Has anyone heard of this Peoplepc.com where they will give you a free computer but you have to use CompuServe Internet Provider at $24.95 a month? You can upgrade the computer for free every 3 years and the initial shipping is $69.00?
Sounds great to me, with my cranky, generic, outdated, computer with it’s hard drive nearly full and using AOL at $30 a month (I don’t use credit cards, so they electronically tap my bank account and charge me $5.00 extra for that.) Plus, one of the two AOL numbers I use has gone nuts and AOL doesn’t seem inclined to have it fixed.
I would not mind the computer, but I don’t want to get stuck with a crappy ISP.
I don’t think it sounds like a very good deal. Read the fine print and do the math very, very carefully. Like Handy says, computer prices are coming down all the time. And more and more ISPs are starting up, many of them free.
I have a friend who thought she was getting a “free computer” last fall. It was one of those “sign up for MSN for 3 years and get this free computer” deals. Right after she signed up (and paid the non-refundable $400 fee), Juno Internet went free in our area, but there she was, stuck with MSN for the next 3 years, or else just swallow the 400 bucks. It’s not a business computer, either, so she can’t just write it off.
Juno drives us crazy with great frequency, (mainly with pointless disconnections), but hey, it’s free, it’s hard to argue with that. Here’s their home page. Look and see if they have an access number in your area. They also have a Premium Service for $8.95 a month, which is certainly cheaper than $24.95, that gives you more access numbers and 24/7 tech help. http://www.juno.com/fab.shtml
While I haven’t tried Peoplepc.com, you might be interested to know that it meets the approval of consumer advocate radio show host Clark Howard. He made mention of it on his March 31, 2000 show at http://www.accessatlanta.com/partners/clarkhoward/shownotes/2000/03/31.html, and I know Howard is VERY good about recommending deals he feels are winners for the consumer.
computers are so cheap now, if your really concerned about just surfing the web mostly, and maybe some light office type work ie.word processing apps and spreadsheets, under $1200 will get you a great system including monitor, mouse, keyboard, speakers, and sometimes printer depending on who you go through or build it yourself.
Tons of free dial up ISP’s, just search the threads, and for free DSL, well, www.freedsl.com. couldn’t be simpler.
sounds like Clark Howard either doesn’t know completely what he’s talking about here, or he’s getting paid to say what he says, or he’s just a little less informed about whats out there in comparison.