The ‘Naked’ PC

There has been a lot of debate on the selling of computers with and without operating systems and I though I should give my opinion. Selling a computer as components is fine if the end user knows what he is doing and has FULL RETAIL copies of the software he is going to install on the system. Computer software is licensed and not owned so it is important that the license is read and clearly understood.

Selling built computers without an operating system is great for my business, but dreadful for the end user or poor buisness owner who thought he might save a few quid. Selling a naked PC is a public statement that the company does not know how to install an operating system properly, because if they did they would be doing that and only that. Why, because without a well installed operating system you have no way of knowing that the sytem is operating properly as so cannot offer a warranty. Imagine buying a car of the production line which has never been turned on or had a battery installed, it might work, or it might fail, either way once you have taken delivery you then have to prove it was nothing you did to break it.

This is the main reason that we took the descision not to build our own systems, although we can if required. We have organised systems for people in the £3-4000 price range but we get specialist to build them and test them. For general use we supply machines from well known manufactures with a recomendation of a 3 year warranty. Now some people do not believe in warranties, but I do. A well build machine should have a life of 3+ years and if the system has any problems during that time I want to know that I can rule out all hardware issues. We see a lot of machines which are 2+ years old with failed components where you just cannot get the parts (at a reasonable price), so you have to get a new machine. Our business machines all have the option of a 5 year warranty if required.