2drill4

Notebooks

Advertising and Marketing submitted by brucemel 04/16/07

Our Family has purchased 8 Dell notebooks and two desktops in the last 6 years (last two Sept 2006). We are overdue for another Notebook but Dells products are just NOT competitive. Their notebooks are boring and we are contemplating switching brands....any advice? 8 Comments »

No more crippleware (reduced functionality) OS's (like the feature-reduced Vista versions) on your machines - or make them pay and pass the savings to your customers

Operating Systems, Software submitted by jmxz 04/02/07

Crippleware - a term for deliberately reduced functionality software - is very offensive to your end users and damages the Dell brand. Apple gets a pretty favorable impression from its users by including fully featured software rather than deliberately reducing the functionality of what they include with their hardware.

Many Ideastorm ideas complain of third party software on Dells that is artificially limited with the goal to frustrate the user (at the expense of the Dell brand) into buying an upgrade. But the biggest offender is rarely mentioned.

Microsoft.

* Please insist that your software vendors not put reduced-functionality OS's (Vista Basic, Vista Business - anything less than Windows Ultimate) on any Dell products in hopes that your end users upgrade. This crippleware is an insult to your users and damaging to the Dell brand. It doesn't cost them any more to print a full-activation-key than it does a crippleware-activation-key. And the fact that Vista Basic is even more limited than XP is very insulting to your new customers. Note to them that neither their competitive OS suppliers (Red Hat, Novell, Canonical) nor yours (Apple) try to force feature-reduced-crippleware on your customers.

* Make your software vendors pay you A LOT to put feature reduced versions of Office Products ("Office Small Business", "Office Home", anything less that Office Premium) on Dell computers. Note to vendors who want to do this that their competitors (Red Hat, Canonical, Novell, etc) don't try to force feature-reduced office suites on your customers.

* Don't let OS vendors ship an OS that does not include an Office Suite (and not a feature reduced one) on Desktop machines. No desktop machine can be considered complete these days without an Office suite. The idea of selling a machine without one is very annoying.

* Don't let your OS vendor ship a Server OS that does not come with a database. Note that many business users use databases; and that many of the OS vendors you're considering (red hat, novell, canonical) include one.

* Make OS vendors pay you *A LOT* to ship a database with artificial limitations like amount of ram or CPUs. Note that many of the OS vendors you're considering (red hat, novell, canonical) include one or more databases. And not weak databases - your Linux vendors will be including the powerful enterprise-class database servers that power Google Adwords and the .org domain and skype.

All of these practices are an insult to your customers.

If your OS vendors are unwilling to abide by these guidelines, make them pay *A LOT* for the damage they're doing to Dell's brand by artificially limiting the functionality of Dell systems and not letting your hardware work to its full potential. 14 Comments »

Numeric Keypad on laptops

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by davegeysemans 02/21/07

It should be perfectly easy to have a separate numeric keypad on the 17" (or bigger) laptops. Comment »

Better products, better warranties, even at a premium?

Service and Support submitted by phubert28 03/28/07

In this suggestion
http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/65077/Customer_Confidence
I added a comment retarding COMPONENT warranties... disk drives & power supplies.

Here is a company that might serve as an example...
D-Link offers 11-year warranty on 802.11n stuff
http://www.theinquirer.org/default.aspx?article=38561< Dell, could you consider offering premium warranties on high-end versions of your products???

I think more than a few customers would show their appreciation with PURCHASES.

Does customer LOYALTY matter to you??? Again, ask how that can be achieved. 8 Comments »

PC Restore

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Operating Systems submitted by parucoool 04/16/07

As PC Restore utility is shipped with Image on the HDD and it can get erased if cust formats the HDD.Dell can send the PCrestore Image in such a way that even after format it should not get erased i.e cust should not be able to erase the image. It will save the cost of shipping the Operating System disks. 6 Comments »

same product available worldwide

Service and Support submitted by dell_ete 03/13/07

I went to US to buy a Dell 700m several years ago. until now this model can't be find in europe. I ve bought a D400 serie instead recently. It would be nice to be able to order a new 700serie from europe 1 Comment »

Please support Linux - This Would be Great turning point in the HIstory of Dell Computers

Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by bhadrah 02/26/07

Dell can be industry leader and can show ways to other PC makers by supporting Linux on Desktops & Laptops. This can be great turning point in the HIstory of Dell Computers by """SUPPORTING FULLY""""" Linux on desktops and Laptops. 1 Comment »

Foreign layout keyboards and operating systems in a different language

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by blastmann 02/23/07

It would be nice to be able to select a keyboard with a foreign layout and not only the layout of the country where you order the PC! I am French and I live in the US, and I could not get a French keyboard when I ordered a Dell last year.
In the same way, I would like to be able to select software (including OS) in a different language...
If it could be free of charge that would be event better!
Thanks! 1 Comment »

Dell Referral Program and Loyal Customer Dell Perks

Dell, IdeaStorm submitted by oldsalerogls 02/17/07

I think IT/Tech people that refer and setup PC's for New PC or Existing people to Dell should get a Dell reward or point program for more Dell products for a certificate for more Dell swag. Or use the program for Dell Loyal Customers..

Example: $50 to apply for a $500.00 PC brought referred someone (Or a $ Range) $50.00 to apply to Dell Perk Catalog or apply Dell Products.
Comment »

CDs included.

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.) submitted by brandner 02/26/07

I like to format my PC and give it a clean install once every year or so. It just makes everything run faster and keeps the system stable. When I bought my Dell Inspiron, it came with a picture of a CD and a note, saying something to the effect of "please contact Dell if you need original software".

I think that a Windows CD should be included with every Dell computer (that has Windows pre-loaded). At the very least, an ISO should be on the hard drive so that the customer can create their own install CD. Comment »

Trust Us

Service and Support submitted by sekopp 02/21/07

I work in a government office and have been here for almost 15 years. Please trust us when we call and say we have a bad hard drive, etc. It just wastes our time when we have to walk through all the steps just to prove to your tech that we were right. Possibly set up a "trusted user" phone number.

I once had a heat issue that caused the system to shut down. The tech insisted that I run the diagnostics, which ran great when the system was first turned on but wouldn't work after the system heated up! 1 Comment »

linux

Linux, Sales Strategies submitted by casperlory 02/27/07

I don't know anything about Linux, but why not give customers a choice re operating systems? I.E. If they want windows, then install windows. if they want Linux, then install Linux, etc. This would make the company more responsive to customer needs and wants without risking losing windows users. Comment »

GET AUTODESK ADOBE PROGRAMS TO RUN ON LINUX

Linux, Software, Laptops submitted by chetroia 02/21/07

How about convincing the bigger comanys Autodesk, Adobe etc.. to write software for Linux to at least take the place of Macs. Mass marketing on tv, internet billboards would be great. How about Linux Ready stickers too. Open your code to the community. Install OpenOffice and Firefox instead of all the other bloatware nagware spyware on your preinstalled windows pcs..

Linux drivers
Touchpad working on laptops
Laptop tools to control hardware settings on laptops
Opensource your code.
Certify more Linux pcs and laptops
Support Linux 2 Comments »

HDD partitioning

Desktops and Laptops submitted by carlobaluta 02/20/07

You should have the HDD partitioned, with one partition for the OS, one partition for data. This saves all data in case that Windows becomes full of problems or you cannot boot up anymore.
This should be a standard procedure,

Carlo 2 Comments »

Price protection

Sales Strategies submitted by liquidfire 02/23/07

Offer price protection on your products at least 30 days. Dell can argue that computer systems change so fast that the product is never the same but for items like monitors and printers...come on... I was told to return the product, pay a restocking fee, buy the new product and save less than the restocking fee. This just doens't make sense. Comment »

Cd/DVD-rom Activity on XPS 700

XPS products submitted by grondinm 04/10/07

This is a thought i had a whle back. I noticed that on my XPS 700 it is not possible to see if any activity is being done on the DVD or CD rom drive unless you pry open the little door. I also noticed that their are 4 numbered lights on the front used for POST error troubleshooting. I think it would be nice to have dell come up with a way that once the OS takes over those lights could be used to show the cd/dvd rom activity since their are 4 lights and 4 cd/dvd bays. It would also be an idea to maybe have the option of choosing wich drives activity the lights are showing. For example you have an external drive but it sits either on top of your system or on a shelf that you can't really see from where you sit. so one of these lights could be used to show the activity of it so that you don't have to wonder if it is being accessed. Comment »

Get Microsoft to pay you A LOT to stay away from Linux - after all they paid Sun billions

Dell, Linux submitted by jmxz 03/14/07

Before doing all the Linux ideas here, perhaps check with Microsoft to see how much they will pay you not to.

And yes, Microsoft almost certainly will pay.

Dell is probably the biggest Vista reseller in the world - and the only significant one still totally loyal to Microsoft (HP's pretty excited about Linux right now) - so if Microsoft wants Vista to succeed, they need Dell far more than Dell needs Vista (especially since even your Windows users seem to prefer XP).

With that negotiating power I figure you could get way more from Microsoft than the $2 billion dollars they gave Sun in their 2004 PR war against Linux
http://news.com.com/Sun+and+Microsoft+Friend+and+foe/2009-1014_3-5184266.html
and they gave Novell a third of a billion dollars to help spread FUD
http://news.com.com/2100-1014_3-6133361.html< Dell's more important to Microsoft than Sun and Novell put together - so surely they should give you guys at least the $2.3 billion they gave your competitors.

As a Dell customer, of course I want you to provide Linux -- but as a Dell shareholder, please see if you can get billions of dollars from Microsoft first. 28 Comments »

Drop Vista altogether on 20th May

Operating Systems submitted by steveoc 04/20/07

http://www.mikealix.com/nj990524.htm< May - 1999

An ocean liner carrying over 1000 passengers, ominously named 'Vista', sunk to the bottom of the ocean on 20th May 1999 off the coast of Penang in Malaysia.

Dell should honour the date of this tragic event by dropping that other 'titanic' disaster - Microsoft Vista - on 20th May 2007. 5 Comments »

I Want LINUX pre-installed

Linux, Sales Strategies submitted by gighen76 02/25/07

Why I have to buy a PC with Windows and pay for it when I never use it? 2 Comments »

Media Center Linux Boxes

Linux, Sales Strategies, Software submitted by mastjaso 02/27/07

I think that many people would want media center pcs for their living rooms except for two reasons:

1. $$$ - For many paying for a premium computer just to put in your living costs too much.

2. Design - Big bulky computers are ugly, and unattractive in the living room.

SOLUTION:

To reduce the price I suggest offering a linux based computer specificully for this purpose. It can be stream-lined for easy set-up, remote use, and with a linux based media-center program pre-installed. It would have all compatible hardware and everything would be preinstalled. It should also be network and sharing ready so that file sharing can be used easily. It should also be put into a nice, pretty, small case. 1 Comment »