Compaq revamps Prosignia products

Compaq Computer Corp. last week introduced a new line of notebooks, desktops and servers with a special-services package aimed at small and medium-size organizations.

The Prosignia Desktop 300s come with an Intel Corp. Celeron or Pentium II processor as well as CD-ROM and Digital Video Disc drives. The Prosignia Notebook 100s have a Pentium II 233 MHz to 300 MHz processor and 12.1- to 14.1-inch displays. The Prosignia Server 720s and Server 740s come with single or dual Pentium II processors and up to 54.6G hard drive.

Because the systems are designed for organizations with small internal information technology help desks, Compaq also included the new CarePAQ package of services and support.

A set of Internet-based tools includes automatic data backup and access to a library of computer-based training.

All three lines last week were submitted for addition to the company's General Services Administration schedule and will be added to other contracts, said Gary Newgaard, director of federal sales and marketing at Compaq.

The revamped Prosignia line coincides with Compaq's announcement of a new sales model for the commercial market. Under that model, Compaq will sell more of its systems directly to customers and give commissions to resellers that steer business to Compaq in addition to reselling the systems.

Although many commercial resellers are worried that this method will take business away from them, this sales method is exactly how Compaq's federal division has worked for the past 15 years, Newgaard said.

"Most of the government business is through agent-model sales," he said.

Under the agent model, Compaq negotiates the contract, pays for and develops advertising and handles all the accounts receivable paperwork. Agencies place orders through the resellers, which then relay those orders to Compaq to be filled.