Dellaganda was mailed to me! [Warning, excessive ranting]

[Navck]

In my mailbox... "DELL MAGIZINE" Aargh.
"Get rid of that hunk of junk your house for a Dell XPS!"
... Hunk of junk? Uh huh. Thats a pretty much of a PERSONAL insult as I build all the computers in my home except for my IBM laptop (Which Dell later insults in this magizine)

Lets compare. None of their systems are under 2000 dollars unless you count the "MAIL IN REBAE THAT NEVER COMES IN"
Processor -> Intell Pentium 4 640 vs Athlon 64 +3200 (939 pin)
Even match, except they produce more heat
Operating system -> Windows XP Home Edition + Bloatware + Dell OEM + Autowarrantyvoid vs Off Shelf Windows XP Home edition
Even match. Except they have bloatware on theirs
Harddrive -> 160GB* SATA HArddrive vs 120GB Maxtor (2MB Cache/EIDE) + 120GB Maxtor (8MB cache, newer model, EIDE) + 36.7GB Western Digital Raptor (Heh)
Ooohhh, more space, faster preformance on my main drive.
Monitor -> 17 inch .25DP M783 Monitor vs Optiquest V95
Uhhh huh... M783 isn't very descriptive to me either. My monitor was however top of the line (Thank rebates) back when my older computer was bought. So what if its not flatscreen? Flatscreen monitors cause me get a headacke in 5 minutes, and throw up after 45... Then faint after 3 hours and drool over the table...
Graphics Card -> 256MB PCI Express NVIDIA GeForce 6800(NOT GT/Ultra) vs Sapphire X800 Pro + Overclocked + Omega drivers
They're getting their computer handed back on a silver plater benchmark and gaming wise
Memory -> "No name" 256MBx2 DDR2 in dual channel vs Ballistix high end DDR 512MBx2 modules
DDR2 = They have HIGH latency models to let you know. Ballistix modules have quite low timing
Optical drive -> 16x READ ONLY DVD / 48X CD burner vs Weird DVD/CD burner without dual layer
Still better than them
Speakers -> None vs Sound Blaster Audigy Inspire 5.1 5300 series
Ummm, they're dead there too
Sound Card -> Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (D) Sound Card vs Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum
Mine was top of the line back then, still is pretty decent
Warranty -> 90 day warranty on EVERYTHING vs 3 year warranty on CPU/5 year warranty harddrive/Expired warrantys that died 1 year ago
Ooohhhh, 90 day? What if it breaks after 91 days *Cough hack cough*

All for "$2099 BEFORE savings" ($1699 after)
Mail in rebate = Its not coming back.
My system? It totals to $1350 dollars (Old and new parts)
Hmmmmmm.... Did I mention I have aftermarket cooling parts, a replacable powersupply, a ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard, a better looking case with windows, fans that can light up, fan controler, FLOPPY DRIVE (Wow, can't even put one of those in? [censored] thats an expensive machine) Sliding rack harddrive mounts, easy removable bay racks... Warrantys that don't autovoid if I wanted to see whats going on in the inside of my computer

Laptops!
"AWARD WINNING SERVICE AND SUPPORT THROUGH DELL"
I never knew its an award if you gave it to yourself...
http://www.thisistrue.com/dellhell.html
Hey, look, that says they're wrong too!
Now I can't exactly compare my T43 2687DDU to their laptops either...
They do however have a useless product chart for me to read.
All their machines are "G-G-GODLYLIKE... Like... Like" on WORD PROCESING AND SURRRFFING THE WEB
Hmm, isn't every modern computer that way. Infact, aren't even Pentium 256 computers able to handle NOTEPAD.EXE
Spreadsheets + Presentations with EXPENSIVE MICROSOFT OFFICE. Hmm I could download Openoffice too.
Apparently its "BASIC" on their lowerend machines with digital photography (Wait? INTERGRATED CAMERAS? Naaahhh they're not that nice)
Portablitys.... heh, none of their products have "basic" actually. Including their "BRICK" model (XPS Gen 2), infact, they said "GOOD" on battery and travelablity! (Hahahaha!!! 17 inch 8 pound laptop that emmits 80 watts of heat... ON YOUR LAP! Thats almost as bad as Alienware laptops)

"GAMING"
Oh, basic? Wheres the "PLAIN SUCKS RATING"
You're not going to play COMMAND AND CONQUERS Generals on a INTERGRATED X-TREAAAMEEE INTEL GRAPHICS on MINIMAL settings with a MOBILE CELERON WITH 256 MB OF RAM! No way. Unless you like .05 FPS
But they said BASIC
Doesn't basic mean I can play a game on low settings and still have it playable?
NOOOOPE! Lie with words, best way to have fun with the consumer.

Infact, all the Thinkpad users with a pretty new generation (R5x/T4x) will obviously beat them in
Battery life, Lightweight for travel (Infact, all the X3x/X4x series will STOMP them into a small ditch in the ground here)
Infact, BASIC DVD PLAYING ABLITYS, laughable? I know a lot of TP useres can easily play DVDs. EASILY. No challenge!

"BATTERY LIFE"
Up to 5.33*hours*
Propitory measurement of hours, heheh.
Up to 5 hours*
Up to 2.38hours* <--- XPS Gen 2* (And wait, another star? What could it mean)
*Insprion XPS Gen 2 battery life based on 2GHz Pentium M processor, 512mb DDR2 533MHz RAM, 80GB* (Oh noes! More hidden info! Requires me to turn to back... Where there are 50 paragraphs of small text), harddrive running at 5400 RPM (Pfftt, they don't even offer 7200 RPM harddrives like the T4xp or R4/5xp models!), 256MB NVIDIA Go 6800 graphics card, 18" WUXGA LCD and 9 cell (80 WHr) battery
Oh, they had to use the 9 CELL TO MEASURE THAT TIME!
So I'm guessing I'll get 25 minutes average time?

ALL INSPRION NOTEBOOKS INCLUDE:
10/100 Ethernet Port (Wait a minute, don't ALL modern laptops have that?)
56K* Modem for DIAL UP CONNECTIONS TO THE INTERNET (Wait, still don't all modern laptops have that as well? Did everyone notice the *? Most of the time, they have many... MANY bunches of fine text that I wouldn't even bother to type out as they're HUGE PARAGRAPHS)
MONITOR OUT PORT (Don't all of our Thinkpads have that too?)
PC Card Slot (Hmm PCMCIA cards are pretty standard, and the T43 has EXPRESS card already)
Headphone/Microphone Ports (Hmmm, we have those too, infact, most modern lappys have those!)
NUMBER OF USB PORTS (Lowest is 2, highest is 6 on their XPS series)
Seriously, no one is going to plug in a..
USB Shaver
USB Coffee maker
USB Aquarium
USB Harddrive
USB Lava Lamp
USB Massager
Besides, we have another feature. Its called a USB HUB!
IEEE 1394 Port (Waiiit a minute, only their HIGH End and "really sucky" machine has that, and only 1/2 of the REALLY sucky ones have the Firewire port)
PS -> Did you know? They sell Firewire PC cards too!
S-Video Out Port (Wait, don't all TPs have that? Not all of their models include it)
IrDA Sensor (ONLY ON ONE MODEL! But its a STANDARD ON THINKPADS! Most devices don't use bluetooth, but instead IR ports! That includes your TV! And apparently, its only a SENSOR from what they say. Not anything else!)
SD MEMORY CARD SLOT (Compact Flash would be more suitable if it was my father, SD memory is only for -> PDA, low end point and shoot cameras. I think we can get a 19 in 1 USB port reader instead for 3 dollars)
PARALELL PORT (We have that too! Pretty standard TP thing)
SERIAL PORT (Ditto. Standard thing)
Yet Parallel and Serial Ports are only on the 600m model! And its pretty SUUUCKY.

Hey look, NOTEBOOK COMPARISONS PAGE!
*Proceeds to align T43 to each of their notebooks)
They're still wider
Fatter
Wider
Heavier
Fatter
EVEN THEIR ULTRA PORTABLES ARE HUGE IN WEIGHT. What did they put in them? A MICRO SINGULARITY*?
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity Now microsize that, and put it in their system. Pretty heavy laptops for their size... LIGHTEST INSPRION -> 700m, 4.1 pounds.... OUCH! Thats 1 pound lighter than my T43, but the preformance sucks 5 folds!
Now I'm not going to spend my whole day to compare all... Nah I'll just do it as they personally insulted me on my system building quality and laptop...
INSPIRON 1200
"Budget Traveler"
Celeron M
Celeron M
14.1 XGA
15 XGA
30*GB* harddrive
40*GB* harddrive
*NOT REALLY 30GB.
*NOT REALLY 1024MB = 1 GB
*NOT REALLY 40GB
*NOT REALLY 1024MB = 1 GB
Why? -> Bloatware. Dell *Hearts* bloatware. Did I mention they use 1000 Byte -> 1KiloByte
1000 KiloByte -> 1MegaByte
1000 MegaByte -> 1GB
Nice marketing tricks. Most notebook manufactures say that. But they don't put it at the back of the webpage/magizine either

24x CD BURNER/DVD READER on both systems
WIRELESS CARD NOT INCLUDED! (Geezes, even the lower end TPs have wireless! And its a HUGE antenna around your LCD, not this thin littile piece of paper they call an "ANTENNA")
Dell (!!! Not INTEL or any GOOD brand) 1350 WIRELESS PC CARD! (Ouch, not even internal?)
90 day warranty (HAHAHAHAHAHA)
1 year warranty (Getting actually "decent")
8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery. Bloatware Software that actually costs 1 dollar.

Hmmm, only thing thats attractive? Nothing. Not even the pricetag impresses me.
599 USD (AFTER SAVINGS! Its actually 699 USD!)
899 USD (999 USD after savings, now flip that over number over to find out what DELL is. AKA -> 666Dell. Because they personally insult my computers)

Inspiron 2200. "BARE MINIAL"
WE RECOMEND WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL (Its not a standard choice!)
Celeron M 360
Pentium M 725
Microsoft HOME EDITION BOTH MODELS!
14.1XGA display
15 XGA display
256MB "SHARED"* DDR SDRAM
512MB "SHARED"* DDR SDRAM
30GB Harddrive (Eeww)
40GB Harddrive
8x DVD-ROM drive (READ ONLY PEOPLE! READ ONLY!)
24x CD BURNER COMBO
INTERGRATED INTEL GRAPHICS MEDIA ACCELERATOR (Thank god its not INTEL X-TREAAAMM333 1337 LIF3 ACC3LRAT0R they advertise on TV!)
NO WIRELESS!
Dell Internal 1370 Internal Wireless (Read above for antenna)
90 Day Warranty (EEWW. Stay away)
1 year warranty
"15 month subscription to Norton Internet Security* 2005*"
Do I want Norton? No. It sucks, it eats my resources. Its slow. I rather install my own Antivirus right now. Infact, they don't include it on their suckier machine
Did I mention all their notebooks are PLASTICY feeling. Go to a store. Push on the palmrest "lightly", it will flex beyond belief! And they're QUITE HEAVY if you compare to an IBM laptop. Infact, press on the back of the screen... SCREEN FLEX + DISTORTION!

Did I mention?
"PRICES SO LOW... ITS ALMOST A CRIME"
Correction
"Prices so low... ITS A LABOR LAW CRIME!"
www.ihatedell.net -> Disgruntled underpayed employies!

Hey look.. HERE COME THE SOFA BEDS!
(W--------I--------D--------E--------S--------C--------R--------E--------E--------N)
3 laptops of SUCKNESS. 1.52'' THIN (I think they fed them too much again...) 15.4'' WIDESCREEN
Insprion 6000
CELERON M 350
CENTRIOOOO PROCESSOR (Uhh, Centrio = Intel Wireless + Intel Processor... NOT a processor.) OUTRAGEOUS DEAL 6000 (Highlighted in ORANGE)
INTEL CENTRIO PROCESSOR
Home Edition
Home Edition
MEDIAAUHHH CENTER (Ummm, its called a desktop. You do not use a laptop that way)
All 4 models -> WIIIIDEEE XGA SCREENS (1024x768 Wide format? EEW! Not even FLEXVIEW/IPS! But they advertise to WATCH MOVIES WITH YOUR FRIENDS ON THIS LAPTOP! Hopefully by friends they mean BOTH OF YOUR EYES!)
256MB SHARED* DDR2* (Too much *)
512MB SHARED* DDR2*
512MB DDR2* SDRAM* (Huh? Why didn't they include SDRAM in the others!)
40*GB* Harddrive
80*GB* Harddrive
80*GB* Harddrive
Did I mention. BLOAT_WARE
8X DVD-ROM DRIVE
8xCD BURNER*/DVD BURNER* (DVD+/-RW*)
8xCD BURNER*/DVD BURNER* (DVD+/-RW*)
INTERGRATED INTEL GRAPHICS MEDIA ACCELERATOR 900
INTERGRATED INTEL GRAPHICS MEDIA ACCELERATOR 900 (I'm calling this IIGMA900 later... Or GMA900... Too annoying to type, even if I'm insulted enough to write an entire huge thing about it!)
128MB DDR ATI's* MOBLITY* RADEON* X300 PCI-X (WRONG way to say PCI-E!) x16 GRAPHICS (So theres 16 of these in here?)
WIRELESS NOT INCLUDED (Hahaha.)
Intel PRO*/Wireless 2000 Internal Wireless
Intel PRO*/Wireless 2000 Internal Wireless
90 DAY WARRANTY (Eeww)
1 year warranty
1 year warranty
949 STANDARD USD PRICE
1366 STANDARD PRICE
1629 STANDARD PRICE
[censored], MORE EXPENSIVE STILL SUCKS TO MY TP!
Insprion WIIIDEEEEEE 9300.
I don't want any sofabeds. Thats for when you have a DESKTOP
->DESKTOP REPLACEMENT
Why would you replace your desktop with a unportable laptop with less preformance to price ratio, and less preformance?
INTEL CENTRIO PROCESSOR. (LIES! No such thing)
Same on higher priced model
HOME EDITION XP
MEDIA CENTER EDITION XP
17'' ULLLLTRAAA SHARRPP* WIIDEEE XGA
17'' ULTRAAASHAAAARRRP* WIDEEEE UXGA WITH "TRULIF3"*
Sharp? You mean blurry washed out. Truelife? IPS? Wow, actually on your laptops? HAHAHAHAHAHA
40*GB* harddrive
60*GB* harddrive
256MB DDR2 SDRAM
256MBx2 DDR2 DUAL CHANNEL RAM (So I'm not going to be able to upgrade? PATHEIC!)
24x CD BURNER/DVD READ ONLY
8x CD/DVD BURNER (DVD+*/DVD-* RW*)
64MB X300
128MB X300 (So? I get a X300 with twice as much memory... When I could get a T43p with a X600 equivlent?)
INTEL PRO WIRELESS 2200 (Both models)
90 Day warranty (Same old ripoff)
1 year warranty (TPs generally are 3 years...)
1499 STANDARD price
2100 STANDARD PRICE
Add 300 dollars, and you'll get a T43p with a 7200 RPM harddrive. They don't even list their harddrive RPM. Pfft

XPS GEN 2*
*All lawsuits on spontaious pants combustion/melting through table/liquidating pets may be voided instantly
Intel Pentium M 2GHz
Intel CENTRIO PROCESSOR (Not the same stupidity? Who did they hire to do this PERSONAL INSULT on me with to write it)
HOME EDITION XP
MEDIAAA CENTER XP
17 inch ULLLTRAAA SHAAARPRPPP UXGA with TRULIF3 (Both models)
60*GB* harddrive
80*GB* harddrive
Same junk on SIZE ISNT REALLY THAT BIG! Its not even 7200RPM on their GAMING system for crying out loud
24x CD BURNER/DVD COMBO (The T4xp/R5xp = Actual multiburner. Not "READ ONLY on DVD")
8x CD/DVD BURNER (With all the * again!)
WIRELESS CARD NOT INCLUDED (HAHAHHHAHA! ON THEIR HIGH END SYSTEMS!)
Intell PRO WIRELESS 2200 (NOW DOESNT EVEN SUPPORT WIRELESS 802.11A? Even on their MOST EXPENSIVE LAPTOP!)
256MB NVIDIA (nVidia is captailized THIS way....) Go 6800 ULTRA (Equivlent to 6600 GT UNDERCLOCKED in desktop) PCI-X x16 GRAPHICS (They got PCI EXPRESS WRONG AGAIN! And I get 16 of these videocards?? Or something? Same on both models)
90 day WARRANTY. ON A EXPENSIVE COMPUTER
3 year warranty (THAT GETS CLOSE TO A THINKPAD! But its a ULTRA LIMITED warranty)
Aahh, PRICE TAG
2999.99 (3000 dollars!) BEFORE REBATE! (That never comes back!)
3799.99 (BEFORE REBATE!)

Moderators, please tell me if this is Dell bashing... They just insulted me personally and I kind of want to let all TP users know, if you recieve a Dell magizine, please set it on fire and let your neighbors pets use it as litter.

Also, if you were insulted by Dell this way, please feel free to rant with me.

I'll contiune the rant on their "ULTRA PORTABLES" and "DESKTOPS" in a bit... I need to take a break before my head implodes...

[Toe]

Good post. Let me tell you the story of my first dell; it caught on fire. The powersupply went boom on second start up.......They replaced it. The second PC lasted 3 weeks before the CPU went boom.....They took it, and kept billing me. So I hand a 15 minute talk with some nice indian lady.....they stopped. I went out and bought a gateway, sucker has been running 6 months..no problems, and cost less. I use:

1.)IBM<--Notebooks
2.) Gateway<--Desktop
3.)Custom <---Build my own...whenever possible.


Everytime someone has something to say about Dell, I'm like "Let me tell you about my first Dell......"

-Toe

[JaneL]

Oh, good grief. My personal opinion is that Dell is a 4-letter word, but if you're getting this upset over a pamphlet you got in the mail, what on earth happens to you when something bad that is real and important occurs?

Throw the pamphlet away, and go out and do something you enjoy.

[emorphien]

Ohhh wonderful dell hating. Their systems are usually fine for the casual user, although I too build all my desktops.

[Navck]

Actually they sent 4 of the same thing to me somewhat.
All of them labeled "Get rid of that hunk of junk in your house for a Dell XPS" for the front page.

Did I mention I had one of their Pentium 3 systems, and it would smell like friend eletronics after 45 minutes of Rouge Spear, then it would suddenly slow down... And then shutdown for 3 hours (Turning off as soon as I started it). As well as it would get the same effect for webbrowsing for 2 hours... Pretty junky system!

Did I mention? PROPITORY INK. Run out? YOU MUST BUY THEIR 50 DOLLAR CARTIAGE. When ends up BEING MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BUYING A MORE EXPENSIVE NON DELL PRINTER

Dell = Hell

Ultra portable? "Ultra unportable" is like it.
Claims to have 5 HOURS OF LIFE. But wait? * appears! "Only with 10 Internet Explorer windows running, awesome memory power". 10x internet explorer = NOT a challenge for any system.
DELL 600M
"Claims to be portable"
But its thicker and 1 pound heavier than my T43 15 inch. They have a 14.1 inch display.... I think all the T43 14 inch displays would STOMP IT AT ITS OWN FIELD

INTEL CENTRINO PROCESSOR (Hey guys, LOOK! Centrio processors DONT EXIST? So I'm guessing they're selling me NON EXISTANCE)
INTEL CENTRINO PROCESSOR
Same as the other two...
Windows XP Home
Win XP Pro
Win XP Home
40GB harddrive
40GB harddrive
60GB harddrive
You do know those harddrives aren't 40 and 60 gb, and have bloatware... As my first post pretty much SCREAMED OUT
8x DVD ROM
24XCD BURNER/Read only DVD
24XCD BURNER/Read only DVD
ATI Radeon 9000 Moblity
ATI Radeon 9000 Moblity
ATI Radeon 9000 Moblity
Same wireless for EACH model (Intel Pro 2200)
90 day warranty
1 year warranty
2 year warranty
Hot dang! Sounds better than most of the current models... But WAAAIT
Nothing
Broadband wireless router (Norton bloatware included)
Microsoft office + "MOUDDULAAR BATTERY" (Do I put it in my mouth? i don't see any ULTRABAY or anything CLOSE TO IT)

Now watch the prices to understand my comment
1299 (Ouch)
1699 (BIG OUCH)
1999 (WOAH RIP US OFF!)

Insprion 700m
WEIGHTLESS* WONDER
*Not really weightless unless in space

Hey look, the "CENTRINO M PROCESSOR"
Centrino M
Centrino M
Centrino M (All at 1.6 GHz like 600m)
XP Home
XP Pro
XP Home

256MB Shared* RAM
512MB Shared* RAM
512MB Shared* RAM
I wonder who I'm sharing it with!!
40*GB* Harddrive
60*GB* Harddrive
60*GB* Harddrive
24x CDBurner/DVD READ ONLY (They say COMBO. Big lie)
Same as above
8x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+*/DVD-*)
*Indicates something is wrong, yet I cannot find which page it lists it on... Good hiding Dell!
All have Intel 2200 Pro... Prefered choice? Or saving them money!
90 day limited warranty (HAHAHAHAHAHA)
1 year limited warranty
2 year limited warranty
NOTHING. NOTTA.
Extra battery. NORTON BLOATWARE!
Powerpoint (Patheic)

Hey, look at the unattractive pricetags.
1499 USD
1899 USD
2099 USD
Thats "BEFORE REBATE", aka the small crossed out price. But thats your REAL PRICE

Hey, my T43 has problems, X300 not really working well, can't suspend more than 5 minutes, wireless needs to be repaired
But I know my system won't be sent away for 5 years, and still be charged! Infact, I know I'll get some speedy service without SOMEONE WITH A HEAVY ACCENT THAT I ALREADY BARELY UNDERSTAND WITH THE WORSE TELEPHONE LINES YOU CAN HAVE EVEN FOR A LARGE COMPANY.

PS - Why would they send me 4 copys of their magizine all saying my computers are junk? Kinda sounds like a personal insult you know. Infact, it possibly is an insult directed toward me by Dell/Hell (Dell should also be refered to as HELL).

Post any DELL RUINED MY LIFE/LIQUIDIATED MY PETS/SELLS WORTHLESS SYSTEMS.

PS -> Not even casual user if the system can't run more than 2 hours... With 2 windows of IE open... ON A PAGE MOSTLY FULL OF TEXT AND WITHOUT IMAGE (Pentium 3 webbrowsing days!)
For all I know, that cartiage Pentium 3 is possibly some RMA'd processor they sent me after someone sent it back to Intel.

[emorphien]

Can someone give me a sock and some duct tape?

[BillMorrow]

i think this thread is hugely funny and enjoyable..

i have little experience with DELL other than their displays..
FP2001 and FP2000..
all (3 of each) work wonderfully, so far..

that is the extent of DELL..
except for one time with a DELL hard drive that dies and i entered the world of circular illogic with no end..
kind of like a moebius strip..
one surface and no end in sight..
finally gave up..
(anyone want to buy a dead DELL hard drive..? )

desktop boxes are all build it myself.. ever since the S100 days..
ASUS motherboards and the video card (multihead) du jur..
now moving to RAID's (last two or three boxes)..
which brings us to:
IBM netfinity server.. huge, built like a vault.. nearly perfect with hotswap HDD's and many other components..

potential customers often ask why i like thinkpads and ibm hardware..
my stock answer is i think it has the best hardware and support..

[Navck]

Thanks Bill, also do you have messanging? You might want to join in on the funny group of MSN or AIM.
I'll work on the desktop, my brain is still imploding from those Dell magizines (I burned 3 of them... Have one left to write the "our desktops suck" section)
PS - VERY nice computer

[bhtooefr]

You know, a little nitpick: The Dell WiFi cards tend to be Lucent Orinocos, or their descendants (but rebranded, of course).

Not supporting Dell, here, but their WiFi cards ARE OK.

As for their printers, they'll take Lexmark ink, if you can find out what Lexmark model it began life as. (Of course, that's just another reason to avoid them - I can't believe something THAT BAD spun off of IBM...)

As for the * on the 56K modem, it says something saying that it's only capable of those speeds, and the FCC limits it to 53K (I HAVE connected at 54.3K on a 56K modem, though...)

FWIW, the 600m compares to the T series (actually, the Latitude D600 does, but they're the same [censored] laptop, just the Lat has a TrackPoint knockoff, a different paint job, and a different BIOS). The 700m I GUESS compares to the X series, but not really - the Latitude X300 is closer to the X40.

That said, I'm not touching Dell ever again. I'll tell my friends, "New TP if you can afford it, preferably T or X series, if you can't, go used."

[Navck]

Heh, hello fellow TP user. You may want to read my newest post on a "XPS Gen 2 Fanboy"
Apparently these magizines start them up better than coffee...
Anyways, I'll get to work on the desktop rant later

[Bob Collins]

Funny, I tried a few hand builts in the office, as well as Intergraph and Dell. Dell was the best system for running AutoCAD and Land Development Desktop. No reall Dell fan here, but the President of my company likes them and they do work perfectly fine for us.

And if you read a pamphlet looking for truth in advertising I got a bridge for ya to buy!

[AlphaKilo470]

I've actually never had any trouble with any Dells and have really taken a liking to the OptiPlex series after they realised the GX series back in the mid nineties. These things don't have the best system specs, nor does Dell claim they do, but they are a dream to work on and service. I have an old GXa sitting next to my desk, out of use but when I did use it, I remember never needing tools to get in and how everything was in easily removable cages. Very little in this computer requires a screwdriver and the design itself has got to be the absolute best proprietary design I've ever seen.

[bhtooefr]

No, the GX series doesn't require a screwdriver for most stuff.

However, they make it a total PITA to get in, unless you happen to have a manual lying around, or you've been messing with GXs for a LONG while.

My school has Dimension L866cx and 2100 (same case (different color, though), same mobo, different CPU, sound card and netcard) systems, and I'm FINALLY beginning to learn the Dell trick (and they got these in 2001, and I've been working in them for almost as long) to opening and closing cases...

[AlphaKilo470]

I suscessfully took apart my GXa first try. It's the tower version. It's the first Dell GX series I've actually owned and been able to mess around with too. I've also had to service a desktop once because that's what was in the robotics team's office (when the school robotics team I lead was lucky enough to have a room purported to be an office) and it was giving me trouble, it was a little trickier but still got it first try. Then again, I've been messing around with electronics since age 2 and watching MacGuyver religiously for longer than I can remember so I guess that helps with my ability to take stuff apart first try. That and the fact that my dad's been an IT guy for who knows how long and has been working with computers since before I was born so much of his knowledge rubbed off.

[bhtooefr]

The main thing is getting the lid back on - those Dell lids are NOT easy to get on right.

Of course, on the OptiPlexes, there's one or two latches that have to be undone, and then one or two buttons that need pressed.

On the Dimensions, it's either one button or one latch.

[AlphaKilo470]

Yeah, you sort of have to fiddle with the desktop cases every now and then but the tower case for the beige GX series only required one button press to remove the case, one lever to remove the PCI card cage and one screw to remove the hard drive cage. To put the side panel back on, no buttons needed pressing and no fiddling had to be done. Maybe I should rephrase to be more specific. The desktops are not bad to work on but the towers are were a dream to work on.

[Navck]

My desktop isn't hard to work on either. I simply take my key, unlock my side pannel... Wham, theres the side pannel off. I may slide my HDs off, to check for dust, or even my 5.25 and 3.5 bays off if I want, my motherboard is on a removable tray as well.
Best of all - No warranty killed when I open my system up.

[AlphaKilo470]

Yeah, many people out there will void warranty if you remove the cover from the case. I remember Packard Bell being one of the worst for doing that.

I hate it when the companies dumb things down so much assuiming the user will always be a total dumbass but unfortunatley, with some companies, that is the typical customer.

[emorphien]

Opening my shuttle is a pain in the butt.

[AlphaKilo470]

The worst case design I've ever dealt with was an old AT&T 6300. It's case was no fun, I'll simply leave it at that.

The second worst so far is my old Apple Power Macintosh 8500/150. To replace/upgrade the ram, you have to remove the CPU card, all expansion cards, the power switch, the motherboard bracket, all the wires connecting the drives then the motherboard. From there, you could ffinally access the RAM. The case also had to be figeted with to get back on. Many other Macs used this case, the 8500 being the last of them. Here's some more information about the case design: http://www.lowendmac.com/roadapples/q800case.shtml