn't
>>>> realize it, I swear I saw a Menards commerical advertising mattresses. You
>>>> know, the ones you sleep on.
>>>> 
>>>> I know it's an uphill battle for them to compete with Home Depot and Lowes
>>>> but mattresses? 
>>
>>>Menards carries Purina One dog food.  I always feel funny buying dog 
>>>food and socks there.
>>
>>Menards carries kayaks too...
>
> ....and Sprecher regular and low-cal root beer!

was up in milwaukee last month and did the tour.  couple of random things:
1. Menards is their biggest retailer
2. the only reason they have root beer is because back when they only had beer
and had started tours, they had nothing for kids to drink after the tour except
a water fountain.  the owner saw some kids disappointed while parents had free
samples (which apparently were self-service and unlimited back then).  he'd
been playing with a root beer recipe and decided to make some for the tours.
that leads to:
3. root beer now outsells all other products (all beers and the other sodas)
combined 3-to-1.

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#3715

On 9/28/2016 6:57 PM, Geoff Gass wrote:
> dye <dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com> wrote:
>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>>
>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>> door.
>>>
>>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>
>>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>
>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>>> that
>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>>
>>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>>> that anymore.
>>>
>>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>>
>>>> Microcenter always had Raspberry Pis and Arduino stuff but this was
>>>> quite an expansion.  If I were a lot younger or had young kids it would
>>>> be interesting to play with these kits and learn how to build a robot
>>>> and program embedded systems.
>>>
>>> They have some quadcoptor stuff in that area too, lots of kids enjoy playing
>>> with them.
>>>
>>>>> And along the same lines, unless I hit my head pretty hard and didn't
>>>>> realize it, I swear I saw a Menards commerical advertising mattresses. You
>>>>> know, the ones you sleep on.
>>>>>
>>>>> I know it's an uphill battle for them to compete with Home Depot and Lowes
>>>>> but mattresses?
>>>
>>>> Menards carries Purina One dog food.  I always feel funny buying dog
>>>> food and socks there.
>>>
>>> Menards carries kayaks too...
>>
>> ....and Sprecher regular and low-cal root beer!
>
> was up in milwaukee last month and did the tour.  couple of random things:
> 1. Menards is their biggest retailer
> 2. the only reason they have root beer is because back when they only had beer
> and had started tours, they had nothing for kids to drink after the tour except
> a water fountain.  the owner saw some kids disappointed while parents had free
> samples (which apparently were self-service and unlimited back then).  he'd
> been playing with a root beer recipe and decided to make some for the tours.
> that leads to:
> 3. root beer now outsells all other products (all beers and the other sodas)
> combined 3-to-1.
>


Their restaurant in Lake Geneva ain't half-bad either.

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#3718

In article <slrnnuom7n.pi8.glg@ftupet.ftupet.com>,
Geoff Gass  <glg@tanzenmb.com> wrote:
>dye <dye@d118-75-174-144.try.wideopenwest.com> wrote:
>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>>Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>>In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>> door.
>>>
>>>>Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of 
>>>>fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb 
>>>>instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>
>>>>Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years 
>>>>opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly 
>>>>COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>
>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds 
>>>>that
>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows. 
>>>
>>>>I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin 
>>>>but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those 
>>>>bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking 
>>>>through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do 
>>>>that anymore.
>>>
>>>They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>>
>>>>Microcenter always had Raspberry Pis and Arduino stuff but this was 
>>>>quite an expansion.  If I were a lot younger or had young kids it would 
>>>>be interesting to play with these kits and learn how to build a robot 
>>>>and program embedded systems.
>>>
>>>They have some quadcoptor stuff in that area too, lots of kids enjoy playing
>>>with them.
>>>
>>>>> And along the same lines, unless I hit my head pretty hard and didn't
>>>>> realize it, I swear I saw a Menards commerical advertising mattresses. You
>>>>> know, the ones you sleep on.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I know it's an uphill battle for them to compete with Home Depot and Lowes
>>>>> but mattresses? 
>>>
>>>>Menards carries Purina One dog food.  I always feel funny buying dog 
>>>>food and socks there.
>>>
>>>Menards carries kayaks too...
>>
>> ....and Sprecher regular and low-cal root beer!
>
>was up in milwaukee last month and did the tour.  couple of random things:
>1. Menards is their biggest retailer
>2. the only reason they have root beer is because back when they only had beer
>and had started tours, they had nothing for kids to drink after the tour except
>a water fountain.  the owner saw some kids disappointed while parents had free
>samples (which apparently were self-service and unlimited back then).  he'd
>been playing with a root beer recipe and decided to make some for the tours.
>that leads to:
>3. root beer now outsells all other products (all beers and the other sodas)
>combined 3-to-1.

And thru Oct 1st, you can get a 4-pack of 16oz botttles for $2.50!!

(the jewels charges $3.99)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzyp_TBTkjQXY1gtYUJyMThnSFk/view?usp=sharing

Did not know about (1.).  They have quite a variety of Sprecher rootbeers,
colas, gingerales, etc. etc.....

--Ken

--Ken

-- 
Ken R. Dye                               an optimist is a guy             |
Chicago, Illinois                        that has never had               |
http://dye.datsun510.com/index1.html     much experience                  |
dye1146 at g mail dot com                                    archy        |

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#3743

In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>> 
>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>> door.
>
>>Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of 
>>fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb 
>>instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>
>>Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years 
>>opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly 
>>COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>
>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds 
>>that
>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>> 
>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>> a waste of floor space but who knows. 
>
>>I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin 
>>but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those 
>>bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking 
>>through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do 
>>that anymore.
>
>They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).

My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
*included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
year and a half.

Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
but this was living large in 1998.

--Ken


-- 
Ken R. Dye                               an optimist is a guy             |
Chicago, Illinois                        that has never had               |
http://dye.datsun510.com/index1.html     much experience                  |
dye1146 at g mail dot com                                    archy        |

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#3744

On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:

> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>
>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>> door.
>>
>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>
>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>
>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>> that
>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>
>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>
>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>> that anymore.
>>
>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>
> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
> year and a half.
>
> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
> but this was living large in 1998.

Hah!
I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!

I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
clunky compared to our smartphones.

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#3746

barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
> 
>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>>
>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>> door.
>>>
>>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>
>>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>
>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>>> that
>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>>
>>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>>> that anymore.
>>>
>>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>
>> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>> year and a half.
>>
>> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>> but this was living large in 1998.
> 
> Hah!
> I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
> 
> I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
> could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
> clunky compared to our smartphones.

Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.

What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.

Even those silly watches you'd link to your computer by letting the screen 
flash made more sense.

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#3747

Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:
> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
>> 
>>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>>> door.
>>>>
>>>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>>
>>>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>>
>>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>>>> that
>>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>>>
>>>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>>>> that anymore.
>>>>
>>>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>>
>>> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>>> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>>> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>>> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>>> year and a half.
>>>
>>> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>>> but this was living large in 1998.
>> 
>> Hah!
>> I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
>> 
>> I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
>> could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
>> clunky compared to our smartphones.
>
> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.
>
> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.

I never had one that wasn't also a phone (the Treo line).  That one had early
smart phone stuff on it.  It was much easier to deal with contacts than on the
flip/candybar phones of the day.  Calendar too.  IIRC, it had a crappy email
client.  From there I went to a Nokia 9300.  Symbian, did okay with email, had
an ssh client, etc.  Then it was Android from there.

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#3779

Geoff Gass <glg@tanzenmb.com> wrote:
>Cydrome Leader <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:
>> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
>>> 
>>>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>>>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>>>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>>>> door.
>>>>>
>>>>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>>>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>>>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>>>
>>>>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>>>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>>>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>>>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>>>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>>>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>>>>> that anymore.
>>>>>
>>>>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>>>
>>>> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>>>> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>>>> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>>>> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>>>> year and a half.
>>>>
>>>> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>>>> but this was living large in 1998.
>>> 
>>> Hah!
>>> I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
>>> 
>>> I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
>>> could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
>>> clunky compared to our smartphones.
>>
>> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.
>>
>> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
>> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
>> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
>> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
>> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.

>I never had one that wasn't also a phone (the Treo line).  That one had early
>smart phone stuff on it.  It was much easier to deal with contacts than on the
>flip/candybar phones of the day.  Calendar too.  IIRC, it had a crappy email
>client.  From there I went to a Nokia 9300.  Symbian, did okay with email, had
>an ssh client, etc.  Then it was Android from there.

The sidekick (from Danger Inc) made a great replacement for Palm. Not quite
a smartphone, but close enough to put a lot of distance between it and Treo.

-- 
John Nelson
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Chicago Area Paddling/Fishing Page
       http://www.chicagopaddling.org   http://www.chicagofishing.org
 (A Non-Commercial Web Site: No Sponsors, No Paid Ads and Nothing to Sell)

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#3748

Cydrome Leader <presence@mungepanix.com> wrote:
> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
> > 
> > 
> > On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
> > 
> >> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
> >> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
> >>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
> >>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
> >>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
> >>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
> >>>>> door.
> >>>
> >>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
> >>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
> >>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
> >>>
> >>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
> >>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
> >>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
> >>>
> >>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
> >>>> that
> >>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
> >>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
> >>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
> >>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
> >>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
> >>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
> >>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
> >>>
> >>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
> >>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
> >>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
> >>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
> >>>> that anymore.
> >>>
> >>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
> >>
> >> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
> >> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
> >> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
> >> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
> >> year and a half.
> >>
> >> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
> >> but this was living large in 1998.
> > 
> > Hah!
> > I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
> > 
> > I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
> > could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
> > clunky compared to our smartphones.

> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.

> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.

> Even those silly watches you'd link to your computer by letting the screen 
> flash made more sense.

At the time I had my Palm 5 I was traveling a lot for work and used it 
to keep track of my calendar & schedule and track expenses. I also 
played solitaire and a couple of other games on flights and had a 
couple of good Japanese practice apps.

As Barb said, I thought it was the shit at the time. By today's 
standards it was slightly better than a wax tablet and a pointy stick.

-- 
           Don Seeley
    dschi at seeleyart.com
   http://www.seeleyart.com

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#3749

Don Seeley <see-sig@fakedomain.com> wrote:
> Cydrome Leader <presence@mungepanix.com> wrote:
>> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
>> > 
>> > 
>> > On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
>> > 
>> >> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>> >> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>> >>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>> >>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>> >>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>> >>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>> >>>>> door.
>> >>>
>> >>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>> >>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>> >>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>> >>>
>> >>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>> >>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>> >>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>> >>>
>> >>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>> >>>> that
>> >>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>> >>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>> >>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>> >>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>> >>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>> >>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>> >>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>> >>>
>> >>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>> >>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>> >>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>> >>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>> >>>> that anymore.
>> >>>
>> >>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>> >>
>> >> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>> >> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>> >> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>> >> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>> >> year and a half.
>> >>
>> >> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>> >> but this was living large in 1998.
>> > 
>> > Hah!
>> > I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
>> > 
>> > I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
>> > could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
>> > clunky compared to our smartphones.
> 
>> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.
> 
>> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
>> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
>> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
>> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
>> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.
> 
>> Even those silly watches you'd link to your computer by letting the screen 
>> flash made more sense.
> 
> At the time I had my Palm 5 I was traveling a lot for work and used it 
> to keep track of my calendar & schedule and track expenses. I also 
> played solitaire and a couple of other games on flights and had a 
> couple of good Japanese practice apps.
> 
> As Barb said, I thought it was the shit at the time. By today's 
> standards it was slightly better than a wax tablet and a pointy stick.

I didn't even know there were telephone (AMPS?) enabled versions. Still 
seems like a worthless product.

One of the more fun non-networked devices I had was thinkpad and a Fujitsu 
tablet computer. The fujitsu was a full-out 386 with windows 3.1 and 
PenDOS and/or stylus software for windows. Laplink was pretty much the 
only way to get data on and off the thing. 

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#3751

On 9/2/2017 4:52 PM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
> Don Seeley <see-sig@fakedomain.com> wrote:
>> Cydrome Leader <presence@mungepanix.com> wrote:
>>> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>>>>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>>>>> door.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>>>>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>>>>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>>>>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>>>>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>>>>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>>>>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>>>>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>>>>>> that anymore.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>>>>
>>>>> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>>>>> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>>>>> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>>>>> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>>>>> year and a half.
>>>>>
>>>>> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>>>>> but this was living large in 1998.
>>>>
>>>> Hah!
>>>> I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
>>>>
>>>> I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I
>>>> could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they
>>>> clunky compared to our smartphones.
>>
>>> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.
>>
>>> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one
>>> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid
>>> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even
>>> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic
>>> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.
>>
>>> Even those silly watches you'd link to your computer by letting the screen
>>> flash made more sense.
>>
>> At the time I had my Palm 5 I was traveling a lot for work and used it
>> to keep track of my calendar & schedule and track expenses. I also
>> played solitaire and a couple of other games on flights and had a
>> couple of good Japanese practice apps.
>>
>> As Barb said, I thought it was the shit at the time. By today's
>> standards it was slightly better than a wax tablet and a pointy stick.
> 
> I didn't even know there were telephone (AMPS?) enabled versions. Still
> seems like a worthless product.
> 

I will never forget when I first noticed one of the carriage drivers 
from another company wearing a Bluetooth headpiece with the blue blinky 
light on it. He had a Palm phone and it made him look even more like the 
douchebag he was.

> One of the more fun non-networked devices I had was thinkpad and a Fujitsu
> tablet computer. The fujitsu was a full-out 386 with windows 3.1 and
> PenDOS and/or stylus software for windows. Laplink was pretty much the
> only way to get data on and off the thing.
> 

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#3765

In article <oof96t$4i2$2@reader2.panix.com>,
Cydrome Leader  <presence@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote:
>Don Seeley <see-sig@fakedomain.com> wrote:
>> Cydrome Leader <presence@mungepanix.com> wrote:
>>> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
>>> > 
>>> > 
>>> > On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
>>> > 
>>> >> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>>> >> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>> >>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>> >>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>> >>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>> >>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get
>people in the
>>> >>>>> door.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>> >>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>> >>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>> >>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>> >>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>> >>>
>>> >>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>> >>>> that
>>> >>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite
>get what Steam
>>> >>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all
>the console
>>> >>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I
>can't see
>>> >>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't
>been out to
>>> >>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a
>while, last time
>>> >>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose
>"parts". Seems like
>>> >>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>> >>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>> >>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>> >>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>> >>>> that anymore.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>> >>
>>> >> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>>> >> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>>> >> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>>> >> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>>> >> year and a half.
>>> >>
>>> >> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>>> >> but this was living large in 1998.
>>> > 
>>> > Hah!
>>> > I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
>>> > 
>>> > I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
>>> > could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
>>> > clunky compared to our smartphones.
>> 
>>> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.
>> 
>>> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
>>> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
>>> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
>>> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
>>> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.
>> 
>>> Even those silly watches you'd link to your computer by letting the screen 
>>> flash made more sense.
>> 
>> At the time I had my Palm 5 I was traveling a lot for work and used it 
>> to keep track of my calendar & schedule and track expenses. I also 
>> played solitaire and a couple of other games on flights and had a 
>> couple of good Japanese practice apps.
>> 
>> As Barb said, I thought it was the shit at the time. By today's 
>> standards it was slightly better than a wax tablet and a pointy stick.
>
>I didn't even know there were telephone (AMPS?) enabled versions. Still 
>seems like a worthless product.

Mobiltex: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobitex

Palm VII: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_VII

Retailed for $600?  $15/month data plan?  That was the MicroCenter
bargin bin find of the century!

--Ken

-- 
Ken R. Dye                               an optimist is a guy             |
Chicago, Illinois                        that has never had               |
http://dye.datsun510.com/index1.html     much experience                  |
dye1146 at g mail dot com                                    archy        |

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#3752

Cydrome Leader wrote:
> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
>> 
>>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>>> door.
>>>>
>>>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>>
>>>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>>
>>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>>>> that
>>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>>>
>>>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>>>> that anymore.
>>>>
>>>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>>
>>> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>>> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>>> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>>> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>>> year and a half.
>>>
>>> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>>> but this was living large in 1998.
>> 
>> Hah!
>> I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
>> 
>> I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
>> could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
>> clunky compared to our smartphones.
>
> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.
>
> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.
>
> Even those silly watches you'd link to your computer by letting the screen 
> flash made more sense.

I got a Palm III from work in 1998 or thereabouts. It had some infrared way
of communicating with other Palm III's but I don't remember ever using that
feature. I used it for playing games and taking notes. The Palm script was
easy to learn and note taking wasn't too cumbersome. It had a backlight so 
you could see the LCD screen in the dark. It also had a flip cover that made 
it great for pretending you were on the USS Enterprise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_III

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#3753

On 2017-09-25, tert in seattle <tert@ftupet.com> wrote:
> Cydrome Leader wrote:
>> barbie gee <booger@nosespam.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Thu, 3 Aug 2017, dye wrote:
>>> 
>>>> In article <ns7sgu$1th$2@remote5bge0.ripco.com>,
>>>> Chicago Paddling-Fishing  <jwn@ripco.com> wrote:
>>>>> Mark Anderson <mea@nospambradnylion.com> wrote:
>>>>>> In article bje@ripco.com says...
>>>>>>> Yeah but at least they are trying, look where Radio Shack is today.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Keep in mind when MC opened (1997/98?), the computer market was totally
>>>>>>> different from today. They need to keep changing shit to get people in the
>>>>>>> door.
>>>>>
>>>>>> Remember Handy Andy?  They tried to charge me $108 for a 12 pack of
>>>>>> fluorescent tube bulbs because the cashier thought it was $8/bulb
>>>>>> instead of $8/12 pack.  Had to get a manager to figure that out.
>>>>>
>>>>>> Microcenter hasn't changed much since they opened.  After a few years
>>>>>> opening they became a better deal for a lot of things than that monthly
>>>>>> COD computer fair.  Do they still do that?
>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm not a gamer but it's obvious from posts, news articles and feeds
>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> the game market is mostly "online" these days. I don't quite get what Steam
>>>>>>> is, but it's obvious it's some pay to play system. That and all the console
>>>>>>> machines that only work over the net. With all that going on, I can't see
>>>>>>> where carrying them in a store works anymore.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Maybe MC is trying to take a stab at Fry's, although I haven't been out to
>>>>>>> the one in Downers Grove (or wherever the hell it is) in a while, last time
>>>>>>> I was there they had a couple aisles dedicated to loose "parts". Seems like
>>>>>>> a waste of floor space but who knows.
>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm not a gamer either.  I was looking for PS2 games in some bargain bin
>>>>>> but now PS3 are the bargain platform.  Microcenter used to have those
>>>>>> bargain bins of random stuff that you could spend a lot of time looking
>>>>>> through for something you might need and get it cheap.  They don't do
>>>>>> that anymore.
>>>>>
>>>>> They still have bargan bins (well, more like tables).
>>>>
>>>> My big MC bargin bin score was circa 1998...someone had returned a Palm
>>>> Pilot 7, which was better than the Palm 5 I went to buy, but also
>>>> *included wireless celluar*.  The people who returned it had
>>>> activated a data plan and it worked wireless for free for about a
>>>> year and a half.
>>>>
>>>> Not that it was fast or anything, probably an analog cellular connection,
>>>> but this was living large in 1998.
>>> 
>>> Hah!
>>> I'm surprised they didn't cancel the account, but good for you!
>>> 
>>> I had two different Palm devices, and while they were fun to have, and I 
>>> could read my email on them, but looking back at them, boy, were they 
>>> clunky compared to our smartphones.
>>
>> Maybe somebody here can remind me about all of this.
>>
>> What the hell was a palm even for? I don't recall anybody who ever had one 
>> being able to explain what it really did other than looks real stupid 
>> hanging off an belt next to a two way pager. I don't recall them even 
>> having "basic functionality" like being able to exchange "electronic 
>> business cards" or anything like that by pointing them at each other.
>>
>> Even those silly watches you'd link to your computer by letting the screen 
>> flash made more sense.
>
> I got a Palm III from work in 1998 or thereabouts. It had some infrared way
> of communicating with other Palm III's but I don't remember ever using that
> feature. I used it for playing games and taking notes. The Palm script was
> easy to learn and note taking wasn't too cumbersome. It had a backlight so 
> you could see the LCD screen in the dark. It also had a flip cover that made 
> it great for pretending you were on the USS Enterprise.

Sheeeeeit.

My wife worked for 3Com back in the day (99-06?), so I cycled through a Palm
III, a IIIc (color screen!), a V, and a Sony Clie (their licensed clone of a 
Palm that, of course, used Memory Stick instead of SD). Man, fuck Sony sideways.

You could beam certain data between units via IR, but it was wonky as fuck.
Syncing it in a corporate environment was a challenge, but I do recall getting
it to work with Lotus Notes (yeesh) when I was at IBM. 


-- 

Kristian M Zoerhoff

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#3754

kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com wrote in
<slrn3vfsot8eu9.dug.kristian.zoerhoff@sdf.lonestar.org>:

| back in the day (99-06?),

That's not "back in the day."  It's barely even yesterday.

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#3755

On 2017-10-04, David W. Tamkin <nobody@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
> kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com wrote in
><slrn3vfsot8eu9.dug.kristian.zoerhoff@sdf.lonestar.org>:
>
>| back in the day (99-06?),
>
> That's not "back in the day."  It's barely even yesterday.

Hush, old man.

-- 

Kristian M Zoerhoff

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#3756

On 10/4/2017 2:11 PM, Kristian M Zoerhoff wrote:
> On 2017-10-04, David W. Tamkin <nobody@[127.0.0.1]> wrote:
>> kristian.zoerhoff@gmail.com wrote in
>> <slrn3vfsot8eu9.dug.kristian.zoerhoff@sdf.lonestar.org>:
>>
>> | back in the day (99-06?),
>>
>> That's not "back in the day."  It's barely even yesterday.
> 
> Hush, old man.
> 


So, how old are the kids you're braising these days?

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