you gets what you pays for

**handrawn** · 09 February 2009, 08:45 AM

in PM recently this subject was mentioned re-computer hardware

until this weekend when I finally got totally fed up, I have been using a logitech wifi keyboard and mouse

the logitech mouse I like - but the keyboard...

the action has not enough weight

it has function keys at the top and side that are forever getting pressed when the keyboard is moved - not all can be disabled

its black with white lettering - one of the most stupidist-ly difficult and eye-aching color schemes to read - sorry all you web designers out there - but for many of us it is just that - and the lettering is now mostly peeled off !
sure I can touch-type qwerty but....

to cap it all the left ctrl key is intermittently refusing to work, and taking it apart to clean is looking more trouble than its worth

all this after 24 months - maybe they don't make em like they used to?

so.....

I have reverted to the £9.99 generic keyboard that I was using before - which still works like new, is a joy to type on, is your 'proper' light grey with black letters, and is dead easy to take apart and clean if necessary

I could have stuck with the logitech mouse, but the system is happier with a stand alone generic wifi mouse that cost the same as the generic keyboard, and is as nice to use as the logitech

my productivity has already improved and the air is less blue

there's a lesson here somewhere..

**steve.ledger** · 09 February 2009, 10:56 AM

Well yes I agree, you do get what you pay for - but more to the point, you get what you went out and bought.

It's all just a matter of choice.

**geminiguy** · 09 February 2009, 12:13 PM

I have always taken a different approach to such things...
"The more doohickies & doodads... the more it's apt to break"

I find this theory relevant with every product... from these fancy hardware acc. to even those lawn mowers with all the extra stuff (i.e. handles n levers to engage powered wheels, etc. on a push mower)

Most often, this theory is attached to a major brand name as well. You pay more, for something which while looking fancier... is just not as reliable as the plain ole' no name counterpart. You are, indeed, many times paying just for the sake of a name.

But what about all those great product reviews? Well, sad part is, these days many people are paid to write good reviews on big brand name products.
And everyone you know swears by the product... based on the name, cuz.. "Anything cheaper and with a name they are not familiar with... must not be as good" and, combine this with the fact that you don't want to be viewed as not successful or able to afford that top o the line model... or to be an outcast of the current "in" crowd... you're willing to pay any amount just to save your image.

I, myself.. am the type who would rather pay a lesser price for a product from a company who puts more money into development & manufacturing.. than they put into their logo.

Besides... too many buttons really confuses me.

**handrawn** · 09 February 2009, 12:35 PM

the only extras that were useful were having button functions on the keyboard for volume up/down/mute and these I can live without

the generics run under XP home without the need for drivers [granted the logitech would do that - but then the mouse wheel and middle button were stuck on really silly settings [for me]]

removing the logitech drivers has zapped several resident processes from running in memory, and certain glitchy behavour in audio streaming and scanning has vanished - coincidence? maybe...

**geminiguy** · 09 February 2009, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by handrawn

the only extras that were useful were having button functions on the keyboard for volume up/down/mute and these I can live without

the generics run under XP home without the need for drivers [granted the logitech would do that - but then the mouse wheel and middle button were stuck on really silly settings [for me]]

removing the logitech drivers has zapped several resident processes from running in memory, and certain glitchy behavour in audio streaming and scanning has vanished - coincidence? maybe...

Hmmmm... some pretty strange things seem to find their way into some driver codes.....