Re: Getting around the firewire problem was Re: filmscanners:Best film scanner, period!!!

[Arthur Entlich <artistic@ampsc.com>]

LAURIE SOLOMON wrote:
> 
> I just bought 256 MB Dimms for $47US each a few weeks ago and the prices
> went down since then.  Check out www.champaigncomputer.com for RAM, CPU and
> other prices.  They typically have very good prices on most items.  Even if
> you do not buy from them their prices can serve as a guideline.
> 


I've made mention of this before, but it might bear repeating, the US,
as the most consumer oriented society in the world, has lower, sometimes
very substantially lower prices than elsewhere in the world.

I just heard a recent report that indicated that 95% of the world
population does not have access to the internet, and that over 80% have
never even heard of it (in many cases there isn't even a world for it
yet).  We need to keep in mind that tax structure, distribution systems,
manufacturing capabilities, demand and exchange rates vastly alter costs
for individuals throughout the world.

Prior to "free-trade" between the US and Canada, it was very worthwhile
to import items from the US, even after exchange, taxes, duties and
brokerage fees.  That was because distribution here was very poor due to
lowered demand.  Today, we get people from the US coming here on
vacation and buying high tech goods due to the very favorable exchange
rate for US dollars, which is causing manufacturers to eat their profits
just to sell up here to prevent killing the market they spent millions
developing.  Canada's population is a major consumer of consumer
electronics right now, so much so that Best Buys just bought out the
largest chain in Canada.  I don't know how much longer this can last
though, because with the current exchange value of our dollar, the
prices should be much higher than they are, and someone's got to be
unhappy with the lower markups up here.

Anyway, my main point is that France, if like much of Europe, would tend
to be more expensive for consumer electronics, so quoting US prices, or
even English or Australian ones, doesn't mean a whole lot.

Art