CompUSA will be closing its doors after the holiday season. Ephraim thinks that this is a sign of the times. Many commentators have described the chain's evolving financial troubles, and its often inscrutable management moves. For example, when they laid off their senior sales staff as a cost-cutting measure, more than one commentator pointed out how bone-headed it was to give up their differentiation from the b CompUSA will be closing its doors after the holiday season. Ephraim thinks that this is a sign of the times. Many commentators have described the chain’s evolving financial troubles, and its often inscrutable management moves. For example, when they laid off their senior sales staff as a cost-cutting measure, more than one commentator pointed out how bone-headed it was to give up their differentiation from the big-box stores.I’ll actually miss my local CompUSA. They usually had a better selection of equipment that I wanted to try than my local Best Buy or Circuit City, or my local mom-and-pop computer shops, although clearly not as good a selection as I could find online. They often had decent deals, although recently my local Staples could often match them. And they sometimes offered knowledgeable sales and service, which is more than I can say for my local Best Buy, although my local mom-and-pop computer shops have been much more consistent about knowing what they’re doing.One of the items I bought at CompUSA more than anywhere else was laptops. It’s not easy to buy a laptop online, because the feel of the unit matters so much. You can’t really tell from an advertisement whether the screen of a laptop is going to be readable, or whether the keyboard will feel right under your fingers, or whether the laptop will make your shoulder hurt when you carry it around. Sic transit gloria mundi. Maybe my local store will continue under new ownership… Software Development