Upgradable Linux Media Center
Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by swirtun
02/20/07
A media center PC with expensive and nice box, with an amplifier, and other stuff to satisfy a HiFi user, but with the replaceable PC parts. PCs get obsolete much faster then good music gear so why replace the whole thing, it should be possible to just replace the PC parts, and it should of course run Linux.
1354
Have Firefox pre-installed as default browser
Software submitted by robinjfisher
02/19/07 **REVIEWED**
Does what it says on the tin! Most people only use IE because they aren't aware of other browsers - they think Internet Explorer is the Internet! What would really drive take up of alternative browsers is if Firefox was pre-installed as the default browser so that when people look for the "Internet" in Windows, they are using FF.
Firefox advocates at Dell have initiated discussions and driven action around exploring alternative internet browsers and experiences. As you can tell from our response to the Linux community, open source continues to be a part of our conversations about new products and services.
118093
No Extra Software Option
Software submitted by ootleman
02/16/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
Would love the ability to have a clean Vista install. No AOL software, no earthlink software, no google software - just a clean, original OS.
Check out jeremy_f's update on our current software options.
120794
Pre-Installed OpenOffice | alternative to MS Works & MS Office
Software, Desktops and Laptops submitted by dhart
02/17/07
Provide OpenOffice.org for free pre-installation alongside Microsoft Works and Microsoft Office. OpenOffice.org is more capable than Microsoft Works, and a serious competitor to Microsoft Office, at a fraction of the cost (it's free!)
OpenOffice.org can open, create, edit and save Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
Provide as OPTIONS for pre-installation many other high-quality free software programs such as:
- Firefox: web browser with popup and privacy controls; say goodbye to Internet Explorer infections!
- Thunderbird: email program with free anti-spam and privacy controls
- Pidgin: instant messaging all-in-one program for popup-free MSN, Yahoo, AOL and others
&nsbp;[ed: GAIM was renamed Pidgin in April 2007 to settle the issue with AOL's trademark on AIM]
- PDFCreator: creates Adobe PDF files from any program
- Scribus, Inkscape & GIMP: desktop publishing, freehand drawing & powerful image editing
- Audacity & VLC: multi-track audio editing & universal all-in-one media/video/movie/DVD player
- Stellarium & Celestia: planetarium viewer & outer-space mapping, like Google Earth, but for our Solar System
Pre-installed quality free and open source software drastically lowers the cost of new PCs, and helps prevent software piracy. Cast your vote for Linux and other free software. Cast your vote for the Universal Education PC [ed: article removed/merged by dell_admin] utilizing free software.
CHOICE is what consumers want on their new PCs, not annoying surprise circus-ware (the typical smattering of confusing 3rd party popup-infested software found on most new Dell PCs). Quality free and open source software is well behaved, and may be legally pre-installed on PCs, and legally shared with friends and family, sharing is encouraged! Cast your vote for consumer CHOICE and public transparency at Dell.
140599
Pre-Installed Linux | Ubuntu | Fedora | OpenSUSE | Multi-Boot
Linux, Operating Systems - Multiboot, Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by dhart
02/16/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
Offer the 3 top free Linux versions for free pre-installation on all Dell PCs.
Quality free and open source software drastically lowers the cost of new PCs, and helps prevent software piracy. For example OpenOffice.org, the Microsoft Office alternative, can shave hundreds of dollars off the price of a new PC. Cast your vote for OpenOffice and other free software.
Offer easy multi-boot options with Windows Vista, Windows XP, or NO Windows (yes, Linux can entirely replace Windows!)
Offer trade-ins and Linux CDs for older model Dell PCs. Cast your vote for the mini Linux Dell PC and the Universal Education Dell PC, both utilizing free software.
Would you try Linux if it were this easy?
CHOICE is what consumers want on their new PCs, not annoying surprise circus-ware (the typical smattering of confusing 3rd party popup-infested software found on most new Dell PCs). Quality free and open source software is well behaved, and may be legally pre-installed on PCs, and legally shared with friends and family, sharing is encouraged! Cast your vote for consumer CHOICE and public transparency at Dell.
Please take a look at www.dell.com/open for linux options on the Inspiron.
152550
Become the open source OEM
Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by ntaylor0909
02/17/07 **REVIEWED**
I read the same question on Linux forums, all the time: What is the best brand of computer/laptop to purchase for Linux. I know that there is the n series of computers and notebooks, but it could go a step further. Accept the recent offer of free Linux driver development from the Linux Kernel Community so that DELLs "just work" with Linux. Maybe look at some ideas like LinuxBIOS and/or OpenBIOS. Become the OEM that everyone recommends. There is a growing market for Open Source friendly computers and DELL could own that market.
In the past year, we've made a lot of progress on getting Linux to work well on all of our products. Our goal is to become the hardware vendor of choice for Linux users. Click here to learn more from john_h.
34068
Restore Useful Technical Support
Service and Support submitted by hawk473vt
02/17/07
Michael Dell's Job 1 as he resumes his CEO position should be to restore Dell's technical support service back to a level where it can be considered a true "Dell Value".
I've been using Dell products (laptops--7000, 8000, 8200) for many years and the one thing that will push me to another producer will be the sorry technical support practices to which Dell has lowered itself.
I plan to buy another laptop system this year and I'm looking elsewhere. I'd rather pay more up front knowing that when I call for help, I'm not going to have to suffer through someone in India recording the same information about me and my system over and over and then telling me in essense to get lost. I have had to do this (go to India via phone) even though I bought a dedicated technical support contract for $300 and, because of it being so cumbersome, I elected not to renew it. Dell needs to get real with its technical support plan, promote it to its consumers and maybe then Dell will regain some of the market share lost to HP, Sony, and Acer. If Dell doesn't fix its technical support service and convince me that it has indeed adopted a Stateside capacity for technical support, don't expect me to buy another Dell product.
And while you're at it, get technical support for Microsoft Outlook--Outlook Express is not used by me nor by many others with whom I interact.
493
National Call Centers [and other Service Improvement Ideas]
Service and Support submitted by henrieb
02/17/07 **UNDER REVIEW**
As a corporate customer I like Dell's products and my USA customer support. I have read the web about all the people that have had problems with Dell customer service and mine and others are not isolated incidences. If you want people to be loyal take a hint from the corporate sales and give Home users even a little customer support. My corporate help does not read scripts, they have the power to take ownership and fix the problem. Granted I do buy Gold support. If Dell thinks it saves money for bad support; I have personally talked 20 or 30 people out of buying a Dell.
* Addition: After reading several of the comments on this topic it appears that what we really want is someone in customer support that will listen to us, and hopefully help us. Culture and language barriers just make this harder. Maybe a better way to track customer performance would be to find out if they really helped someone and not how fast they can end the call. Dell management needs to start taking ownership of this problem. Maybe Dell management needs to start calling Dell support with fake problems and see it the system they created can help them, it sure does not work for us.
27681
Fixing Dell
Service and Support submitted by tweetannette
02/18/07
After being forced to deal with Dell's customer service due to several of our clients purchasing Dell desktops -- against our recommendations, is it any wonder Dell's market share has shrunk?
Dell's customer service is a nightmare. Every service call made on behalf of our clients has resulted in excess of at least 8 transfers. We were forced to try to understand people with thick accents, who haven't a clue how to turn a computer on, let alone fix one.
We encourage our clients to purchase HP and will continue to do so, until Dell brings their customer service department back to U.S. soil. When a consumer purchases a computer in the U.S. of A., they should be able to get service here in the U.S. of A. and not have to call India and be passed around to 15 other people.
Dell's sales will continue to fall and it has nothing to do with their product. It's the service stupid. It's the service.
272
Return to Basics
Service and Support submitted by deecee322
02/17/07
Way back in 1992, I was head of IT for the CNBC cable network. We purchased our very first laptops - before the notebook and sub-notebook varieties became popular - from Dell. At the time, they had separate 3.5 inch disk drives connected through a cable, so if you didn't need it, you didn't need to carry it. The cases were made of recycled plastic to be more "Green." These x386 based machines served us well, and our sales staff took them nationwide to cable companies to show off our television programming. By 1994, I was with another network and my replacement called me to say that Dell had contacted him about buying back the computers. It seemed a problem had developed whereby many of the machines would spontaneously burn up through some problem with circuitry. I was amazed that Dell offered CNBC - who, at the time, was in bed with IBM on the NBC Desktop News project - a deal where they would buy back the laptops for the original purchase price plus the shipping costs. And then offered replacement models at an excellent price, with cross-shipping so the sales and management staff would not be at a loss for portable computing.
Throughout my tenure in network television management and up into executive ranks, I always insisted on Dell products for that reason. Michael Dell was unwilling to let products bearing his name be out in the field unless they were perfect, and their service was perfect. I bought one of the first Pentium servers while at a pay-per-view network then based in Denver. It burned up within three weeks due to overheating. Overnight, we had a service tech on site, replacement of the motherboard, installation of new heat syncs, higher capacity fans and a new chipset. From 1992 through 2001 when I left the industry, I was responsible or directed the purchase of over 750 machines of all types from Dell, based on the fact that service was first. If it wasn't right, it wouldn't be in the field.
I also set up programs whereby our employees could buy Dell computers at the corporate discount, putting many hundreds more Dell products in the marketplace. Everyone was satisfied, even ecstatic over the quality of the product.
That ended after I left the industry. The last Dell desktop I saw was nowhere near the quality of the older models, was wedded to technology I don't want (Intel vs. AMD), and was pre-packaged with software I had no use for (WordPerfect, a no-longer industry standard package).
With the return of Michael Dell to run the company, I sincerely hope they return to their roots. His name is still on the product line. His reputation is what matters most, whether to consumers or corporate lines. It's time to step back away from the sales counter and reevaluate what is wrong with the industry and fix it... like the Japanese, don't fix the blame, fix the problem.
Good luck.
630
 track my votes
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