An article in the December Computing and Communications Services News referred Lab employees to special discount programs provided by Dell and MPC for buying computers for personal use. Though the discounts may sound good, it pays to shop around – as one Lab employee recently discovered:

“Thought that you might be interested in my recent experience getting quotes for a new home computer. I was looking for your basic P4, 2.8 GHz, 800 MHz FSB, with 512 MB RAM, and 120 GB hard drive. I did it both ways, as an employee then as any guy off the street. The Dell cost was $7 higher using the employee discount! Evidently, rebates and other freebies are not available when using their 10 percent discount.

"MPC's employee price (including the 5 percent discount) was only $19 cheaper than their regular online price.

"I ended up buying the Dell without the LBL discount. The discount may be of value during those times (if any) when Dell is not offering rebates, promos, free shipping, or other specials to its ordinary customers, but it was of no value this time.

"A few weeks earlier, I helped a friend purchase a Dell computer. We configured it using their website, but then completed the order on the phone with a salesman. He was able to discount the price further. I decided to make my recent purchase the same way, again it paid off, not with a cash discount, but with an enhanced system (about $250 of added value). Why a company would offer greater value on sales consummated through a salesman when they have an automated system in place is a mystery to me, but engineers never have understood marketing anyway.”

And from another reader, a reminder for Mac fans:

Just a reminder that Apple does offer Lab employees computer discounts through their online store. We qualify for either government pricing or educational pricing. The Apple Store can be accessed at this web site:

Apple Government Store:

http://www.apple.com/r/store/government/epp.html

No secret codes to enter or special people to call, just click on the
"I accept" button.