There's a huge post in GD discussing Dell Computers

[CatWoman]

I need to replace my personal PC and am wondering what you guys in the lounge think?

Dell is certainly affordable. I'm trying to weight the pros and cons of purchasing from them.

Also looking for alternatives.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. I know people say they are crap, but we have two and haven't

had any problems with either. One is 5 years old and the kids play on it with their music downloads, etc. and the other, more powerful one is mine. Mine has some serious databases on it, and I haven't had any issues.

Plus, frankly, they are cheap enough to almost be disposable.

[LynneSin]

I don't think it's because they are crap, it's because

Michael Dell is the biggest Bush whore out there.

[CatWoman]

5. exactly, Lynne

I dread the thought of giving that scumbag fucker my money

[Midlodemocrat]

7. But who isn't?

I can't use a Mac, so what are my options? Sometimes the bottom line is the cash outlay.

[LynneSin]

9. There are other options

http://www.buyblue.org/directory/40
Gateway is definately a Blue Company and Toshiba doesn't even donate to politicians. Both are great computers that you can by either online or at the store. (I'd go with Toshiba - better quality, but gateway has more competitive prices with Dell)


Me? I have a Sony which is considered balanced between the two. Previous years Sony was a blue company and I really like their products
http://www.buyblue.org/node/1860/view/summary

[Midlodemocrat]

22. Actually, in terms of quality, I have had gateway and I currently have

a Toshiba laptop and it is a piece of crap.

Sometimes you gotta go with what you can afford.

[FreeState]

25. Yes you can use a mac

All new Macs run Windows natively.

[Midlodemocrat]

27. Thanks, but no I can't. Some of the databases I need for work

aren't compatible.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

29. They're not compatible with Windows or Linux?

Because you can run both natively on the Intel Macs. I run Mac OSX and Ubuntu Linux natively on my G4 mac.

[Midlodemocrat]

36. One of the doesn't work on Mac. It has a smaller database, but

not the one I need to use every day.

I think it's a memory thing. I really haven't looked into it. I haven't had an issue with my Dell computers and that's what the company sent me.

[LynneSin]

2. Most used computers you'll find on ebay....

Contain operating systems and some form of return policy. I've had great sucess with buying off-lease computers for my last 2 computers and 2 laptops.

However, this time I opted to buy something new and got myself a really great Sony Vaio. Sony, dispite the criticisms of some, is considered a "Blue" company. But I will admit I bought it through Best Buy as an open box buy. Got a great deal on a computer that if it wasn't a return, would have cost several hundred dollars more.

[deucemagnet]

17. My last 2 computers were off-lease Dells

I guess technically the money doesn't go to Dell, plus you can get a good deal, if you don't mind using a refurbished off-lease machine. Another plus to buying a Dell off-lease is that they're extremely easy to upgrade, so if it doesn't meet your needs as-is, it can be cheaply and easily modified to do so.

[NewWaveChick1981]

3. I used Dell at work for years, and I never had any issues with

the PCs I had there. I now have a Dell Inspiron laptop of my own at home (had it since Oct.) and really like it. I have a Dell Latitude for work purposes, and that one is temperamental. (I think that's because of the insane corporate lockdown security on it, not because of the laptop itself.) Neither my own laptop or my work laptop were subject to the battery recall, btw.

I know people say different things about Dell, but I personally have never had a problem with them.

[Mutley]

4. I have a Dell, and I've never had a major problem with it.

However, I've heard horror stories from others about them. Seems to go either way.

[LynneSin]

6. Guys, the complaint many of us have about Dell isn't the quality

although I know some folks who didn't have much luck with their lower end products and were distressed by the horrors of Dell customer service.

I think for many of us who are anti-Dell it's because CEO Michael Dell is a Bush whore 'pioneer'.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Red company, batteries were exploding, exported tech support

I'm not a PC person, but I wouldn't go with Dell, if I had to go PC for some mysterious reason.

[nini]

10. we use Dells at work and haven't had problems

don't listen to mac snobs

[LynneSin]

11. It has nothing to do with being MAC snobs - I'm totally windows

And I won't touch Dell because they are Bush whores

[nini]

19. uhhh.... why did you take that personally?

Relax - I was referring to the mac/win issues in that other thread.

[wildhorses]

12. I have a dell but, I was thinking about apple for my next one

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

30. Go for it. Buy blue.

And if you for some reason, still want to run Winblows XP, you can.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. I've got a Dell.

Works a lot better than that iMac I bought a few years ago.

[Initech]

14. Fuck Dell.

I had a horrible experience with my last one. It spent more time in the shop than my car did.

I'd recommend a Macbook Pro and a Windows XP license - there's a thousand websites that show you how you can fix your system so it can dual-boot both operating systems. Best of both worlds!

[LynneSin]

15. Gads!! Michael Dell has even given to Rick Santorum

http://www.newsmeat.com/billionaire_political_donations...

[ScreamingMeemie]

16. Because Sony Vaios are prettier...

Honestly, I have a Sony laptop and a Sony desktop and they are both great machines. MicroCenter runs some really great deals on them.

[LynneSin]

18. I love my Sony Desktop

They're split on their donations, so at least it's not someone evil like Michael Dell. I had a Vaio Laptop but they are not strong enough for when you slip on the ice and the laptop falls out

Actually all of my laptops of lately have been IBMs that I"ve bought off of Ebay and have had great sucess with.

[CatWoman]

20. never heard of Microcenter

will definitely check them out

[mvd]

28. Hi, MrsGrumpy!

I use a Sony VAIO. Switched from Dell because of his donations. VAIOs are pretty comparable in price. Did you know that Dell used to put Pentium processors in their lower-end computers, and now they put in Celeron? Really weaselly reduction in quality.

I've been satisfied with my VAIO. My only complaints are the security stuff that came with it. I didn't want Norton, and the NIS 2005 trial came with my computer. It's really hard to get Norton stuff completely off. I wonder if remnants led to my problems with Kaspersky products. I use NOD32 instead. More likely, it's an incompatibility with my router. But still.

[martymar64]

21. Try a Mac Mini

Very affordable and the elegance of OS X.

[datasuspect]

23. i'll have a bagel and lox and some yikas

extra pickles.


ooops, you're not talking about delis

[JitterbugPerfume]

24. I am satisfied with mine

I bought it because it was what I could afford . I know it is suppose to be a "republian" leaning company but damn I do not always know the people I deal with --if they are left or right

[TrogL]

26. 100 failure rate at work

We won't let them in the door. Complete crap.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

32. Yeah, I worked at a place that switched from iMacs to Dells because they

were cheaper. I managed to talk the owner into letting me keep my iMac. I spent more time troubleshooting those fucking Dells than it was worth. Even their monitors were pieces of shit. Oh yeah, and my iMac kept on trucking.

[ContraBass Black]

31. My Dell PC has run flawlessly and has been on almost constantly

Since August 2003.

Of course, I don't screw with it.

[Redneck Socialist]

33. Go custom build

Hit your local computer shops, tell them what features you want, what you're going to use the computer for and ask what they can put together for you. Get a quote and hit three four shops. Chances are prices will be pretty similar so go with the place that treats you the best.

That's what I did and I got a machine I'm very happy with. You'll get what you want and more importantly what you will use instead of a machine fill with the crap Dell thinks you need/want. If you shop around you won't pay too much more than one of Dell's junk filled machines.

[RetroLounge]

34. We use Dell exclusively at work

and they have never been an issue. Work just fine, good price.

My laptop is a Dell and I love it...

RL

[Mike03]

35. Dell Sales Declines

Are you referring to the discussion about declining PC sales?

I don't own Dell, but I am an investor and I think the reason for this is rather simple: Buyers are waiting for Windows Vista to be released before upgrading. In fact, so was I, until I heard some info about it.

The PC is not dead, and Apple, although brilliant, is not the Jesus Christ of computers. There is nothing wrong with Dell computers, except that they run Windows software, and most people are not aware that Vista is in trouble.

Stay tuned. If you are an investor, keep in mind that the stock market is in for a very rough ride.