Stop Chintzing Your Customers
Dell submitted by smith111
02/20/07
Dell has gone overboard in "cost cutting".
Examples are all over the place:
- Power cords on laptop adapters that are shorter than most of your competitors, making it necessary to bring an extension cord to use your machines.
- Standard features of competitors products like high contrast laptop screens are vastly overpriced options at Dell.
- Same can be said about stupid things like putting 533mhz memory as standard when the bus supports 667 mhz, and charging a whopping sum to 'upgrade' to this --- so much that it is cheaper for the customer to throw out the 'stock' 533 memory, and them replace the modules with mail order modules.
- Many of the machines lack enough things like ports, accessories like flash card readers, etc. built in when competitors all have that standard.
- Some of the shortcomings of Dell can be fixed after the fact (ie replace the memory), but many of them are built into the machine (like not having flash card readers or not enough ports)--- leading the user to curse every time they see it is a Dell.
- Inside Dell desktop and server machines, things like the caddy for a floppy, etc. or things like rails to mount extra hard drives, etc. are all deleted to save Dell a farthing.
Other examples:
proprietary power supply connectors that make Dell non standard for absolutely no reason except to make Dell motherboards and power supplies non-interchangeable.
proprietary laptop chargers that make it difficult to find a replacement adapter 'on the fly'.
If you are going to do this, why not go all the way and make your hard drives, memory, PCIe bus, and even keyboards proprietary????
What does all this proprietary nonsense mean when a customer on travel in Shanghai has to find a replacement power adapter (because his got lost), and cannot find a Dell mail order operation that can deliver one to him in less than 2 weeks? I know what that person probably did: they saw other people with Toshibas, HPs that can buy a replacement adapter from any aftermarket maker, and mentally made a note to not buy Dell next time.
Net result --- customers are super cautious to try their best to figure out how Dell has screwed them to save a fraction of a penny here or there.
Even the most cautious of customers will sometimes find things that Dell did that are very hard to figure until it is too late.
That often means side by side comparisons of Dell vs. competitors machines after it is delivered (as many of the 'economies' are not obvious until delivery or much later, like when you try to add a second Hard Drive and fine that the bracket or power plug is missing.
Specifications published do not tell the whole story, and customers are left to fend for themselves (like remember to order the 'optional' server rails).
Buying from Dell is about as nice an experience as buying a used car off a lot.
How about opening your eyes, and seeing what the competition is offering as 'standard', and then at least match them.
Then, how about adjusting the stupid pricing structure that clearly is intended to rip off customers who are wise enough to realize that the basic machine is crippled to give Dell a low ball price.
- Stop doing the equivalent of selling cars where the tires are optional.
The best Japanese brands, like Honda, have only 3 'trim' levels, and even the basic car is 'loaded' and more than usable and adequate.
I wonder if Michael Dell realize how his company has been ruined by 'cost' cutters.
259
System Security - Fingerprint Scanners
Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by guardianxps
02/17/07
I would like to see computers have some new technology added like Fingerprint scanners. Stolen computers are an issue and adding this will create a better level of security. The only downside I can see would be if one person sold the computer to another and didnt reset the scanner.
Still, I would like to see this and I am sure others would too.
712
No McAfee
Software submitted by doomlord52
02/19/07
I think everyone agrees here. No McAfee. i cant unistall my copy because it will take all my settings for the Microsoft firewall with it. That includes my outlook settings, internet, and just about every program. Why cant i say "no McAfee please"??? is it really that hard? use Norton....
15024
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.
120054
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