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470

Dell for Soldiers

470 points posted to Dell Community, Service and Support by haler 11/12/07 **UNDER REVIEW**

My step-son is leaving for Iraq in January. His mom can't afford a laptop for him and neither can I, but I thought it could be done if everyone in the family could contribute via a site, then when there was enough, you could ship him a laptop!

This could be a great "community" PR thing for Dell -- Set up a website, soldiers could register -- somehow they are qualified, then anyone could go and give $5 to a few people. When the solider gets their laptop, they could receive a list of email addresses of the contributors if the contributors cared to share it -- then they could be pen pals too.











mkmaster78
11/12/07		 Sounds like a good way to support troop morale.
jorge
11/12/07		 You're better off just setting up a savings account for the soldier, that way when he gets back he can buy a laptop or something else if his computing desire subsides after that stint.
haler
11/12/07		 The savings account is a great idea, but I neglected to mention that he wants the laptop so that he can communicate while he is in Iraq. It's a great morale booster.
jorge
11/12/07		 Well then the Dell Outlet is probably a better solution, cheaper anyways. Besides if he's using it over in the sand dunes, no sense in buying something fancy that will get beat up by the conditions over there.
benjesuit
11/12/07		 This is actually a good idea that can be expanded beyond soldiers.
cosmichellion
11/12/07		 Dell already has something similar to this for students so I think it would be easy for them to mirror it for soldiers. See http://www.dellunleashed.com/.
> short you have a gift registry. The recipient of the PC sets up an account and enters and amount they would like to raise for the purchase of a PC. They can send the link to anyone of their friends or family and they contribute to the computer fund whatever they can.
sean_m
11/29/07		 Changed status to **UNDER REVIEW**.

@haler - I am a Veteran, so I picked up this idea and am working on a solution. Great idea and it should not be for a PR thing for Dell, but instead a way to help our troops that wish to purchase Dell products. I have some Dell team members looking at ways to accomplish this idea. More to come.
cosmichellion
11/29/07		 looks like someone just found a BPI project.
sugarbear
11/29/07		 Dell sean_m, I hope you can find a way to do this. Also consider desert camouflage skins to keep the light reflection down.
sugarbear
11/30/07		 I don`t look at the same way you do. Dell is not supporting a war. Dell is supporting our sons and daughters over there. The laptops will be ordered and sold through the US and then shipped over there. I have a foster son with the 101st airborn. He`s on his THIRD tour over there in Iraq. They need to be able to communicate with loved ones, that is a tiny thread holding them together. If you were over there, wouldn`t you want to be able to see your mother of wife`s face, how about your new born baby? You might not make it home to see them. Dell has already started with the gift program where some one can contribute money to an account to purchase a pc, why not add a link for one to go to our kids fighting for our freedoom and safety.
petzymathuram
11/30/07		 you are right sugary beary. Soldiers need to be encouraged.
sugarbear
11/30/07		 I dont support the war either, There is a big difference between supporting our children and supporting the war. They are not the same thing. And I am not talking about just the US, I`m talking about any soldier in any country. I am a peaceful person for the most part. My greatest wish is that all the male testosterone in the world would simmer down and there be peace. You`ll find that most mothers don`t want any type of conflict, any place in the world, to harm their children. It dosen`t matter what race, color, creed, nationality, land of origin. I, like you have traveled overseas and I bet money that any mother in any country will tell you the same thing.
petzymathuram
11/30/07		 I have a doubt:

Nowadays...many good soldiers are moved to other countries...so now who will take care of the US.

I mean.... that only efficient and smart army personnel will now be placed to handle tough scenarios with terrorists...so there will be a reduction in the number of smart soldiers to save their native land is'nt it?

Is my doubt valid?
sugarbear
11/30/07		 You are right petzy, They are every where but here.
catalyst
12/01/07		 United States Marine Corps Deploys VMware Software
Military Branch Turns to VMware to Virtualize 98 Percent of IT Infrastructure by 2012

VMware ACE provides complete portability through secure, virtualized desktops that can be carried on a USB thumb drive and deployed on any PC, enabling mobile combat units to access computing environments on the fly and from any location.

http://www.vmware.com/company/news/releases/usmc.html
petzymathuram
12/01/07		 Dell+Vmware= ....;)
petzymathuram
12/01/07		 Dell & EMC Alliance...;)
catalyst
12/02/07		 Future is Virtual

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLWfj4ZlI3Q
petzymathuram
12/03/07		 Hey Mike is here.....yep.....the "Future is Virtual"......;)
well Future is present goals...;)
richard
12/06/07		 We're still looking into how to best do this, but in the meantime, www.yoursishere.com can be used to accomplish this. Military personnel can go here and ask for family and friends to contribute to his/her computer fund. Not as servicemen specific as we'd like, but it's, um, servicable, and, for those whose humor leans this way, kind of fun.
sugarbear
12/06/07		 @Dell richard, don`t forget the desert camouflage. The skins would be the easiest. A lot of laptops in Iraq can`t reflect any light in the field from the outside case. I`ve shipped camo duct tape to my step son, to cover the outside case. Or offer desert camo duct tape as an option. Yeah, I know it sounds funny.
petzymathuram
12/07/07		 Hi Richard,

I'm happy to see Dell people participating...not bad I thought all have forgotten ideastorm...;)
catalyst
12/17/07		 Here is a great Link for VMware Ubuntu 8.04 Alpha FYI
http://www.vmware.com/appliances/directory/1121
petzymathuram
12/18/07		 Catalyst?...Kevin Rollins?.....the person who was in the Executive Review Board from 22.12.'04 - 9.5.'06 as long I was there?....;)
catalyst
12/18/07		 Another good link for multible VMware Linux Distro's
http://vmplanet.net/
catalyst
12/28/07		 FYI - Since Santa may have delivered some of you a new Dell for Xmas, I thought you might be
interested in this link to the VMware Converter
http://www.vmware.com/download/converter/download.html
For Vista fans:
The software allows you to convert a physical machine (IE Your old XP System)
to a virtual machine which can then be xfered to your new Vista machine
and run as an XP VM on Vista with the Vmware player.
Both player and converter are free for personnal use.

For Linux fans;
The current issue of Linux Format Mag pg. 60
Has a great "How To" on Inverting a windows system to Linux.
The concept involves booting from the Linux Live Distro CD
Partitioning the drive correctly with the linux OS
Converting the windows physical system to a VMDK,
Installing the linux OS to the physical system, (since the
previous windows OS is now a Virtual Machine file),
then booting up the new Linux OS from the Physical System
Download the Correct VM Player, (Linux Mag likes Virtual Box)
Your physical system is now inverted whereby Linux is the Boot OS
and the previous Windows OS can be run as a VM on top of

http://www.howtoforge.com/vmware_converter_windows_linux
debbiegamble
Jan 25		 My son just left for Iraq last week. His friend took a laptop and was able to get internet service while still in kuwait(where they do inprocessing) and just being able to see him on webcam and he see us was a boost for all of us! Yahoo messenger has been a wonderful way for us to keep in touch. They sad part is, his friend is the only one in a tent of 200 plus soldiers to have this laptop. He does his best to share so others can talk to family members back home but since they are so busy during the day, there is only so much time that the soldiers can get online. I am surprised computer companies have not donated computers to set up for these soldiers in transition. These soldiers are either starting a long tour, or on their way home from a long tour, either way, they are homesick and need to talk to and see their familes and their families need to see them. Surely there is some way to donate 5 or more computers to these processing centers
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