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220

Lightscribe for Dell PCs

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), New Product Ideas submitted by josmar52789 05/04/07

Dell computers need to have Lightscribe functionality in their CD/DVD burners. It's a great technology, but I haven't found it on a Dell PC... 7 Comments »

1700

No more junk software

Software submitted by samjabr 05/04/07

Please please please make your computers available without any software, except necessary drivers and apps that allow devices to function.

I can honestly say this is the one thing that keeps me from buying your computers. I already buy printers, monitors, accessories etc..

1 Comment »

110

XP/Linux Still Not A Real Choice

Operating Systems submitted by monkeyman 05/04/07

I ordered a new Inspiron a few days ago. This was a couple of days before Ubuntu became available. Not that it helped me any, because the laptop I ordered isn't one of the Linux configurations.

Now, when I first configured my machine, I thought, "Oh thank God, I can at least get XP instead of that Vista garbage". Right, so I clicked it - and watched my "estimated ship date" go up 3 days.

I'm a professional web developer. My laptop is dying. I need a replacement machine now. I don't understand why it takes you 3 days longer to image an XP box than it does a Vista box.

Additionally, I just spent a fair bit of time reading these forums, and it doesn't seem a new idea at all to want a PC with Linux, or at least without an O/S. And no, not just some configurations - all. Yes, I understand why wireless card doesn't have a native Linux driver. That's fine. I'm perfectly ok installing ndiswrapper and the Windows driver myself. It's not a matter of it being offensive to me that I'm lumped in with John & Jane Doe - I really don't care. However, if I'm ready to state "Yes, I get that I that these drivers aren't native", I'd like to be able to avoid paying the Vista tax (or even XP tax, for that matter).

You seem to feel that customers wanting to remove Vista or XP is a matter of finances for them. It's not. Let's face it, the cost of the O/S included with your machines, to the end user, is relatively minimal. I could probably care less about that, although I'm not even sure what the exact number is.

The problem is that it's an ethics question. As a community, we strongly disagree with Microsoft business practices, and want to have the option of refusing it. However, since Dell, and a number of other PC manufacturers are in such a dominant position to sell through simple superiority of price, we are denied the ability to make that ethical choice and still be fiscally responsible.

It genuinely disturbs me that I've financed Microsoft's antics - again - and I really wish that you ladies and gentlemen at Dell would please live up your own proposed business ideals and allow me to get my machine the way I like it, without forcing me to support ventures that are, to me, ethically improper and suspect.

If I offended any of you personally with my statements, my apologies - there was no such intent. 10 Comments »

190

Fast and reliable (Raid 5) storage for home use

Servers and Storage submitted by paulj1x 05/05/07

With increasing home storage of audio and video media well beyond normal backup capabilities it is becoming more and more important to have fast and reliable storage for home use. Dell offers Raid 5 for PowerEdge servers and Raid 0 and 1 for the XPS series, but what is really needed is Raid 5 targeted for home use. Raid 0 and 1 are very inefficient and a PowerEdge server does not make sense for home use, a Raid 5 option for the XPS would be an ideal solution.

paul Comment »

-330

iTunes preinstalled

Software submitted by plesaleza 05/05/07

it seems many people have iPods, and most of those people use iTunes to put music on them. It would be easier if we didn't have to go only and download and install the program. 6 Comments »

-70

Subcontract out your call center operations to American small buisnesses

Service and Support submitted by chewd 05/05/07

Scenario: Bob Smith runs a small mom&pop computer store in central nowheresville USA. He spends 50-60% of his time fiddling around in the store waiting for installs to finish & waiting for customers to come in.

Dell contacts Bob with an offer to take a small number of calls a day (however many bob thinks he can handle) for dell tech support, he sets up a dedicated line for it, & supplements his stores income by answering customers' questions on the phone for dell.

If he does a good job & gets a good reputation with the people hes helped, dell can send him more calls, if he has to defer all his calls higher up & cant satisfy customers dell cans him after the tryout period & moves on.

This country is peppered with these little mom&pop stores, most of them staffed with knowledgable people, and many of them are starving for business. Dell could send them the same info package they send to the guys in Calcutta, make them take a knowledge test if need be, and make more customers happy.

Granted there would probably have to be some sort of contractural agreement "i promise not to abuse the incoming dell support calls to sell my own products & services" sort of thing... but it could be worked out. 2 Comments »

1090

Keyboard with no Windows logo

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Desktops submitted by lucabrivio 02/27/07

It would be nice to have a keyboard without Windows logos, especially for those that use other operating environments than Microsoft Windows.

There would be several alternatives to have a Windows' logo on the "Super" key, including:
- having a Dell logo instead;
- having a custom key (maybe less cost-effective?);
- having a key with no logo, and perhaps several stickers with Windows, KDE, GNOME logos, Tux, etc.;
- having some other nice icon;
- ...

Desktop keyboards, which have two Windows logo keys, offer even more chances for alternatives. 23 Comments »

3350

Crapware

Sales Strategies, Software submitted by mcneiljohn 05/06/07

Completely eliminate all crapware on new computers, but provide access to all trial software versions on a dvd requiring conscious action by the user to install and provide a booklet with a brief description of the promoted products.
I will shortly replace my aging Inspiron 8000 and hope to not be initially frustrated by having to remove unnecessary and unwanted programs. 6 Comments »

120904

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.

591 Comments »

1010

Make Carbon Fiber Based Laptops to Minimize weight and Maximize Strength

Laptops submitted by wonderworm 05/07/07

Sony's has a big winner with their Carbon Fiber based Vaio laptops. Carbon Fiber has become extremely cheap over the past several years so for little cost, Dell could reduce the weight of some of their laptop lines significantly while actually improving structural integrity.

Plus Carbon Fiber is just cool. 1 Comment »

118323

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.

1239 Comments »