Master and Servant on Fri, 3 Sep 1999 18:11:08 -0400 (EDT)


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Re: [Plug] Fwd: Your application has been approved for a Free-PC


On Fri, 3 Sep 1999, Nick R wrote:
> You remember that whole FreePC deal? Well I just got this. So what do you 
> all think? The part about the credit card scares me a bit. It would also be 
> nice to see the specs so I could tell if it's worth stripping it for parts. 
> That does fall under what you can do as long as the HD is intact and you run 
> a system off of that for 10 hours a month. Anything anybody could tell me 
> about this would be very helpful. BTW, follow that link to register and read 
> all of the specifics of the deal.

I don't think it's too bad.  The real question is what is the hardware
configuration.  They've done some smart things, and their agreement isnt
TOO much legalese.  one smart thing they touched upon that is important:
the credit card that you give them must not expire in the period or be
cancelled.  

However, I do not recommend stripping the computer.  I recommend running
it for 15 hours a month (10+5 more just in case of any accounting errors)
in it's base configuration -- making sure not to put any private data on
the computer or surfing to any websites or doing anything that you dont
want them to know that you do.  

the other hours in the month (at your own discretion and risk) i would
guess you would have a 2nd hard drive installed with the OS of your choice
and you would boot cleanly and entirely separately from it, and not have
it accessable at all while you're doing the 10-15 hour thing.  
 
obviously if you arnt concerned with your parents or siblings or roommates
data and you dont think they will violate the useage agreement then they
can be used to easily eat up the 10-15 hours per month usage time. 
 
at the end of 30 months, the computer is yours... 
 
or if you look at it this way... 

the maximum they can charge you for the computer is $600
 
	30 months
times   10 hours
equals 300 hours

       		600 dollars
divided by 	300 hours
equals 		2 

that is... each hour of your computer usage time, they pay you 2 dollars
to use the computer. you take that pay, and pay for the computer with it.
 
is your (computer usage) time worth 2 dollars an hour?  Or is whatever
configuration they are giving you worth the time involved?  

I know I could personally use it as a surfstation and easily fill up the
time.   

the only other concern would be if they decided to terminate the agreement
with you through no fault of your own.  

or even if it was your fault 

your risk is:

maximum $600 plus shipping charges of the system (if you need to return
the computer for whatever reason, it is your financial responsibility) 

each month your risk is reduced $20
 


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