Suit Over Faulty Computers Highlights Dell’s Decline (Austin: sales, buying)

[nomore07]

In Suit Over Faulty Computers, Window to Dell’s Fall - NYTimes.com

[mark311]

That's a funny article. Dell's decline? They still don't have any real competition for corporate PC workstations or laptops. They're basically talking about one model from my experience with leaking capacitors (Optiplex GX270). Those machines should all be long gone by now anyway.

[austinnerd]

Originally Posted by mark311

That's a funny article. Dell's decline? They still don't have any real competition for corporate PC workstations or laptops. They're basically talking about one model from my experience with leaking capacitors (Optiplex GX270). Those machines should all be long gone by now anyway.

I think they might be referring to their market share decline, decline in net income as a percentage of revenue, and a truly massive decline in market cap, amongst others. Also, Dell's own memo's pointed to potentially 11.8 million computers that potentially had the problem, regardless of how many models this distills down to, it's still a lot of computers.

[hoffdano]

The defective capacitors was an industry wide problem. Many high end hobbyist products had them too.

But it sounds as if Dell wasn't willing to simply replace all the computers or components with a potential to fail.

I am not a Dell fan, but I don't doubt than any PC manufacturer would drag their feet if they had to deal with 10 million potentially defective computers.

[hilsmom]

I unfortunately had one of these crummy computers...It lasted for 18 months. I will be buying an Apple when my borrowed computer finally dies on me.

I'm done with PCs.

EDIT: Wow, didn't read the article before posting. There have been crummy computers put out by Dell since then - mine was a 2008. The 2003-2005 problem was NOT their only one.

[eileenkeeney]

I thought Dell was the benchmark, the low standard that other PC companies were striving to emulate.

(Any views I express here are my personal opinion. Any correlation they may or may not have, with the views of my employer, is not something I am allowed to state in a public forum).

[woodinvilleguy]

As someone who works in the computer industry, most consumer level OEM machines from any brand suck and are not designed to last a long time. The workstation class hardware should be expected to last at least 5 years and have much higher quality components.

[orbius]

Dell screwed up, they always bragged internally about the fact they didnt really 'build' anything just shoved a bunch of foreign made components into a box. Given that you'd think they'd realize they were nothing but a sales and service company that lived and died by its reputation.
Oh well no one ever accused greedy people of being smart.

[pjoseph2]

Dell's products (in general) are reliable, albeit boring. i've had a PC (among others) that lasted 9 years!

Wonder what it will take for them to become more innovative. Austin is a 'creative class' city. The smartphone and tablet markets were theirs for the taking. All i can remember are the Axim, DJ, and now Streak. Why oh why do they want to compete with Acer and their Taiwanese counterparts?

Comparing their products to a Mac is well, comparing apples to oranges

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by woodinvilleguy

As someone who works in the computer industry, most consumer level OEM machines from any brand suck and are not designed to last a long time. The workstation class hardware should be expected to last at least 5 years and have much higher quality components.

I agree completely with this. I build my own PCs because I don't like any of the mass market units.

My own experience is that Dell Dimension systems are solid. The last two companies I have worked for buy Dells and the Dimension models have held up well. I think of Optiplex as the compact desktop system for non-serious users.

HP consumer class machines are terribly built. Wiring everywhere and even cheaper internals than Dells.