20 - MANCHESTER HERALD, Monduy. Dec. 5, 1983 How not to buy a personal computer this Christmas Record numbers of you will be buying a home uses depending on the variety of software that is 'Computer in the weeks coming up — either as a available for it. ■'family” Christmas gift or as a “ new" essenUal. The relentless march of the personal computer into Perhaps the lure will be to help you keep track of your Your our lives is compelling us to reconsider virtually all ("Sylvia Porter's Financial Almanac for 1984," a bills, or to assist you in your financial planning, or to the ways in which we live. Last week, for instance, the comprehensive desk calendar and consumer hand­ prepare your income tax, or to help your kids with Money's prestigious Conference Board held a meeting for book, features Porter's best advice for saving money their homework, or even to play games. No matter major companies on the subject: "W ill the Office and organizing your budget. Includes budget what, it will drag you into the growing group of Worth Vanish?" The sessions focused on how company worksheets. Send $8.95 plus $1 for postage and personal computer buyers. And now is the time, Sylvia Porter structures will and must change. therefore, to learn how NOT to buy this still extremely Meanwhile, the market for business personal handling to Financial Almanac In care of this newspaper, 4400 Johnson Drive, Fairway, Kan. 6620S. expensive item. Specifically: computers is already at $6 billion a year, is estimated • DON'T DECIDE ON A PARTICULAR MA­ to swell to $24 billion a year by the end of 1988.. And Make checks payable to Universal Press Syndicate.) CHINE IN ADVANCE. No matter how popular a model may be, it may not be the model for you. You Manchester, Conn. should be well prepared to tell the salesperson what makes available after-sale services to customers. A RITE AID PHARMAaESWIUnUOVER. .. Rain, snow tonight; tasks you have in mind so he/she can fit the system to "passport program” that allows customers to take cioudy Wednesday Tuesday, Dec. 6, 1982f your needs. their computer to any store in its network if it needs Singie copy: 25<t • DON'T EXPECT TO BUY A COMPUTER AS servicing is offered by Computerland, for instance — 3 0 M ILU 0 N — See page 2 YOU WOULD AN Y DAY-TO-DAY PURCHASE. You a great convenience if you’re in a business where RITE must allow the salesperson plenty of time to work with you’re frequently on the move. iEanrliratrr Irralft you on so major a purchase. Be prepared to make • DON’T BUY A BRAND WHOSE NAM E YOU DO PRESCRIPTIONS more than one trip to the store if either you or the NOT RECOGNIZE. Buy the product of a company salesperson thinks more demonstration is needed that has a track record of success and will support its before you can make a decision. product. The stability of some of the newer and less THIS Y E A R AID 4 - « . • DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW MORE ABOUT well-known makers of personal computers is coming m m ^ . COMPUTERS THAN YOU DO. This is essential, into question in the wake of shake-ups in the industry. HaUSE PRESCRIPTIONS ARE P i l H W i stresses Computerland, the largest independent Be certain you will be able to buy replacement parts, Two planes computer retailer in the world. Be honest with the if needed, and add-ons for your particular machine. WHATWEDOBESTI salesperson about gaps in your computer awareness • DON’T BUY HARDWARE BASED ON SOFT­ and ask questions that help to identify your knowledge WARE THAT HASN’T BEEN TESTED. The needs as well as your mechanical needs. just-off-the-presses software package that seems the • DON’T EXPECT TO LEARN EVERYTHING answer to your computer prayers may contain shot down THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT COMPUTERS glitches (computerese for "errors”) or other CNRISTMAS BEFORE YOU CAN BUY ONE THAT WORKS FOR problems that make it unusual for your purposes. If CAROS YOU. You can trust the salespeople in a reputable you buy a machine just because it’s compatible with full-service computer store to steer you in the right that software package, you may be stuck with a direction in making your decision. A good computer machine that is not competitive with other software by Syrians store offers follow-up training for using the system you might want to purchase in the future. you've purchased, generally free to customers or at a • DON’T BUY A MACHINE WITH LIMITED BEIRUT, Lebanon (UPI) — Syrian forces shot SOFTWARE. As you become more of an expert in CHRISTMAS^ nominal fee for in-depth training. JUM BO ROLL fe down an Israeli reconnaissance drone plane over • DON’T GO LOOKING FOR BARGAINS. Be sure using your personal computer, you’ll want to do more Lebanon's Bekaa Valley today and said they you're buying from a reputable dealer or store that with it. Look'for a machine that will adapt to many 3 5 UOIT destroyed a second pilot-less spyplane over southern CHRISfMASi Syria. Israel confirmed the loss of one unmanned drone SET aircraft but denied an official Beirut radio report that Economists optimistic on 1984 an WRAP a iA l M MWTI-COIM a fighter aircraft also had been downed and the pilot MWCNWIDIN STtMOniMI captured. jCHRISTilAS Damascus radio reported that its forces had By Mary Tobin percent in 1984 from the 9.6 percent markets is deteriorating, Daniel S. destroyed two drones, one flying over Syrian forces United Press International average in 1983. Ahearn, partner in Thorndike, PAPB KI$SES occupying the Bekaa Valley that parallels the The massive federal budget Doran, Paine and Lewis, believes. s$M.n. ^ // ■- Syrian-Lebanese border and a second over a region 20 NEW YORK — 1984 looks to be a deficit and high interest rates are Ahearn said the substantial rise in miles inside Syria. good year for consumers, corpora­ not expected to curb growth in 1984 stock and bond markets in the past ■.■■St-' "Our air defenses confronted the two planes, shot tions and even the government. but a majority believes these year has discounted most of the NOaSAmTCTANOAIO down the first plane in the Anjar region and second in There will be steady economic factors pose a severe threat "good news” that still lies ahead. /•*i ■ Deir al Adas region, " the report said. growth with continued low infla­ beyond that. Robert G. Wade Jr., Bank of The reported downings came two days after two tion, if the consensus forecast of a "The policy structure remains America, also believes the stock / -j American planes were shot down during air strikes panel of influential economists is lopsided — fiscal policy too stimul­ market has discounted the first against Syrian military targets in the Lebanese correct. ative, monetary policy too restric­ half of 1984, and further is getting mountains east of Beirut. An American airman was "W e see no local explosions and tive," Sommers said. "Further "strong competition from the bond YMK CHRISTMAS 1 ’ J captured and another killed when their plane was shot no virtuoso performances in any growth beyond 1984 will call for market.” Nevertheless, Wade is down. sector of the economy next year,” reduction in the federal deficit and “ disposed to take the optimistic SPRAT U.S. planes thundered over the Syrian-controlled said Albert T. Sommers, chief a considerable further reduction of view " on equities although it will mountains east of Beirut today, backing up U.S. vows real interest rates." PATTKS economist at the Conference Board require some help from interest o.uoi.w nu to keep flying surveillance missions despite the threat and chairman of its Economic The economists’ projections rates. of Syrian groundfire. Forum, comprised of 12 perman­ ranged from extremely optimistic Other economists on the panel: The planes were identified as F-14s by private ent members and five guest to a more guarded outlook. Barry Bosworth, Brookings Insti­ Christian radio and official radio, which said 10 1110 1. economists. Charles B. Reeder of E.I. Du tution: Lawrence Chimerine, PtS.WI "multinational" aircraft flew in from the sea. Pont de Nemours was one of the Chase Econometrics; Rimmer De News of the latest air action over the Bekaa Valley INSTEAD, the consensus is for former, calling 1984 prospects Vries, Morgan Guaranty Trust; PU.0M came as the United States pressed top-secret taiks to the “ powerful but not fully coordi­ "excellent" all around. Among his Otto Eckstein, Data Resources; free the captured U.S. Navy airman. Syria refused to nated recovery of 1983” to shift predictions: total employment up 3 Amitai Etzioni, George Washing­ give him up until American Marines leave Lebanon. gears in 1984 and be more broadly million to a record level: corporate ton University; John T. Hackett, A U.S. Embassy spokesman in Damascus said he distributed throughout the profits up by 30 percent; and a $30 Cummins Engine; Saul B. Kla- 12 PACK could reveal "absolutely nothing” about the status of economy. biilion shrinking of the federal man. National Council of Savings BRUT 33 lO LD S P K f bombardier-navigator Lt. Robert Goodman, whose The economists look for real deficit due to increased revenues Institutions. SPLASHY nSETS A-6 Intruder was downed by Syrian gunners during a Gross National Product, that generated by the recovery. Leif Olsen, Citibank; James LOTWN retaliatory strike Sunday against Syrian positions. Robert P. Ulin, The Bank of New which excludes inflation, to climb Tobin, Yale University; Jack W.