Don't make us choose between business and consumer
Dell Web Site submitted by prognatus
05/02/07
Browsing PCs on dell.com could be much easier. Why differentiate between private consumers and businesses? Today a customer have to first choose between Home & Home Office, Small Business, Medium and Large Business, Government and Education.
Why can't ordinary consumers buy servers or Latitude notebooks? Yes, I know we can, but then we have to browse several pages to another section of the web site. This is not very user friendly!
Instead, why not tag the different products with a color recommendation - GREEN for home users, BLUE for businesses, BLACK for gamers & enthusiasts, RED for government & Education, etc. - but list them at the same page! Let us browse all desktops in one operation, all notebooks together, and so on.
430
Laptop Ideas
submitted by felixdaacat
05/03/07
Future XPS Laptops should utilize carbon fiber and/or aluminum and/or magnesium…loose the plastic and cheap metal-look stickers
Future XPS laptops should be the first to use OLED displays which will make them thinner and lighter
Integrated GPS should be an option on all future laptops
Future laptops should have a cord to plug into the power available on the arm rests in airplanes (an up-and-coming feature in airlines)
Have a small display w/ buttons on the laptop of the laptop case so I can play mp3’s w/ my laptop without utilizing full power (would also display date/time & battery life much like a cell phone does when the shell is closed)
410
Dell Could Become the OpenGL Hero to the Open Source Community
Linux submitted by hmwamboldt
05/01/07
For a very long time, OpenGL support in the Open Source community has been spotty at best.
If Dell would take on the role of comprehensive testing, and repackaging (for updates) Nvidia or ATI drivers for several supported hardward (and software) configurations, that would make Dell a hero, at least to me. I've spent an inordinate amount of time installing, updating, patching, downgrading, and repairing damage done to systems by installing OpenGL drivers and OpenGL related system crashes over the last few years. It should be noted, (in defence of ATI and Nvidia) that many, if not most, of these problems stem from interactions with various chipsets, bridges, and bugs in various Xorg components. Hence my emphasis on testing.
Furthermore, if Dell could encourage Nvidia and ATI to release the specs for their oldest propriatary hardware (it's gotta be at least 4 or 5 years old now), that would probably provide a global benefit. But, if nothing else, comprehensive testing of new drivers and providing "Dell certified" update packages for Linux, would probably make Dell a prefered vendor for many, many midtier OpenGL users like myself.
-H-
1250
Fix the BIOS to enable HIBERNATE & SUSPEND
Linux, Service and Support submitted by cement_head
05/03/07
Three major priorities should be addressed for the adoption of Ubuntu 7.04:
1) The Hibernate and Suspend functions should work with the BINARY (accelerated) graphics drivers from nVIDIA and ATI. nVIDIA has better linux support - consider switching to nVIDIA cards on laptops. HIBERNATE and SUSPEND are essential for laptops and for widescale adoption within the business/corporate world. DELL laptops have been notrorious for poorly written BIOSes that only will hook into Micro$oft windows and M$ ACPI scripts - while this has not been an issue in the past due to the monolith of M$; it is now an issue whose time has come. This BIOS (DSDT tables) issue has to addressed at the level of DELL, not Ubuntu. Consider the FreeBIOS project.
2) Wireless cards should "simply work". Major culprit is Broadcom Cards. They are a pain to install; and usually require an extra step. Consider adopting a different manufacturer that supplies & supports an open source WiFi driver.
3) AMD processors. They are better. They are cheaper. They use less power. The Turion (64 bit) is especially well suited to Linux. AMD & nVIDIA would be a formidable combination. Consider dumping INTEL.
Less important, but annoying:
4) iTUNEs. This is REALLY annoying. Goes to the heart of DRM. But, the pragmatic reality of today's world is that many people already have an iPOD. Maybe you (Michael Dell) has enough pull to get Steve Jobs to get his people to compile/script iTUNES for Ubuntu.
Looking forward to seeing Feisty on DELLs.
- cement_head
3270
Make External Video DVI
Accessories (Keyboards, etc.), Laptops submitted by rockettech
05/03/07
Simply put, delete the VGA external video on all but bare-bones models and use DVI for external video. DVI can always be adapted to VGA, but not vice-versa. DVI can also be used to breakout to composite and component video. There is alot more flexibility with a DVI connector. And don't you dare use a proprietary connector on the notebook that requires an adapter, like the Apple iBooks and MacBooks.
500
Computer manufactures should be required to accurately list each component, the parts manufacture, model#, and the parts specs.
Service and Support submitted by jakerivers
05/01/07
Computer manufactures should be required to accurately list each component, the parts manufacture, model#, and the parts specs. This would allow for better product comparison, support, and the manufacture of peripherals, etc. There are several manufactures who already do this, mostly manufactures of high quality FreeBSD, and Linux servers.
Jake Rivers
490
More OS choices
Dell Web Site, Operating Systems submitted by yop
02/19/07
I would like to see more choices of OS like... No OS, Linux, Windows.
Also Better Linux driver support, but better Linux support in general.
Make the fan on laptops make less noise please.
Also more choices of software like Firefox, OpenOffice, Thunderbird etc,etc.
Don't like to be forced to buy an OS that I'm not going to use, like MS Windows.
Don't see the point of wasting money of stuff that I never going to use, since I always install Linux based system like Debian, Ubuntu and soo.
3904
Advertise Graphics RAM correctly
Advertising and Marketing submitted by joffe100
04/20/07 **UNDER REVIEW**
When we say we want to buy a 512Mb graphics card we really do want a 512Mb graphics card - not 512Mb with 256mb physical memory with 256mb shared! This is really BAD and misleading advertising - you do not see other RAM memory being sold 1Gb (512Mb physical, 512Mb shared!)
Should read: 512Mb physical memory and it actually be 512Mb physical memory
NOT: 512Mb** and then some tiny asterixed disclaimer on a linked page that points out that the 512Mb is some funky combination of 3Mb physical and the rest being pulled from virtual memory - this kills many graphic intense apps and games...
suprised no-one has sued over this? Not sure many buyers are even aware....
4160
Show the Vista performance rating during system configuration.
Dell Web Site submitted by jervis961
02/17/07 **UNDER REVIEW**
People may not realize that Vista gives your computer a performance rating based on several factors (processor, RAM, hard drive and video card).
Dell should show the performance rating on the side as you build your computer and update it as you go along changing the configuation. This should give people a guage as to if an upgrade will really improve your overall performance and also what kinds of games and programs your new computer will be capable of.
4953
Pre-installed Linux must play commercial DVDs
Education, Linux submitted by jonmca
05/03/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
You probably know this, but a "show stopper" requirement for most consumers and many educators and business road warriers is having laptops and desktops that can play commmercial DVDs. I have a hunch that preinstalled Linux on Dell machines will be a terrific success if Dell Linux desktops and laptops have this capability. I've been told that http://www.videolan.org/ has one possible approach.
Having Linux playing commercial DVDs may also catapult Dell into the complex Digital Rights Management contoversy so it would be wise to get Dell's legal staff involved ASAP and also have this discussed this at the highest strategic management levels at Dell (if this is not already being done).
Check out the Ideas in Action post from Daniel Judd. And you can also check out this follow-up post from John Hull who leads our engineering efforts behind Linux on consumer systems.
4790
6 major issues to be fixed by Dell
Dell, Sales Strategies, Service and Support submitted by jervis961
02/17/07
Dell became a top company by providing choice and customer service to a customer that wasn't available at the time but has since fallen behind the pack in these areas. Needing a translator when calling customer support is unnacceptable and other companies are rapidly passing Dell in technology advancements. While this site is a good start, many things need to be changed for Dell to become the market leader again.
1. Customer support needs to be in well spoken English and with employees who are allowed to do more than just read from a script. If they are speaking with a computer savvy customer the rep should be allowed to deviate from the script as long as they don't go outside the relm of normal policy.
2. Better options: Other companies offer high end components in small computers but Dell only supplies intel video processors in its 14" laptop. Dell needs to allow customers to get the size computer they need but with options from low cost through the high end so they can get a computer that is "Purely you".
3. Less forced options: I hate that I am paying for and XPS with internet security when I don't need it because I already have a subsciption that will transfer over or AOL is installed when I know I don't need it. They need to add an option of none of the above to all the added software sections.
4. Better pricing: Why is it over $200 to upgrade from 1 GB of 533 MHZ ram to 2 GB of 677 MHZ RAM? I can go to Crucial.com and get the 2GB 677MHZ kit for under $200. Upgrading with Dell after you own is even worse at over $300 this is crazy.
5. Custom Dell website: Customers want to feel special why not make a MYDELL website that when you log in you get a site designed the way you want it. If you aren't interested in the small business site it gets removed, you don't like to go thru the accessories sections when customizing a system so you don't see that section. Click on customer support and a list of your computer pops up asking which one you need help with and only shows the options for that system.
6. Customer loyalty rewards: I have bought 6 Dell systems over the last few years, why can't I get better customer service or pricing due to my loyalty to the company?
6925
Stop Installing Crippleware
Software submitted by leado
05/02/07
Please stop installing demonstration software (demoware), more appropriately defined as "crippleware" on new Dell machines. These useless applications slow down a machine and many are worse than spyware or viruses.
1120
Laptop keyboard light
submitted by jcjustus
05/03/07
Put a light on the notebooks that can be turned on to illuminate the keyboard...tough to work in a dark / dimly lit room with no keyboard light.
570
Dell Outlet Should Offer OS Choice of Linux
Linux, Sales Strategies submitted by durango95
05/01/07
Budget minded consumers love the Dell Outlet because we can save hundreds on the latest equipment... and I am batting 100% on the quality of the systems being shipped from the Outlet.
HOWEVER... One thing that irks me is that I am forced to take WINDOWS VISTA when buying these outlet machines. The first thing I do after receiving them is format them and install Fedora Core 6. I have bought twelve XPS 410s in the past calendar quarter and have formatted them all clean and installed FC6.
It's just plain unfair to pay the Microsoft Tax and agree to their unreasonable EULAs if we do not have to. I am all for giving B. Gates and company money for any of their products that actually give business value (i.e. usually this means Excel or possibly Visio in this day and age as business-line people require perfect Office-compatible functionality -- OOo is great for developers and more casual users but not necessary for front line heavily analysis people). I'd rather the software money go to VMWare or Red Hat or some company actually delivering uncommon value nowadays.
Since Dell will not be able to compete with Apple on HW/SW combination OS choice is king at this point. It behooves Dell to ally with Linux now more than ever to face the Apple threat.
1890
IdeaStorm should check to see if your post is similar to existing posts
IdeaStorm submitted by hjwasson
04/26/07 **PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED**
One of the greatest failings with IdeaStorm's otherwise wonderful concept is that many similar posts are created - and although they all get votes, no one post gets enough votes to rise to Dell's attention.
When you submit a post, I would like to see IdeaStorm search for similar posts, and if it finds any, prompt you:
Your post seems similar to this/these post(s):
1. Yes, it is. Please make my post a comment to the existing post instead (& I will vote on that post).
2. No, they are different - but related. Please associate my post to the existing post.
3. No, my post is not related - continue posting.
#2 is related to my suggestion to be able to be able to associate similar posts:
http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/66450/Provide_a_way_to_associate_simila...
For all of this to work, Dell would have to vastly improve it's search ability within IdeaStorm (perhaps collaborate with Google?)! Use Google's advanced search features, with www.ideastorm.com as the domain to search, if you want to see for yourself the differences in how well the search features function.
Duplicate ideas suggestion feature has been added.
5650
Provide a way to associate similar ideas/posts
IdeaStorm submitted by hjwasson
04/26/07
There should be a way to associate many similar posts together. If you page through IdeaStorm, you will find clouds of posts regarding "Please don't kill the Axim," "Fix the search feature," etc.
1. IdeaStorm members should be able to click on "This post seems similar to another post."
2. They can then paste the URL of the similar post(s) and click Okay.
3. There should be an "I agree/disagree" voting function for each URL, similar to the current promote/demote. This would appear on all of the potentially similar posts.
4. Once the agree value reaches a set threshold (say 100 points), the posts become associated.
5. Associated posts get a sub-heading stating "This post is associated with x, y, z" and there should be an aggregate value of all the points earned by the associated posts.**
**This is the heart of the matter - if there was an easy way for Dell (& all of us) to see just how popular a general topic of discussion was, I think you'd be able to spot huge trends that might otherwise get buried because no one individual post got enough posts to rise to the top of the discussion lists.
1780
 track my votes
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