[Leica] computers and cameras, Dell and otherwise

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

> Brian Reid
> LUG Saloon keeper <<<

Hail The Great Saloon Keeper!!!! :-)

I do seem to be coming around in possibly participating a tad more, that 
maybe good news or bad news for some folks. But this post is why I really 
like this space.... The Great Saloon Keeper has such a great way of dealing 
with items in a wonderful simple common sense manner!

Way to go Brian! Thank you.
ted

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brian Reid" <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
To: <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2005 8:44 AM
Subject: [Leica] computers and cameras, Dell and otherwise


> This LUG consists of people who claim to be interested in Leica cameras 
> and who own a computer. One of the reasons that there is anything to 
> discuss about cameras and other mechanical objects is that they sometimes 
> fail or break or misbehave.
>
> In most manufactured goods there is a hierarchy of quality, ranging 
> something like this:
>   * discount
>   * consumer grade
>   * high-end consumer grade
>   * professional light duty
>   * industrial and professional heavy duty
>   * military and aerospace
>
> We spend a lot of time discussing quality issues in cameras. Given that 
> computers are what link us all together, and that increasingly, computers 
> are where we store our work, I think it is appropriate to discuss 
> computers here as long as we don't get carried away by it.
>
> Dell computers are no more or less reliable than any other consumer brand, 
> and, like all big manufacturers, Dell makes several different quality 
> levels.
>
> Since this is the Leica Users Group and not the Point-and-shoot User's 
> Group, I see no particular benefit from discussing, or demeaning, any 
> brand of consumer-grade product. The variance in manufacturing at the 
> consumer level is such that all statements of the form "My computer works 
> really well" or "Brand ABC is awful and I will never buy one" are 
> specious. Your own personal experience with any consumer-grade product is 
> not meaningful. Aggregate statistics are meaningful, though, but the LUG 
> is not the place to do that aggregation. There are publications such as 
> "Which Computer?" or "Consumer Reports" that do this evaluation. Read 
> them. They contain actual facts.
>
> However, given that digital photography is becoming a way of life, and 
> that the reliability of computers is paramount to the viability of 
> professional digital photography, I do believe it is appropriate to 
> discuss (in a non-emotional way, without namecalling) the availability, 
> technology, and usability of computers built for the professional and 
> industrial market. That is a small enough market that the identity of the 
> manufacturer matters.
>
> So, here's a new rule for the LUG: it's not OK to discuss consumer brands 
> of computers. It is OK to ask for help in dire circumstances. And it is 
> not only OK but encouraged to talk about professional and industrial 
> brands of computers, as long as those computers are capable of running 
> Photoshop and image database software and driving printers.
>
>
>
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