Reference Sheets

[wildkard.livejournal.com]

Why is it when buying a new computer, they don't ship out a 2 or 3 page spec sheet with it, detailing for the techs *exactly* what's in there. I mean, you know somewhat what's been bought via the sales flyer or receipt which says something like "Onboard 3D Sound" and they're usually kind enough to detail the processor chip "Athlon 1800+ XP"....
But when you buy the thing... it would be good to get a nice little reference from the folks who built the thing as to exactly what every part is... "Onboard Sound - ESS Inc. - ES1373 chip" , "AMD Athlon XP 1800+ - Socket A", "Level 2 Cache..."

Sure this is all easy to find out by those who *pop the hood*... but I'd like to see *some* cooperation from those selling complete systems so that the users don't have to release the case so much.

Just a thought.

Comments

[jethro.livejournal.com]

Damn fine idea.

I don't knwo about our desktops and laptops, but the servers we buy from Dell come with a spec sheet. I would be nice if all of them did including the non-Dells we buy.

[inahandbasket]

servers, yes. I'd like to see this on standard consumer machines.
I work at a helpdesk at the moment, and the company has a very standardized machine out there. so it's nice and easy to troubleshoot.
Back in college when I worked the college helpdesk, we'd get machines in with who-the-hell-knows-what inside them. Dells, Compaqs, HPs, Toshibas, Cybermachines, Gary's Garage computers, etc. and we never had any freakin clue what was in them if the drivers weren't already installed.
I HATED IT!
a simple spec sheet would rule.

[wildkard.livejournal.com]

speaking of college...
My academically-required toshiba laptop (school-provided models in order to avoid the 'what the hell does he have' issues described in your comment) came with a manual and none of that stuff about onboard this and that was in it anywhere. I had to rely on the preinstalled Windows drivers, and Toshiba's webpages for my model to figure out what exactly the thing's components were comprised of.
Over half the people in various 'tech classes' had no idea. *rolls eyes* But then, I suppose that's why they were at school.

I also did volunteer PC hardware checking for a nonprofit organization in town who recieved various models 'donated'. We had no idea what was in some of these things, looking at the case. And sometimes we had no idea when it was all open and laying bare in front of us... A spec sheet would have helped; not saying that the paper would have *made it* through the years to end up in our hands intact, but it would have been nice to have the possibility.