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Include nvidia and ati video cards in ubuntu laptops and desktops

Desktops and Laptops submitted by laptoplinux 08/02/07

When shopping for an Ubuntu Dell, I've noticed that it is not possible to order one with a video card from ATI or NVIDIA. For some users of Linux, such as those into 3D modeling work for artistic or scientific purposes, the Intel video card option may simply not be enough. And with laptops, upgrading or changing the video card is much more of a hassle than with desktops. Therefore, why is the option to buy a laptop with an nvidia or ati card listed under a Vista machine, but not under an identical machine pre-loaded with Linux?

Unfortunately, users that require both Linux and superior 3d acceleration performance may wind up forced into buying a Vista-preloaded Dell (and subsequently tossing the Vista disc in the garbage) just so they can have a Linux box with an ati or nvidia graphics card preinstalled. In addition to adding unnecessary cost to the consumer, this scenario will also distort sales figures information regarding Vista and Ubuntu.

Please consider offering Ubuntu-preloaded Dells with the option of an nvidia and/or ati graphics card preinstalled. Thank you. 9 Comments »

Let Us Choose XP For All Machines!

Operating Systems, Sales Strategies submitted by shamarkaleo 07/26/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

Dear Dell Service Team,

After unsuccessful appeals to several levels of your support staff, I am writing to convey one last appeal regarding operating systems and purchasing options on your site.

I am the CEO of a small web and graphic design business. We decided to purchase a laptop for our staff use on trips, and after studying all our options, chose Dell as our computer supplier.

We were dismayed to find that most of the computer systems at Dell came pre-installed with Windows Vista, with only a few computers offering a choice of operating systems. Our computer of choice did not offer a selection.

I find this mindboggling, since Dell as a company won't use Vista on its own computers until after SP1 is released. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39286949,00.htm?r=8

And CNET gives Windows vista this dismal review:

"...essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade." http://reviews.cnet.com/windows/windows-vista-ultimate/4505-3672_7-32013603.html

What is more mindboggling to me is Dell's refusal to work with our company when we appealed for a change in our order. We wanted the specific machine we ordered, we simply didn't want Vista.

As it is, the only options we were offered were:

A.) Cancel our order- though we'd already waited weeks for the order to be fulfilled - and order a machine we don't want that offers the XP operating system choice

or

B.) Wait for our machine to arrive, then go buy XP ourselves at additional cost, reformat the hard drive, and install XP on our own.

These choices are horrible! Especially since one of your own staff told me by phone that Dell has received many, many complaints about Vista.

Neither option meets our needs. We either end up with a machine we don't want which has the right operating system, or a machine we do want that we must "fix" prior to use.

So I appeal to you to allow buyers to choose their operating system on ALL your machines, not just some. You don't have to offer a huge choice, but at least one more option than Vista!

Kelli Standish


Check out the Idea in Action to find out more about Dell offering XP.
49 Comments »

Dell Must Use Ubuntu Stickers! {Pics Inside}

Linux submitted by thebittersea 06/10/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

96 Comments »

Use the spring mechanism on more Dell notebooks like on the XPS m1330

Laptops submitted by jervis961 07/24/07

It would eliminate the ugly locking system. 15 Comments »

Easy access to fans for cleaning on laptops

Laptops submitted by celticgibson 04/22/07

As we all know, the inspiron laptops get hot once dust builds up on the CPU/GPU grills and it's impossible to clean them without having to resort to taking the latop apart. It would be awesome if you could put blank plates on the bottom of the laptop, where the fans take in air, to allow for easy access for removal of fans and hence the cleaning of the grills. This would save many a problem with overheating hardware and endless tech support problems. 17 Comments »

Ubuntu on all models where it works

Linux, Operating Systems, Small Business submitted by jonsmirl 08/01/07 **IN PROGRESS**

I'm still throwing away copies of Windows. Recently I have ordered some Dimension 9200s from Small Business. All of these machines are running Ubuntu today without problem. They're being used to replace some PE400SCs that are starting to die. A 2GB quad core for $649 was too good a deal to pass up. It makes a great small server.

Please offer Ubuntu as a choice on all configurations where it works. I would have still paid $649 for the box and you could have kept the money you're sending to Microsoft.
We continue to explore different Linux opportunities on our systems. Check out daniel_j's comment below.




40 Comments »

Help The Open Graphics Project

Gaming, Linux submitted by dpic 07/27/07

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Graphics_Project
http://www.opengraphics.org/

The Open Graphics Project (OGP) is developing graphics cards with fully published specs and open source drivers. 20 Comments »

LED Back Lighting

Monitors and Displays submitted by drew08867 06/28/07

Dell should transition all monitors to LED back lighting. More cost effective (in terms of energy use), greener, longer life. 10 Comments »

Same discounts available on Ubuntu and Windows

Linux, Operating Systems, Sales Strategies submitted by jonsmirl 06/12/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

I'm ordering a Vista XPS 410 right now. I wanted a Ubuntu one but I'm going to throw away yet another copy of Windows. The Vista XPS 410 has $200 off today and free ship for a total of $869. The identical Ubuntu machine is $1019 plus $29.99 shipping. So today Ubuntu costs $170 more than Windows instead of $50 less. Why can't I have the same discounts on the Ubuntu machine? 50 Comments »

Child-Friendly environment to protect parent's files.

Software submitted by lizblake 06/04/07 **REVIEWED**

After my child and his friend erased our family photos and somehow inverted the display of our family computer... I purchased a software program to give the kids the equivalent of a "gilded cage" to run only software and websites I approve. Similar software would make a great addition to the Dell home computer line-up and could be aimed at families with toddlers, daycare centers, churches, daycare centers, kindergartens, etc.

The software I purchased was called Peanut Butter PC [content removed by moderator] If you don't wish to develop your own, maybe you could license Peanut Butter PC... We absolutely love it.

Liz Blake


We constantly evaluate products that can improve data safety, Internet Safety and access controls. Read jeremy_f's post for more details, and stay tuned for additional enhancements.




97 Comments »

Ubuntu on 12.1 or 13.3 inch laptops

Linux, Laptops submitted by miceagol 05/31/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**

Preload Ubuntu on your 12.1 (XPS M1210) or 13.3 inch (XPS M1330) laptops. As it is now, there's only one choice for a laptop, and that choice is not a light laptop. The 12.1 inch and 13.3 inch laptops are much better to carry around than heavy 15 inch++ laptops.




Check out the Idea in Action update.
72 Comments »

Make Dell Ubuntu PCs available to businesses and non-profits

Linux, Sales Strategies, Small Business submitted by wyleyr 06/20/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

Dell is apparently not yet willing to sell Ubuntu-based PCs to business users, non-profits, or other organizations larger than a "home office." See this Ubuntu forum thread for more:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=478975

If Dell is serious about offering "choice" to consumers -- the main reason that they're offering up Ubuntu -- they ought to offer it to all their customers, including commercial and non-profit organizations.

Perhaps the greatest barrier here is that these other customers often require different support contracts than home users. It wouldn't be necessary to offer the same support options to organizations that purchase Ubuntu PCs as are offered to home users, or to organizations that purchase Windows PCs. (Perhaps Dell doesn't need to offer any support at all, except for hardware; as long as Canonical can support these organizations.) But they ought to at least have the option of buying the boxes, even if they have to get support in a different way.











15 Comments »

Dell's Website must work with Firefox running on Linux

Dell Web Site, Linux submitted by qgonjon 07/16/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

It's discouraging to have a Tier 1 vendor (Dell) selling Linux products and yet not really tailoring to Linux. Don't get me wrong Dell, I am not trying to take away all the good you have done. Offering Linux is a step in the right direction and I would like to see more steps taken in a monthly or quarterly basis. But, it seems that the basis for your current Linux promotion is for the Open Source enthusiast like me. I use Linux at home and at work as my main operating system. I use Firefox as my browser and I'm trying to order a Dell Inspiron 1420N. However, it seems that the embedded flash script that shows the different colors choices for the Inspiron is not working under Linux. It also shows that I can't see the different images thereafter. It works with Windows running Firefox as my vmware machine verified. But that is not the type of user that will most likely purchase a Linux laptop.

My request is simple. Can someone fix and verify that this page works well with Linux browser technology? So, that users can enjoy purchasing your Linux products and demonstrate that Dell really cares about their customer's operating system preference.

Dell I wish you the best in this venture as your success in this territory will help the Linux Desktop become a reality to the open source community.





71 Comments »

Suggested update to Dell's HardDrive based system Test Software

Servers and Storage, Software submitted by vkohnke 08/03/07

The Test software should have an option that if a NIC is present to request an IP number through DHCP and, with an authorization code given to the system owner by the service tech, initiate an SMTP session to a Dell Mail server to mail the results of the system test back to the representative. This would improve the testing usefulness and expand the ability to review and maintain systems.

This feature could be expanded to allow corporations to deliver test data within the organization by allowing an override of the server and TO information. Again it expands the ability to manage and diagnose systems. Comment »

Linux duel boot with Windows XP or other OS

Linux, Operating Systems - Multiboot submitted by ramnar 08/04/07

Dell should offer this with the new systems that are Linux friendly. 8 Comments »

Linux guide

Advertising and Marketing, Linux submitted by s_wel 06/03/07

How about dell with ubuntu providing a manual which basicly lists all the common funtions that a normal user would ever wish to do an a windows based pc and then show for each of those tasks a guide of how exactly to achieve that in ubuntu just to prove that everthing you can do on windows can happen on ubuntu to except gaming which is still a windows dominated area(unless microsoft go's soft and gives dx to ubuntu) *****very unlikely***** 2 Comments »

remove mcafee 30 days trial software

Software submitted by robertobiggio 05/03/07

its a pain to remove mcafee, u have to go into msconfig to remove this antivirus.

to much trouble, pls, who wants mcafee,
consumer is more important than a little software bundle fees, isnt it? 4 Comments »

Apply an Energy Star Rating System to your Products

Environment submitted by badblood 05/18/07

Everyone has a role to play in protecting the environment. Choosing an energy efficient appliance is one way to do this while saving money. Apply a star rating for all your products, which rates their energy consumption and ability to be recycled.



9 Comments »

Make longer lasting batteries for better portability

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptop Power submitted by winoffice 05/05/07 **IN PROGRESS**

Don't make us recharge our laptops' batteries so often! A recent Cnet article (posted at Cnet's news site at about May 5, 2007) explains that Windows Vista's Aero Glass feature gives you less battery life. So, if we want Windows Vista, then we either have to recharge more often, or pay extra for more and better batteries! Instead, make Dell get rid of the batteries which quickly lose their charge...and come up with something that would give us longer battery life as follows (under Windows Vista), without making us stay away from Windows Vista or pay an extra $99 for another and better battery.

Basic laptops: at least 2 1/2 hours battery life
Entertainment laptops: at least 3 1/2 hours battery life
XPS laptops: at least 4 1/2 hours battery life 31 Comments »

ubuntu on my computer: open source for education

Education, Linux submitted by raymako 03/23/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

I am a french teacher working in the south of France .The school's computers are Dell and Nec computers.
Like most of my colleagues, I am using "opensource" (free) softwares, and specially Ubuntu for 2 years.
It works perfectly and the pupils who tried Ubuntu like it very much. I hope it will be possible to buy a Dell computer without Windows very soon and I hope that all the Dell computers of my school will use Ubuntu.
Not only because Ubuntu is free (even if it's not insignificant in a french school...) , but because working with Ubuntu forces you to understand and to think how and why you are using your (Dell) computer.
I know that I'm speaking and writing english language like a spanish cow, so I'm sorry.
I just want to finish my message with this: please be the first big computer manufacturer offering Ubuntu or Windows (which is very performant, but not the only one and specially at school) .





138 Comments »