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Survey IBM, Apple, and Rackable customers to get a broader perspective than IdeaStorm can offer..

IdeaStorm, Sales Strategies submitted by jmxz 05/11/07

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There are a few IdeaStorm ideas [1] suggesting that Dell might get more balanced opinions by surveying its customers rather than listening to IdeaStorm. However that would also produce skewed results because the group of their own customers is self selected for wanting a low-margin discount commodity supplier - because that's what Dell is already good at.

Better advice (I think)

• Dell, go out and survey Apple customers - these are the guys paying healthy profits on computers and have unmatched product loyalty in the industry. These are the customers you need to win to become a high-margin vendor instead of a commodity vendor. (Apple's profit margin : 12.92%; Dell's profit margin: 5.10%)
  This is the consumer market you want.
  
• Dell, go out and survey IBM customers - these are the large businesses and governments that pay top dollar for serious computing infrastructure. (Dell's sales: 57 Billion; IBM's sales: 97Billion with a profit margin of 10.38%)
  This is the government / large enterprise market you want.
  
• Dell, go out and survey Rackable customers - Rackable is the hardware supplier to Google and Yahoo and understands internet compute clusters better than anyone. This is the emerging new business segment you want.
  

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Surveying your own customers is fine if your main goals are to keep them and keep the status quo.
Surveying your competitors is better if you're trying to win new customers and new markets.

And as a footnote - of the companies I listed - I'm pretty sure a minority of the systems they sell use Windows.

[1] http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/67192

4 Comments »

what about OS X?

Linux, Operating Systems - Multiboot, Service and Support submitted by spedbugy 02/26/07

I see everyone clamoring for linux and I agree that would be a great option, but I'd like to see drivers and support for dual or triple booting with OS X. I would like to work with that operating system, however Apple systems are rather expensive when compared to others. 5 Comments »

Don't waste time on Linux or any other Open Source software

Linux, Operating Systems, Software submitted by aiac13 03/05/07

Disregard all calls from these Open Source fanatics to offer Linux or any other OSS. Focus your attention on improving service and support to your existing lines of business. Any efforts to provide and support Linux or other OSS will most likely cause support and service to your existing lines of business to suffer. Don't legitimize Linux or other OSS, these are softwares and technologies only for the hobbyist, ignore them and soon they'll fade back into the woodwork, where they belong. 19 Comments »

OS Independence

Dell, Operating Systems submitted by garym 02/20/07

Mac OS X is the way forward for Dell. Michael Dell has to make peace with Steve Jobs and license Mac OS X to run on Dell hardware. That said, Dell should only be allowed to build Apple-certified designs in order to mitigate software issues.

Microsoft Windows dominance has become too much of a burden on the whole industry. Dell should actively promote OS independence and open standards, and an industry wide goal of no OS dominating the market (25% market share or less). This would have a beneficial effect on security, since the virus/trojan/spyware malignancy would wither away in a heterogeneous environment.

Wouldn't the world really be better off if Windows, OS X, Linux and Unix each held about 25% of the OS market? Application developers would have to learn how to develop more portable code and would be encouraged to embrace open standards.

Dominance leads to arrogance. Arrogance leads to Vista.

It's up to you Michael Dell. Be a positive force in the industry. 3 Comments »

Make a DELL OS X PC

Dell, Operating Systems, Desktops and Laptops submitted by bassaf 03/08/07

Make a deal with Steve Jobs and have OS X installed on new Dell PCs with style and affordable price, so my father can actualy use a computer without being a systems engineer. 51 Comments »

My next computer will be Linux or Apple

Linux, Sales Strategies submitted by macsband 02/26/07

I've purchased five Dell computers over the past few years (3 desktops and 2 notebooks). My most recent purchase was an Inspiron E1705 in December. Upon powering up the machine, I immediately reformated the hard drive, thereby getting rid of Windows junk.

My first desktop used Microsoft DOS 3.1. Over the years Microsoft has provided less and less value at more and more expense with greater and greater intrusiveness. Microsoft has turned security updates into a marketing ploy to force less and less competition (which is pretty amazing for such an overwhelming monopoly.)

My next computer will have Linux or Apple OS pre-installed. I'm a loyal Dell customer, but if Dell does not offer Linux, I'll be joining the ever growing crowd switching to Apple.

Mac 8 Comments »

Linux or Mac OS X - NO WINDOWS!!!!!!!!

Linux submitted by themacguy12 02/24/07

Forget Vista, XP and problems. Make your computers with Linux or get apple to sell you os x, the computer revolution has started, you need to join. 4 Comments »

Add Mac OSX

Operating Systems - Multiboot submitted by rmartin 02/17/07

Need to add Mac OSX. Esp good idea when bundled with Parallels software so you could run Windows and linux at the same time. v10.5 will be out soon that makes it an ever better idea. 129 Comments »

Dell & Vista pushed me to buy a Mac

Operating Systems, Service and Support submitted by dsfdecker 04/20/07

I've been a "Dell only" customer for at least 10 years both at home and at work. I wanted a 12" laptop, but didn't like the Latitude D412 because of the external CD drive. When the XPS 1210 came out, I was interested. When I was finally ready to purchase the XPS 1210, Windows Vista had been released about 3 weeks earlier. Since all the reviews about Vista I'd seen were only mediocre at best, I was really surprised to find that Dell wouldn't offer the 1210 with XP. I waited another few weeks, tried again, same answer. I was told I could buy the computer, uninstall Vista, purchase XP and install it. Are you kidding me? Give me a break. I began to look at other laptops. Just for the fun of it, I looked at the Mac Book and found that I would get a LOT more computer for a surprisingly less price than the XPS 1210. And I don't have to use Vista. Until now, I've had a really great experience with Dell computers, but I'm saving about $1,500 buying a more powerful MacBook than the XPS 1210. I'll let you know how it all works out. Dell -- learn from this mistake!!! 8 Comments »

Mac Dell?

Dell submitted by stevejobs 02/22/07

Maybe you can rebrand a Mac as a Dell like you do with everything else actually made by other companies in Taiwan and China anyway. Comment »

Desktop tower with LCD display on the side.

Desktops, Monitors and Displays, New Product Ideas submitted by chewd 05/03/07

Take an ATX (or micro) case, stick a 17" (or 15) flat-panel display on the side (ideally with a snap-on cover) put a handle on the top, maybe have the keyboard & mouse clip on or slide out somehow, and youll have the ultimate LAN party machine. All the upgradability and performance of a desktop machine with -some- portability.

Its also ideal for people who want to limit cable clutter or have limited space under the desk.

Please pardon my limited gimp skills. Also apologies to dell for taking their product images & butchering them :) 37 Comments »

coreboot (formerly LinuxBIOS) instead of proprietary BIOS

Linux, Desktops and Laptops submitted by yesmathew 02/20/07

coreboot (formerly known as LinuxBIOS) is a Free Software project aimed at replacing the proprietary BIOS (firmware) you can find in most of today's computers.
- Fast boot times 3 sec.
- Runs in 32-Bit protected mode almost from the start
- Can boot Windows too...

External links:
- http://www.coreboot.org/Welcome_to_coreboot
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linuxbios<

An Example:
- http://wiki.laptop.org/go/LinuxBIOS 90 Comments »

Student Discounts!

Education, Sales Strategies submitted by cnmopt 02/18/07 **ALREADY OFFERED**

Similar to Apple, Dell should offer students a special discount on Dell Products. The Apple market share is currently growing in the education sector and offering [college] students a discount would be useful to counter Apple's strategy. 42 Comments »

Now You Choose – Concept 1

Gaming, XPS products submitted by dell_admin1 04/25/07

Participate in the product design process! Dell is using IdeaStorm to decide between two new product design concepts. Vote on your favorite and weigh in to tell us what you think.

When we unveiled the XPS 710 H2C at CES this year, we also uncovered it. There were a limited number of systems sprinkled throughout the show floor that had a clear side panel allowing easy viewing of the patent-pending two-stage H2C liquid cooling system.

Since then, more than a few people have suggested we offer a “panel with a view” as an option for our XPS 710 line. Now we need you to vote for one of these two options and, most importantly, share some reasons why you like it.

This “Now You Choose” vote campaign will be open from Wednesday, April 25 to Friday, May 11. The design that gets the most votes will be featured in a future generation of XPS gaming desktops.

37 Comments »

Should Apple licence OS X to Dell? | Bigmouth Strikes Again - Freelance journalist Gary Marshall on technology, the Internet, music, Macs and more

Operating Systems submitted by pwalker 01/30/07

There was an interesting op-ed by Doug Mohney in The Inquirer yesterday, which suggested that the launch of Vista provides a good opportunity for Apple - if it licences OS X to Dell.

However, Vista is being beaten like a dead horse by the mass media – most of them already are enthralled to the God of Jobs if you read between the lines, so Microsoft could make nuclear fusion work tomorrow and they’d give it a lukewarm review at best. The consensus view out of the babbling punditry is “Don’t buy Vista today, unless you have to buy a new computer tomorrow.”

On that front, I think the babbling pundits are right. Heh.

So what about Apple?

If Apple was serious, and I mean really serious, about gaining more PC market share, they’d realize they need to license/sell their operating system to another hardware manufacturer or two. Sure, Apple’s tried the license route before with mixed results, but it’s about time to bite the bullet, look into the mirror, and realize they should try something bold.

Apple should license their operating system to Dell.

Mohney isn’t suggesting that Apple should make OS X available to any PC user; the dangers of that (such as hardware incompatibilities or really crap machines ruining Apple’s reputation) have been talked to death for years. Rather, he’s suggesting that Apple could team up with a single PC manufacturing firm to make decent clones, expanding OS X’s market share without diluting the core Apple brand. It wouldn’t be an Apple Mac: it’d be a Dell Mac. Dell’s good at churning out PCs, so if Apple laid down strict criteria about what should and shouldn’t go into a clone you could get decent non-Apple Macs competing in different markets to Apple Macs. Does anyone really think Dell is capable of making something as sexy as a MacBook or as iconic as the iMac?

I’m sure Mohney will be inundated with angry emails, but I do wonder how many of the senders will have reacted similarly to suggestions a few years back that Macs should run Intel chips. I think his idea’s fascinating. 48 Comments »

Warn people of poor Vista performance where they choose between XP and Vista

Gaming, Operating Systems submitted by jmxz 05/07/07

Another new review today. http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTMzNCwxLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA== And it's not just performance:

We initially had some major problems getting this game to patch under Vista. It would say that a shortcut could not be created, or more interestingly, “An unknown error has occurred. Process will end.” Good times – fodder for the “Mac vs. PC” commercials.

People interested in gaming should be cautioned against using Vista.

They'd probably be better off with Ubuntu+Wine than Vista for playing Windows-XP games.

16 Comments »

Linux

submitted by ecruz 05/07/07

I am willing to bet that Dell will not be selling desktop linux by the summer of 2008.

I am sure that 99.9% of the people that asked for linux at the Dell site were already running linux, advocates, and will not buy a Dell PC anyway.

I have tried suse from 9.0 through 10.2, Kubuntu, Freespire, and I guarantee you that 99% of all people will not devote the time you need just to get linux to connect to the Internet with a ethernet card, least to think of going wireless.

So, once you do all that, weeks on end finding the solutions. Then what? Can you play just simples games like my wife likes to do on gamesville.com, NO!
Dell didn't see or failed to see because the threat from HP, that it is not just email, Internet, and openoffice that most users want. They want to be able to buy whatever they see in the store, and that, they won't be able to do with any flavor of linux.
Dell Linux PC's better be lopaded with all the codecs, etc, that users will need to play their cd's, DVD's, MPGs, etc. Not to do this, will be more foolish than the original idea, preloading linux.

By the way, I am using Vista and have had no problems at all. But if Dell thought this well, OpenSuse should have been the way to go, it is more polished than ubuntu.

20 Comments »

End the Novell/Microsoft Deal

Dell, Linux, Operating Systems - Multiboot submitted by plasticboy 05/07/07

Dell should end its deal with Novell and Microsoft to distribute SUSE Linux and provide patent protection to end-users:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/may07/05-06MSDellNovellPR.mspx

This deal violates the spirit of the open source license under which Linux is distributed and is a slap in the face for every free software contributor.

Entering into this deal will put Dell in a tight place when open source projects that are key to Linux, such as the Samba project, begin to use the next version of the GNU General Public License which will specifically prohibit such deals:
http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS7188736246.html

If Dell is serious about Linux, then it must be serious about the freedoms that Linux affords to its users. The Novell deal endangers these freedoms by acknowledging the intellectual property claims that Microsoft has made over Linux:
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;839593139;fp;16;fpid;1 27 Comments »

Renegotiate your Microsoft contracts.

Dell, Operating Systems - Multiboot, Software submitted by jmxz 05/07/07

Of the profit in a PC you sell, consider how much of the profit goes to the OS vendor.

Looking at the quarterly reports for Microsoft it seems that there's quite a bit of room between what you pay them and what they need to still make a profit.

Start treating Microsoft the same way you treat the rest of your software vendors --- make them pay for the exposure they get for being pre-installed on a Dell. And, like the rest of your software vendors, make them make money off of the upgrades from their Basic versions of the software to the full ones. And, like some of the rest of your software vendors, make them share some of that upgrade revenue back to you.

There are many reasons they should accept such a proposal:

First, remember how important DELL is to making Vista a success. Keep posting lies about Vista being better than it is (http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/66173 , http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/67016/ ) and Vista will succeed at the expense of your credibility. For this, THEY charge YOU money?!? Tell Microsoft that you'll start being honest and recommending that customers choose XP for gaming and Linux for Security, and you'll see how much they'll be begging/paying you to support Vista.

Secondly, consider the long term. There are only so many dollars of profit in a PC that the market will support. Chip and component companies get a piece of this. Software vendors get a piece of this. You get the remainder. Your long term hope for profits demand that the software and chip parts of this equation stay small. Apple has an easy time because they collect both the software and the system manufacturer parts. For Dell, your best hope of competing with Apple would be to either get part of the software piece (http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/64581) or minimize the profits of the software vendors by making them pay you instead of you paying them.

The way today's market looks to me, it seems like you should be insisting that Microsoft sell you a deeply discounted XP for as long as your customers want it --- and for them to pay you for inflicting Vista on the world, just as the rest of your crippleware vendors pay you for the exposure.

But to do that, you first have to prove to them that Ubuntu is a viable alternative, or else they'll call your bluff.

If you can show that Ubuntu could replace them, all their profit can be yours. 8 Comments »

Debian instead of Ubuntu

Linux submitted by wlaoye 05/07/07

Ubuntu is a derivative of Debian. Why not use the radical rather than the derivative? Dell should pre-install its PCs with Debian and distribute it all over the world.

wl 7 Comments »