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
Stripped down, fast Linux Box
Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Desktops, Linux submitted by pawprintz
02/17/07 **REVIEWED**
How about a fast, Internet ready Linux desktop. Small form factor, pretty monitor, mouse & keyboard, the O.S., OpenOffice & Firefox. Cheap'n'fast
Dell sees the value of this idea, and is keeping the sugestions for a Linux small form factor on the radar. john_h will let the community know of any new information as it comes.
67550
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.
138539
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.
151610
"Advanced" Laptop Configuration screen
Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by otacon
02/16/07
Let computer savy customers start off with nothing, forget base models and base configurations. Pic a screen, processor, RAM (give more options for RAM, along the lines of OCZ, etc.) and so on. Stop with all the add-ons at the end. When I configure a laptop/desktop I don't want to chose a router, printer, etc waste of my time. Put the add-ons for the regular, "customize it" users. I want to configure, get the price and leave.
909
Laptops
Latitude products submitted by kannan_r
02/14/07
The Latitude 620 is pretty powerful when it comes to performance. However there are a coupld of things i miss when i compare it with an IBM TP.
1. A kepboard light is extremely useful, especially when you are working in poor lighting conditions
2. A scroll button is somthing that would help when you are on the move and dont have an external mouse
3. The laptop could be a little lighter
466
Increase customization to hit the sweet spot with the geek community
Sales Strategies, Desktops and Laptops submitted by mathoda
02/16/07
The geek community craves easily customizable computers, both in terms of the hardware and software. Their choices of hardware and software become reflective of their identity, in a way it isn't for non geek consumers. Apple laptops, while beautiful, aren't very customizable. To reach the geek community, Dell should aim to support the standards that the geekiest consumers prefer, such as an easy to choose from several different operating systems (ubuntu linux, other distributions of linux, bsd, vista, etc), several different choices of applications, etc. Dell should also let you customize more of your component choices for the hardware. While Dell may fear the customer support required for such customization, the geek community more than other communities is probably willing to have customer support open sourced (the way support for linux is supported by geek message boards) rather than be the traditional handholding required for mainstream customers.
2001
Get rid of the powerbrick
Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptop Power submitted by fcnc05
02/16/07
I have a Dell 17in notebook and I love it. Don't mind to carry around at all. But haveing to unplug, wind up all the cables and pack the power brick together really annoys me. So It would be very nice if dell make available for the large form factor laptop (at least the 17 and 20in) a power brick the same size of the battery, so I could replace it (an internal power supply). A retractable power cord inside would be a plus. Even better if had 1 or 2 batteries cells inside so it could give a 15minutes for emergencies. Why have 6 or 9 cells...it barely gives me one hour anyway....This kind of notebook really is a Desktop replacement, so why bother about batteries? Get rid of the power suplly and it would be MUCH better!
2532
Design & Form Factor
Desktops and Laptops submitted by logi
02/16/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
This forum is a great idea to get Dell back to #1.
What I like to see is new and innovative styling across the board on notebooks and desktops. Dell's product line looks 5yrs old and needs a total refresh.
As you can see Apple Inc. is winning conumers hearts because Apple owners are actually proud of displaying them in the living rooms instead of hiding them. Get rid of that XPS desktop design that thing is so ugly.. and come up with something consumers would be proud of displying in their media rooms.
Also I would like to see Dell create a sleak new design for a media center box so we can utilize vista home for the entertainment room and display it next to my audio and video units.
Thanks for listening Mr. Dell.
Hope_l talks about how passionate we are about design in this thread. To read more about how this idea is being put into action click here.
22926
More RAM!
Desktops and Laptops submitted by mwmtjm
01/30/07 **UNDER REVIEW**
Do away with 512MB of memory as a base option to buy consumer desktops and notebooks. With Vista running best on 1GB at a minimum, don't make customers have a basic experience with the new OS because Dell wants to be able to advertise at a lower price point. The success of Vista -- and subsequently for Dell -- will be largely in word of mouth. Take a long-term view and build the momentum one great customer experience at a time right now!
39612
Business machines with better video cards
Gaming, Laptops submitted by mrviceman
02/16/07
Why are the 15" notebooks so limited in the cards you can put in them. Business people play games to. Yes I know there is a size issue, but I bet ATI or Nvidia has a solution that will work. Believe me, there is a market in smaller notebooks with a wide choice of video cards.
398
Form follows Function — Purchase Follows Both
Laptops submitted by marmaduke
02/16/07
I will second the idea of redesigning the product line, particularly the laptops. You will see Apples in movies and on TV because they are aesthetically appealing. The way a PC looks may not be the driving force behind Dell's ability to give 20-25% coupons and make quality products at less expensive prices. Still, with a simple retooling they could easily multiply their sales and retake the lead away from HP.
Get rid of the white bumpers. Take a cue from Apple and HP and make these things pretty to look at as well as a pleasure to play with: black, gray, silver, made out of magnesium and carbon fiber. Show the consumer that form follows function and they will open their wallets. Add webcams and mics above all screens. Give us a 15.4" screen option In the XPS line. Whatever happened to hot-swappable bays? Who needs an optical drive all the time? Having two batteries would win over the road warrior / student / gamer always away from their AC outlets. Look into LED screens to conserve power. Do not add in SideShow LCDs but instead a single line LED above the media buttons with e-mail, voice-mail, music and time information. Get rid of the tray-loading CD/DVD readers and use a slot-loader to minimize moving parts and give it a cleaner, simpler look. Finally, never underestimate the need for better dedicated graphics cards. Having a low-end card in a laptop may sell better to the unknowing everyday consumer. Most of us who post on this site (and you know who you are) want better graphics solutions, not only for games but for Aero Glass, the Web, and to future proof our machines. From my POV, if the Inspiron and XPS product lines are not refreshed by 2Q 2007, around the time of Santa Rosa / Centrino Pro, everything after that from Dell will be in vain.
235
Better Styling, More Choices on Video Cards and a Hybrid Video Design, and Definately less or NO pre-installed Software.
Sales Strategies, Software, Laptops submitted by kman79
02/16/07 **REVIEWED**
Dell probably does build one of the best performing notebooks that one could order, well at least you could make it to be one of the best performing notebooks, but they lack in style. Of course the priority of having the notebook is having good performance, but having a stylish exterior adds value and want for the notebook/laptop. The white and gray casing gets old, and needs updating. I like the simple yet stylish look of the M1210, the rest of the line should be updated. Maybe it's just me, but the rest of the XPS line of laptops need to be toned down, it just looks to kidish and has too many things going on with it. Design a better looking notebook with the current hardware performance you have available right now, and you can guarantee it will sell better. The design does not have to be complex, but anything is better than white and gray plastic exterior you currently use. Get ideas from Apple, Asus, Sony, Toshiba and even HP. Give the exterior look of the notebook some curves......maybe evem a glossy finish, and a little texture. People spend thousands of dollars on their Dell Notebooks, at least make them feel better by making the notebooks look like it's worth the money spent on them. Give the notebook some attitude, a personality and a soul and not just a piece of plastic with a keyboard and a screen.
Dell should also give customers more choices with the video cards. I wanted to get an M1210, but was dissapointed that it only had a Geforce Go 7400 as the only choice for video card. I was more than willig to spend the extra cash on a higher end video card. Also, if sony has not patented this design/idea, what about a Video Hybrid design where you have a choice between intel graphics while on battery, and purve Nvidia graphics when plugged in. I think the idea is genious and very useful. You can use intel graphics when your running on battery to save and extend battery life, and switch over to nvidia graphics for full-on graphics power when the notebook is plugged in.
More importantly, let it be the customer's choice on which programs and services they want installed on their ordered computer. I hate turning on my newly ordered computer and having all these unwanted software and services already installed. I hate having to spend the first minutes to hours after receiving my computer uninstalling programs or doing a clean OS install.
Over the past year we launched several laptops that were developed purely for the consumer. Check out all the details on mike_h's post.
7626
 track my votes
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