*BSD News Article 4607


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Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd
Path: sserve!manuel!munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!agate!dog.ee.lbl.gov!porpoise!humu!pegasus!richard
From: richard@pegasus.com (Richard Foulk)
Subject: Re: An overview of 17" monitors
Message-ID: <1992Sep7.010419.26032@pegasus.com>
Organization: Pegasus,  Honolulu
References: <rcpt.715301018@rwb.urc.tue.nl> <1992Sep1.061343@eklektix.com> <ggm.715343724@brolga>
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 92 01:04:19 GMT
Lines: 25

>>I don't know just what it is that keeps monitor prices so high.  (Conspiracy
>>theorists, this is your invitation!)  But the prices are entirely inelastic,
>>and unlike all other equipment in the same market, improvement has been
>>minimal-to-nonexistent.
>
>Monitors must be almost the oldest component of a computer outside of the
>keyboard and the fuse. I'd suspect their costs reflect the absence of 
>significant technological advances which translate to reduced cost of 
>production.

I don't think so.  Lack of volume is the problem.

Take a look at the difference in price between a 14" color tv and, say
a 20" one.

If the PC vendors would promote larger monitors more prices would start
coming down.  Fortunately more competition for 17" and larger monitors
is starting to show up, so hopefully things will start to change.

It's a catch-22, so movement from either side should get prices coming
down.


-- 
Richard Foulk		richard@pegasus.com