Bundled vs. a la Carte CD-RW Drives
Regardless of whether you’re considering a
desktop PC or notebook, there are definite compatibility
issues to be concerned with between a CD-RW drive, the accompanying
operating system and other hardware components.
With a notebook, you’re generally restricted
to proprietary parts that only work with a particular brand,
make and model of notebook. So if you want an internal CD-RW drive,
you’ll probably need the sole supported brand and model from the
notebook manufacturer.
With a desktop PC, you have many more options
for adding a CD-RW drive. You could purchase an internal CD-RW
drive later and install it yourself. But, it’s much simpler
to get the CD-RW drive at the same time. By having the CD-RW drive
factory installed, you know it will work with your PC and operating
system. No guesswork. No tedious calls to technical support.
Minimal, if any frustration.
Adding a CD-RW drive to a notebook later
presents fewer compatibility and installation challenges.
Nevertheless, buying the CD-RW drive from the same PC vendor later
still may mean you’re getting a newer CD-RW drive than was
intended for your notebook – possibly exposing you to
configuration hassles.
Tech Support and Warranty Issues for CD-RW Drives
The PC vendor who bundled the CD-RW drive with
the desktop PC or notebook purchase also should stand behind
the configuration as “supported,” if and when you need to call
for assistance. This one-stop shopping approach also can prove
invaluable, as you won’t be subjected to the all-too-typical
finger-pointing and accountability shirking between a component
manufacturer and a PC vendor.
There are warranty-related benefits as well.
The bundled CD-RW drive will be covered by your PC’s warranty.
This will provide similar soft cost benefits to those discussed
earlier in the context of video monitors.
Finally, the incremental cost of upgrading from
a standard CD-ROM drive to a CD-RW drive at time of purchase is
usually minimal.
Note:
Although CD-RW drives are a great, inexpensive, universal way
to archive and backup a few hundred megabytes (MBs) of data, you
also should consider risks. For example, if security is not
properly configured on your network, a CD-RW drive could provide
an easy way to pilfer data, just as a diskette drive can be used
for similar purposes – on a much smaller scale. In
addition, if your software installation CDs aren’t locked up, a
CD-RW drive could be used to pirate software media.
Action Items
Does your PC vendor offer you the option of
having a CD-RW drive preinstalled at the time of purchase?
If you don't plan to get a CD-RW drive
factory installed, will you add one to your PC at a later date? If
so, are you aware of the potential for compatibility problems
between the CD-RW, other hardware components and the operating
system (OS)?
How does the cost of adding a CD-RW drive
to your desktop PC or notebook purchase compare to the cost of
buying a CD-RW drive at a later date? Have you factored installation
and configuration costs into your estimates?
If you purchase the CD-RW drive at a later
date and you run into problems with the installation, will your PC
vendor provide technical support?
If the CD-RW drive is factory installed,
will it be included in the coverage of your overall system warranty?
Do you have any sensitive, unprotected data
on your systems that could be easily copied to CD-RW media and walk
out of the building?
Do you have any company policies or
safeguards in place to prevent your employees from abusing CD-RW
privileges by pirating software programs or music?
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