What I miss about Amiga shops.......

[Sandman]

Just finished my first visit to a Mac Store. Boy, what a snob-a-torium.  Definitely a elitist attitude at that place.  However, I like the new local Microsoft Store, some may hate their software but the people there were really nice and friendly with no pressure to buy.

I contrast this with the local Amiga stores that I used to visit back in the day.  One place in particular was just a fun, layed-back place for computer lovers to congregate.  I remember Saturday afternoons the place would be filled with Amiga enthusiast exchanging stories, dicussing software, trying out the new games and checking out the latest Fred Fish disks for goodies.  Good times.

[Buzzfuzz]

Just finished my first visit to a Mac Store. Boy, what a snob-a-torium. Definitely a elitist attitude at that place. However, I like the new local Microsoft Store, some may hate their software but the people there were really nice and friendly with no pressure to buy.
 
I contrast this with the local Amiga stores that I used to visit back in the day. One place in particular was just a fun, layed-back place for computer lovers to congregate. I remember Saturday afternoons the place would be filled with Amiga enthusiast exchanging stories, dicussing software, trying out the new games and checking out the latest Fred Fish disks for goodies. Good times.

Yeah I miss those times too.
Here in the Netherlands we had some good shops, always took the time to tell just about everything when you wanted to buy something.
Usually you end up with a bit more than you were planning.

[desiv]

I haven't been into a "computer store" in a long time.
My only visit into a Mac store wasn't too good.  It was in the late 90's and I was doing some phone system work and needed a serial cable.  The store was close so I stopped in and asked the salesman if they had a DB25 cable?  I still remember what he said:
"We don't use that terminology in here.  Do you mean Mac to Modem or Mac to Printer?"
I just asked to see the cables, grabbed one (Yes, they did have one; I didn't ask "what they called it") and left.

I liked the Amiga store; which really wasn't.  It was a computer store.  They sold Atari, Amiga and PC clones.  They had them all set up and you could almost always test what they had for sale.  He sold a lot of Amiga's, but I remember he was also happy with a "new" Nec Laptop that was selling very well.
(Funny, the things you remember...)

desiv
(Note: I am NOT saying all Mac stores are like that.  Just the one I went to..)

[Franko]

Gotta agree on the Apple shops, "come in sir, sit down for a mere £25 per half our one of our stuck up staff will advice you on just what we think you need and how much we're going to fleece you for"... :lol:

On he other hand PCworld staff "can I help you mate... no ta just looking... well if you need any help just give me a shout"...

Compare that to Princes Street in Edinburgh circa 1980's. John Menzies, WHSmiths, Dixons, Boots, Laskys, HMV, Virgin, Woolworths not mention all those neat little specialist shops the sprang up every where off the side streets & beaten track...

Saturday mornings & afternoons were spent touring all these great places in ever growing crowds, checking out this weeks releases and comparing prices and thoroughly testing them all before deciding which to buy that week....

It was a time when you made many new and even lifelong friends & acquaintances and where many user groups sprang up from, all because we had one thing in common, our fascination and love for all these new fangled home computer thingies...

It even got so popular that some of the guys who owned the small but equally well stocked independent stores had to arrange times for the ever growing groups to arrive and leave at certain times cos there were just too many to fit into all at once these magic little treasure caves stuffed full of all the latest goodies...

Then if you were old enough (or even if you weren't) it was off to the nearest pub to discuss & compare each others haul this week before setting of to invade whomevers bedroom who lived nearest to try out all the latest goodies...

Often wondered what some of the bemused mums thought when wee Johny arrived back home on those Saturday afternoons and announced "mum I've brought a few friends back, just going upstairs now to my room", then anything up to about 15 or 16 of us would trail into wee Johny's mums house with a cheery " hello Johny's Mum, look at what we bought this week"...

Wonder if such things still happen these days, highly doubt it but to be honest it was an experience and pleasure that I'm glad to say I didn't miss out on and remember most fondly...

[Iggy]

I haven't been into a "computer store" in a long time.
My only visit into a Mac store wasn't too good.  It was in the late 90's and I was doing some phone system work and needed a serial cable.  The store was close so I stopped in and asked the salesman if they had a DB25 cable?  I still remember what he said:
"We don't use that terminology in here.  Do you mean Mac to Modem or Mac to Printer?"
I just asked to see the cables, grabbed one (Yes, they did have one; I didn't ask "what they called it") and left.

I liked the Amiga store; which really wasn't.  It was a computer store.  They sold Atari, Amiga and PC clones.  They had them all set up and you could almost always test what they had for sale.  He sold a lot of Amiga's, but I remember he was also happy with a "new" Nec Laptop that was selling very well.
(Funny, the things you remember...)

desiv
(Note: I am NOT saying all Mac stores are like that.  Just the one I went to..)

Oh come on! You know Mac users can be rabid fanatics and their so called "experts" aren't much better than the Geek Squad (and apple experts don't make house calls).
They've always criminally over priced their hardware. And they insist on controlling all aspect of their market (and, no, this doesn't lead to good things).
I'll use my cast off PPC Mac proudly, knowing that my OS is significantly more efficient than OSX.

[Sandman]

I'll use my cast off PPC Mac proudly, knowing that my OS is significantly more efficient than OSX.

I also get a sly grin when I boot up OSX on my hackintoshed HP Tablet too.

[Daedalus]

On he other hand PCworld staff "can I help you mate... no ta just looking... well if you need any help just give me a shout"...

Which is just as well, because the only help they would be is if you had trouble reading the label on the shelf edge, they could read it to you. That and pointing out the most expensive item in the line they have while saying "This is what you need sir!" seems to be all they're good for.

Apple staff tend to be elitist alright, but at least they know the products they're trying to sell you.

[Franko]

Which is just as well, because the only help they would be is if you had trouble reading the label on the shelf edge, they could read it to you. That and pointing out the most expensive item in the line they have while saying "This is what you need sir!" seems to be all they're good for.

Apple staff tend to be elitist alright, but at least they know the products they're trying to sell you.

All very true that's why in PCWorld I just say "no ta, just looking" cos I can read the display tag or box myself...

Apple shop staff knowing what they're talking about, no quite true apart from their 25 quid per half hour "Consulting fee" they love to try and get you to pay, ask to test out the machine you're actually going to buy and not the display model and it's "sorry we can't do that", believe me I've tried...

Even a question about how many "dead pixels" are allowed on a screen before it can be classed as either needing replaced or your money refunded is met by a totally wrong answer as they don't have a clue about what by trading laws in the UK is considered acceptable or not...

I'd rather take my chances on ebay or buying second hand when it comes to anything Apple...

[Kesa]

So i walk into an apple store and start fiddling around when one of their people comes up to me and we exchange the following:

Me: "what's so special about apples?"

Apple guy: "" telling me why apple really are the best computers around.

So i ask: "how can apple computers be better than other brands like dell and acer when they all use the same generic parts like intel"?

Apple guy replies with mumbles of "gee, errr, ummm" until eventually all he can muster is "because it's apple!".

I just don't understand

[save2600]

The Amiga store we had near us was interesting. A guy that ran a local user group managed it, but a PC business type guy owned the place. The user group guy was a pleasure to talk to about all things micro related, but owner knew nothing about Amiga or PC's. Just fancied himself as this entrepreneur that could care less about computers, but loved to talk about himself. What he had done with his life. Where all he had been, etc. This is the place that used an AtariST for their POS cash duties.

Bought an A1200 from them and lots of software. Was always nice perusing all the Amiga goods. They had a fair amount too, but I remember it dwindled big time by the mid 90's until finally - the user group guy and the Amiga disappeared  

[Daedalus]

Hehe, well they do some nice engineering on their machines you have to admit. Yes it's Intel, but you can't overheat it by putting it on your lap like the equivalent Dell, for example...

@Franko
Yeah, never actually tried anything like that in an Apple store so never even got to the stage of needing a "consultancy" - the only thing I ever bought new from Apple was an Airport Express - which is a bloody excellent piece of kit! But I bought that from Amazon IIRC...

[Franko]

One of the worst things about visiting any type of electrical shop, whether it's a computer, TV or even a washing machine is the never ending sales push to get you to purchase the extra 3 or 5 year Warranty that cost half the price or more of the item your buying, that really pees me off but the best answer I've found to that is to reply with...

"So the piece of kit your trying to sell me is so unreliable that I need to purchase this extra warranty for it for when IT DOES BREAK DOWN within the first few years... In that case I'll not even bother buying such a piece of crap..."

Never fails as they either just shut up or mumble something under their breath as they waddle of knowing that they won't be getting a cut from selling you this scam...

[Kesa]

One of the worst things about visiting any type of electrical shop, whether it's a computer, TV or even a washing machine is the never ending sales push to get you to purchase the extra 3 or 5 year Warranty that cost half the price or more of the item your buying, that really pees me off but the best answer I've found to that is to reply with...

"So the piece of kit your trying to sell me is so unreliable that I need to purchase this extra warranty for it for when IT DOES BREAK DOWN within the first few years... In that case I'll not even bother buying such a piece of crap..."

Never fails as they either just shut up or mumble something under their breath as they waddle of knowing that they won't be getting a cut from selling you this scam...

That's not the worst thing. The worst thing is when you spend extra on top of an initial purchase for extended warranty and then they don't honour it. I bought a new Acer laptop and was so proud of it i spend $150 extra for extended warranty. Then about a month later the harddrive broke. Acer refused to fix it out right because i didn't fill out the piece of cardboard that came somewhere in the box. So why did i spend $150 for extra warranty? :madashell:

[Franko]

A government sponsored report a number of years ago in the UK about these "extended warranties" showed that this money making scam (and that's all it is) that almost 78% of these purchased warranties are never used or needed during the warranties lifetime by the buyer and the small remainder that do require it when something does break down, will more often than not find that the company claims the broken part is not covered by the warranty...

If you know a friend who is a shop manager that tries to sell such warranties ask them to tell you just how much the "warranty provider" (ie: insurance company) actually pays the company/shop a share of the revenue from selling these things and just how much the shop actually pays the staff a bonus/fee for each one they sell, reckon you might be surprised when you find out the truth...

Never buy one... it's not worth the money and in most cases the paper it's written on...

[Kesa]

Franko, can you imagine the looks on their faces if you took in your A1200T to be repaired under warranty in 1992?

You take in a heavily modified Amiga and they would go "What the f**k"? :eek:

We should all take our 2011 miggys back in time just to freak them out. But not just the warranty guys but community groups too. *sighs* the joys of time travel :rolleyes: