Even when the economy gets back on track, companies like Dell will still face significant hurdles. Computer sales are slowing for more reasons than a slowing economy. We're at a point where the market is relatively saturated and people aren't replacing their computers as often as they had in the past (because the reasons for doing so aren't as evident as they have been in the past. For example, why should I go out and buy a new Dell Pentium 4 machine when my 366MHz machine does everything I want it to do with no problems?) Even in boom times, there are companies that have layoffs, companies that retrench and even companies that go out of business (not that I think Dell is going to go out of business or anything). ------------------ Houston Sports Board The Anti-Bud Adams Page
Brian, it looks like the rumor has become official: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010215/bs/tech_dell_dc_2.html May I suggest taking a look at www.texas.computerjobs.com . It's a good one. ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker
1) I gave up drinking and smoking... and as of Sunday, Nicorette. You would not believe how great I feel. 2) Thanks for the kind words. I am not worried. 3) Surfguy, please. Dell has enough money in cash reserve to buy some of its competitors outright. Dell is not going out of business. It continues to grow at a multiple of its competitors and the industry. It is trimming its workforce to maintain its competitive position and maximize its efficiency. I'm sorry you had a bad experience buying from Dell; Clutch, his brother, two other friends of mine, one relative, and over 90 percent of the customers I ever spoke to had nothing but positive words to say regarding their Dell experience. Dell can "build and deliver a PC when a customer buys one without continually delaying it with a bunch of excuses". Its performance in those areas leads the industry. Your experience is an anomaly along the lines of David Stern refusing seconds at dinner. ------------------ "Corpses are icky." --Chris Robinson
Oh Surf! I always thought they made good laptops. But a word of warning: don't ever call Dells' 24-hour technical support center after regular business hours. You are guaranteed to either speak with Beldar the Conqueror from Austin's trendiest goth club, or a high school dropout who can neither communicate nor fix a computer. I seriously doubt that Dell is going out of business anytime soon. That would be simply unbelievable. ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker [This message has been edited by RocketMan Tex (edited February 15, 2001).]
Of course, their not going out of business. I can still hope. Dell makes a lousy PC performance-wise anyway so no big whoop. They did me a favor by screwing me over. Surf ------------------
Surf you sound a little biased. From everything I've heard, Dell makes a fine machine. Hell of a lot better than Compaq in Houston, or god forbid Packard Bell. My new computer at work is a Dell, though I haven't been using it long enough to evaluate performance. I built the one I have at home myself. ------------------ In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.
Good luck, BK. I'm sure you'll survive. Not that you sound worried, in the slightest. ------------------ In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.
Maybe if Dell could build and deliver a PC when a customer buys one without continually delaying it with a bunch of excuses, they wouldn't be in a position of trimming their workforce. I know from my bad experience that I was not taken care of nor will I ever buy another PC from them EVER AGAIN. They swept me under a rug....so I did the same to them. I hope Dell goes out of business. Surf ------------------
Indeed, Dell makes a smokin machine. I own an Inspiron laptop and a 8100 series Dimension, both scream.... ------------------
Maybe I should have clarified my comments. I consider myself to be biased after all the crap I went through with them. The countless hours wasted on phone calls and e-mails took their toll. However, when I made the performance-wise crack, I was referring to the model I was going to buy compared to similar models from their competitors where it did not perform as well and came in dead last at an equivalent system price. Alas, I built my own machine with top quality components that outperforms all of the top name brand machines while costing less. Obviously, I cannot speak for every machine Dell makes. It is widely known, however, that some the components in Dell computers are not that great compared to what's out there. As far as perceived performance, screaming it may well be. If it's good enough for you, that is what counts. But, typically, performance benchmarks are used to gauge how well a machine performs compared to a machine from other competitors. And, as one who follows the benchmarks on lots of different machine configurations, it has been my experience that Dell is never on top of the pack. Having said all that, I don't consider a Dell PC to be a bad PC or one that is prone to problems. Plenty of people just want a machine that works well with no regard for benchmarks. Unfortunately, you have your techie types like me who rely on benchmarks to gauge a machine's performance in relation to other comparable machine's on the market. You could decide you want a machine based on the features available but, then, if several machines are available with those same features, then I use benchmarks to distinguish the higher performing ones from the others that don't perform as well. Obviously, everyone has their own considerations whether it be support, cost, availability, etc. . I stand by my statement that, comparable to their competitors machines at a similar price, they usually do not do as well in benchmark testing. No big whoop....I just thought I would clarify my comments further. Brian, I hope you do not lose your job. I trust you aren't one of the employees with a "5" ranking . Surf ------------------
Brian, this may be a little too personal, but how was your day yesterday? ------------------ www.swirve.com...The reason Al Gore invented the internet.
Two parts to this one... Since people actually seem curious: I did not lose my job, nor did anyone in my department. Some people I know did though, including some extremely talented folks who Dell will end up missing more than it realizes. It is a shame, and it's also reality, and that's about all there is to say about that. Surfguy: I agree with some of what you wrote and disagree with other parts. A) If what you want is the leanest, meanest, fastest, most kick-ass system possible, you're right-- build it yourself. B) If you want that but also demand a name brand, Dell can sometimes meet the industry's highest benchmarks. However, most often, Dell waits to see how reliable the technology is before embracing it. This allows Dell to avoid being saddled with inventory that turns out to be unreliable and thus can't be sold. Also, when new technology is introduced, it tends to cost a lot, meaning that sales figures don't ramp up immediately; by the time they begin to, Dell's had time to determine the reliability of the technology in question. It's smart business. It's maybe not as exciting as being able to say that Dell has the newest bells and whistles, but it also prevents the company from ending up with thousands of unreliable components in channel. C) I would say that less than five percent of the American consumer base would notice or even care about the difference between a benchmark leader and a top-of-the-line Dell or Compaq system. You're talking differences of fractions of peformance measurements, a la the difference between the world's fastest track athletes. Of that five percent who notice and care, I'd bet about 90 percent build their own machines... so again, Dell's reputation among the consumer base it targets is not negatively impacted. I mean, if the Ford Taurus machines do badly in the Daytona 500 this weekend, it's not like a family of four looking for a safe, reliable sedan is going to cross the Taurus off their list. ------------------ I take her to the aquarium, she says shark, I take her to the planetarium, she says dark.
