Dell Can Go To Hell!!!

[Deep C]

Wow! How rare is this? Back to back rants in one night! Well, Dell has earned my full wrath on this one! What better place to unleash some venom on them than right here where our SFC family 30,000 strong can see it!
For that follow whats happening in the Advenures of Deep you will recall that I had back to back failures of two of my Dells late last summer. I'm not gonna fault those ones. I had worked em to death and they owed nothing as they died. I bragged about the new Mini Dells that I had added to the collection and talked of the new Inspirion that would take center stage on my Palm Beach desk.
You then started to see my growing contempt for Vista on it. As issues arose I chronicaled them. Just before Christmas was the final straw though. I had gone out of my way to film a holiday video for you, my friends here only to find that Vista was incompatible with Sony video systems (only the largest in the world). Not only incompatible but no patches or driver updates or anything could correct it. I confirmed this with the Dell software gurus. Several thousand dollars worth of Sony sit idle gathering dust as a result.
Your replies were heard loud and clear. Get 7...

Should be no problem. When I ordered this unit I had called Dell to do so. I asked for something different than Vista but it was all they had. I was assured by the sales rep that they would upgrade to 7 free of charge when it gets released. we went to work "building" my machine. All was good until we got to the time line. It would take too long to build.
The rep worked with me searching retail inventories and found the exact machine at a retailer about seven miles away. I asked if they would honor the 7 upgrade there. She assured me they would. At the retailer I asked again and was given assurances that they would.

Today I had a rare couple hours break and decided now was the time to address this issue. I did one more driveby with the software people. They said that I was entitled to a 7 upgrade for free and that would fix the problems quick. Fine... Thats what I would do.
I spoke to a pleasant sounding young man named Tafim. Things started nice but went south quick. I read off the serial numbers printed on the machine and he could find no record. I tried on line at the same time and same story. He ran me through a set of steps and we came to find the inscribed numbers were different than the ones inside. Their screw up but now fixed.
Then after being placed on hold for a total of an hour and a half, I was informed that they could sell me a copy of 7 but I couldn't get one for free as was the agreement. He blamed that it was because of the "Version" of Vista I had. Nobody from anywhere, from Dell, the retailer, nobody ever said anything about one version or another being eligible or not. Mind you this is the EXACT same unit that we were "building" that was guaranteed to me by there sales rep as eligible for the free upgrade.
This, folks, is flat out bait and switch bullshit! Nothing short of fraud and attempted theft! I am stating in writing with my name attached that Dell Computers is a dishonest company and I do not suggest that anyone do business with them.

The phone rang a while later. It was a Mr. Rashir Jaqtap from Dell. Not to work something out with me , rather to waste anonther hour of my time trying to force me into ordering a copy of 7 for almost double what local retailers are trying to sell it for.

My official response: "Hell no! Not one cent for what was sold me as being part of the package. I have supported and endorsed Dell products for twelve years without compensation or favors in return. Tonight though, reverse course and now deem them as not worthy of any more of my business nor should any of my readers consider doing trade with Dell because of the fundamental dishonesty they now surround themselves with." Signed- Paul Cameron

I have fourteen of their units scattered around my homes and boats and as of tomorrow morn they will be replaced with competitors units. I will not sell the old ones as I will not stand behind them nor subject people I know to the greed and unscupulous behavior of Dell.
This thread is the first of many directed at bringing attention to their less than professional ways. Look for further details in Consumer Reports and else where. Thank you for taking the time to read.

[Deep C]

Lets make it a bit more interesting here... If you've got a Dell from Hell or Vista horror story how about putting it here for all to see too... I'm gonna share this with them so don't be shy...

[gottaflylee]

Lets make it a bit more interesting here... If you've got a Dell from Hell or Vista horror story how about putting it here for all to see too... I'm gonna share this with them so don't be shy...

"Dell from Hell" seems like I put this in one of your threads some ware.
I read some were today tha Dell is over a month to 2 months in getting out some of their Christmas orders. Said parts were back ordered.

Sorry that you are having this proublem with them but your not alone from what I hear...

[Docked Wages]

Steer clear of HP... My 3 yr old dell died due to a power cord being worn out. I picked up a new HP (now 4 days old) and it is a total POS. It has died 6 times so far for no reason, video web pages seem to make it freeze for outlook and I had to restart once while responding to your thread!!!

Looks like I'm out a 15% restocking fee from best buy... MAC here I come!

[marine4003]

Deep,
The biggest problems with PC's arent the units themselves, but the software, it doesnt matter: Dell..HP..what matters is what drives them. Using a different browser than Internet Explorer helps,because there less prone to viruses, Mozilla Firefox or Opera, and because of all the glitches with ANY MS product,no matter the operating software,there will be problems. The best units available are Apple, Why..because 1- the amount of CPU power needed to run is 1/2 of a PC, 2 - the units run using LINUX its a program no-one has been able to figure out enough to write viruses and spyware for. Yea, there expensive,but how many units have you gone thru so far...add them up...just bought an Apple, plus the software is 1/10 the cost,without the bullshit upgrades..patches and downtime due to :system maintenance" the only reason there not as popular..they dont network well.
I literatly drove over 2-Dells 1- HP with a skidsteer, fuck-'em..bought a Apple Powerbook..full tilt boogie..cost about 3K said & done..had it for 9 months now..am running 2 CAD programs..along with Estimating software,Google Earth,and alot of other heavy use programs...NEVER has she let me down,no crashes..backup problems ect....Go on E-BAY , buy a used one..try it..Fuck Bill Gates, Hello Steve Jobes (sp?)

Look at the comparison...Vista is shown to have all sorts of issues and crashes while Apple is stable - http://itcomparison.com/OS/MacvsVista/macvsvista.htm

[Bligh]

Between my wife who needs one for business and my two grown sons when they are home for dinner almost always there are at times 3 lap tops running in my living room with the tv on. We have made the transition to apple products and I now wish I had done it many years ago. The last G4 on EBAY we picked up was a little less then 300 with a new battery and all the bells and whistles My oldest son has the newer and improved bigger mac that he bought reconditioned for about 800. They dont get viruses as easy and the speed is faster even though the cpu numbers might be lower? Oh and deep your gone a love this. I have to report for pettit jury duty at 1 today but for only 2 days. The last time was 20+ years ago.

[Deep C]

Mini Deep runs a Mac... I'm headed that way.... They stuck me before with a "free" printer once. Had to get the ink directly through them and it was over twice the price and could only print off 20-30 pages before running out.... This the second time the stuck me and there will be no third. My hope with this post is to open the eyes of would be buyers and send them elsewhere. The revenues they will lose from even a couple missed sales will far outweigh what it would have cost them to honor their promise and do business honestly. Dell no longer has my endorsement small as it may be in the scheme of things.

Keep bringing the comments folks. I don't want to see another single person get burned the way I / we did...

[Deep C]

They must be reading and feeling heat as they just called to try and cool me down... That won't happen. They failed to honor what was promised to me and that's what this is all about. I could go and buy 7 or pop in an old copy of XP. They're trying to milk me for more cash on what was promised to be free.
Now I'm getting "Oh Windows dis not inform us..." Bullshit!

[clt_capt]

Be careful on the "old XP" - I had to nuke and pave one of my machines - I reinstalled the same license on the same machine and I had to spend hours on the phone with Midrosoft getting the license renewed so I could get the machine working.

If that old XP license is on another machine, you may be screwed.

[Big Fish Billy]

This could be bigger than:

Scandal BY World Cat and Town Creek Marina