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Linux and Open Office as default software on Dell

Linux, Software, Desktops and Laptops submitted by ekkschu 02/22/07

I´ve been running a Dell desktop-PC (WindowsXP Pro with MS Office) for over three years, and it´s time to get a new desktop and, in addition, a notebook. Though, the hardware has been running without problems till today, I´m definitely looking now for an equipment with pre-installed Linux and Open Office resp. Star Office (has a database). The main reasons for this: Probably a much lower price, a better use of hardware resources and - I don´t like Windows with all of its hidden features like "home calling".
Over a year ago, I already asked Dell, whether there is such an offering, but didn´t get an answer. So, I understand you want me to buy elsewhere. 1 Comment »

No DRM

Software submitted by fgarpe 02/26/07

Don't put DRM hardware or software in any

http://defectivebydesign.org/
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gesti%C3%B3n_de_derechos_digitales
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Rights_Management 8 Comments »

More AMD machines, higher graphics options, better sound integration

Desktops and Laptops submitted by pjf3rd 02/17/07

I applaud Dell for offering a few machines with less expensive AMD processors, but Dell needs to offer AMD options on more machines and notebooks, from the low end to the high end. Competition is good, sell more AMD and force Intel to reduce their ridiculously high prices.

And Dell needs better graphics options all over the spectrum. Why can't a buyer get a better graphics card pre-installed on ANY machine in the line, not just the higher-end ones?

Bottom line -- if I want to pay to get high-end graphics and sound and save money by choosing a lower-power processor and less software, why can't I?

I was forced to buy an HP notebook last year because HP offerred a 2Ghz AMD processor, 1GB RAM and 100GB hard drive + DVD-RW for under $1,250, while an equivalent Dell notebook was well over $2,300. And I got 15.4 in WXGA as well. The only HP drawback was 1280x1024 max on the LCD, but the graphics card supports 1600x1200 for an external monitor.

The last Dell desktop I bought (Dimension 8400) came with Soundblaster Live sound, but because it was a separate card and not chips on the MB, there are no front-panel sound connections. This is extremely annoying and makes sound connection changes much more difficult (my CPU is in a cabinet where it is harder to get at the back of the machine). Choosing higher-end sound should not remove convenient front-panel connections.

I have been a loyal Dell buyer since the mid '90's, and I still recommend Dell to friends and co-workers, but I will buy where the price and features are the best. Wake up Dell! 1 Comment »

Do not distinguish between home, home office, small business, and enterprise

Dell Web Site submitted by cosmotic 02/17/07

It is hard enough finding the product in the right store, let alone figuring out the differences between them. I never buy products from the home department just because the tech support is in India. 2 Comments »

Linux Gaming Box Initiative

Gaming, Linux submitted by las1372 02/22/07

Offer a Linux Gaming Desktop and/or Laptop.
- Work with Transgaming and/or the Wine Community to create the best linux gaming platform
- Load it with the most compatible linux gaming hardware
- Use this platform as a baseline to partner with linux friendly gaming developers to use (id, bioware, etc) as a de-facto standard

Essentially offer the box that makes it a no-brainer for folks to game on linux. 7 Comments »

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. 2 Comments »

All hardware should have 5 year support on parts

Service and Support submitted by ronsemail 02/17/07

Only offering parts for only 18 months after you introduce a new model is a big probelm for customers when you design your servers to only last 18 months on average. 3 Comments »

Pre-Installed Linux Servers for Schools

Education, Linux submitted by linuxgirlie 02/21/07

This is a bit biased as I am a co-developer of a Linux based educational server operating (http://www.karoshi.org.uk) but I think it would be great to be able to have Linux Servers pre-installed for educational purposes.
Alot of people who work in schools that I have spoken to have meationed that they would take it alot more seriously if they could buy servers with this system pre-installed.

If schools had more of a choice, that they know is supported, I think they would be prepared to buy one. One choice would be to pre-install Karoshi, but along as the server is easy to use, and can support Windows Clients and do all of the jobs the school needs you could pre-install any version of Linux, more likily Novell Suse or Red Hat. 6 Comments »

Dell should not promote Windows Vista

Advertising and Marketing, Operating Systems, Sales Strategies submitted by rst 02/20/07

Dell does not have to promote Windows Vista. 8 Comments »

Certify desktop/laptop hardware components for use with Linux

Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by rkl 02/22/07

If Dell don't want to ship Linux pre-installed on desktops or laptops, then the next best thing is to certify all the hardware componens in those machines that they work correctly with Linux. Dell would have to choose, say, the latest versions of the three most popular desktop Linux distros (e.g. Ubuntu, openSUSE and Fedora) and check that all the hardware components work (live CDs and some sort of test suites might come into play here).

Only if all three distros supported a hardware component would it be marked with a penguin and, say, a green tick (use a red cross if there's any failure). If all the hardware components worked with Linux, then the whole machine gets a (bigger) penguin and green tick.

Dell's long-term aim should be to reduce or eliminate the number of red crosses on their hardware - they can do this by either switching to another equivalent hardware component supplier that does have Linux support or sponsoring the development of Linux support for "red cross hardware".

Note that once all the hardware components get green ticks for a particular laptop or desktop model, then Dell can consider shipping Linux pre-installed with that desktop or laptop - this is a major step for Dell to take though, because it means a whole support chain for Linux.

At least with the cerification idea on its own, users can see quickly how "compatible" the machine is with Linux (maybe give it a percentage rating of Linux compatibility based on the number of green ticks out of the total number of red crosses+green ticks?), but not *demand* Linux support from Dell - which pre-installed Linux implies. 1 Comment »

Ubuntu Linux capable of running Beryl to compete with WIndows Vista

Linux, Operating Systems submitted by master5o1 02/25/07

In all markets competition is the key to keeping prices and quality good for consumers.

I propose to Dell to offer Ubuntu Linux with the ideal hardware to support Beryl (with XGL or AIGLX) for exceptional competition of a Linux based Eye-Candy supporting Vista alternative.

Stand up and speak out! This is the perfect time to curb Microsoft's 'monopoly' on commercial operating systems. Let's try make Linux as easily available to consumers as Windows is! 3 Comments »

another request for linux

Linux, Sales Strategies submitted by drlouis 02/21/07

I would also love to see either a choice of linux distro's pre-installed or at least an option to purchase with no OS pre-installed. I'd also like to see an effort made to select hardware components that are 'friendly' to open source operating systems (ie that have well tested/supported drivers available). It looks like I'm far from alone. 2 Comments »

3 Years of Warranty Free

Service and Support, Laptops submitted by kartikanand 02/21/07

Dell,

If you believe your computers are the best of the best, then I really challenge you to give your customers 3 years of warranty for no additional cost. This would say a lot about your own confidence in your products!!! This would bring unbelievable number of customers.

Last year, I planned to purchase a new laptop, I decided on 1 simple things i.e. not to purchase DELL. This is because I have heard so many complaints about the laptop manufactured by DELL breaking after 13-14 months.

7 Comments »

I'd like Street Price (competitive) 3rd party accessories/peripherals

Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Sales Strategies submitted by whatsupdell 02/20/07

I would like Dell to be my "one stop shop" for most of the electronics purchases I make. However, I find many of the 3rd party items Dell sells are not competitively priced against other online retailers. Cameras, external hard drives, and many other devices I've desired to buy all at once from Dell, have had pricing 2x (100%) higher than even my local retail stores.

It would be nice if Dell would impliment competitive street-price offerings for their 3rd party accessories (Canon, Panasonic..etc).

Even if the pricing was $10 to $15 higher than the lowest "reputable" retailer, I may have made the purchases with Dell, for convenience. But twice the price drove me to other vendors.

I'm not looking for "slick deals" or loss leader pricing. Just competitive street pricing would do. MSRP isn't street price, and when you're priced 2x that of the non-sale price of brick and mortal retailers that I consider to be "overpriced" it makes me blush to think I'm even checking the price at Dell.com 2 Comments »

Provide machine specification in a well defined format

Dell Web Site, Service and Support submitted by pschulz01 02/19/07

There are several tools under Linux which list the detected hardware of a system and display it in a well defined format.. (available under Ubuntu)

eg. lshw, lspci, lsusb

There are also other methods used to obtain more information about a system, which kernel developers usually ask for when debugging hardware problem..

dmesg, cat /proc/cpuinfo

This information is incredibly useful when looking to see what hardware is supported by Linux, and when deciding what hardware to buy, in particular laptops. It would be very helpful if these details were available on DELL products. (Step 1. Boot the most recent Ubuntu CD. Step 2. Run these command and save the details. Step 3. Publish on the DELL Website.) 3 Comments »

Exclude Crapware as an Option (AOL, Works, Semantic, etc)

Sales Strategies, Software submitted by maruser 02/20/07

As an IT professional who lives on DELL products, I spend more time uninstalling Crapware (AOL, Works, Semnatic) than installing the software that I actually need. What a waste.

It would be great if customers are given the option to Crapware or not.
Most will opt not to have i.

This should be an all or nothing on the Crapware. 2 Comments »

Dump the little books and leaflets that come with every dell

Environment, Desktops and Laptops submitted by mobcdi 02/20/07

How about not shipping all those little leaflets in multiple languages that no one reads anyway with every dell. It should be possible to create a pdf of all the necessary regulatory information and have that displayed on the first boot.

It would save money for dell in printing and shipping costs and that might mean cheaper pc's 8 Comments »

OS Install Disks

Operating Systems, Software submitted by bruceiv 02/20/07

You should include a real OS install disk (free) with all Dell computers - we paid for the licence, if we wish we should be able to do OS re-installation (a relatively basic maintenance chore) 3 Comments »

no OS on my new pc

Linux, Operating Systems, Desktops and Laptops submitted by robzane 02/21/07

I propose not to sell any copy of Windows Vista with a new PC. THe user must choose its OS. I prefer Linux and I can't understand why I must pay Bill Gates 1 Comment »

Thunderbird instead of Outlook

Software submitted by yesmathew 02/24/07

Thunderbird delivers. Enjoy safe, fast, and easy email, with intelligent spam filters, quick message search, and customizable views. Brought to you by Mozilla, Thunderbird makes email better.

- http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozilla_Thunderbird 1 Comment »