Here at the College of Veterinary Medicine we are almost a 100% Dell shop. That includes desktops, workstations, laptops, servers and our SAN. From my experience dealing with Dell's enterprise support for the last 9 years, they have been nothing but exceptional. - Desktop/Laptop parts are replaced in a couple of days and equipment for our servers or SAN show within 4 hours of our call. - In addition we select the "Complete Care" option on the warrantees for all laptops, so that if someone drops one in a pool or a shelf collapses onto it (actually happened to me) it get's fix without charge. - Also being able to get a 5-year warranty on a desktop is a major plus, because it allows us to squeeze as much life out of purchases as is possible (we have many 6-7 year old PCs still around). - And lastly their standardized platforms with decent amounts of customization allow us to efficiently support over 800 systems centrally while having flexibility to handle special cases as they arise. /dell lovefest Stephen Bogdanski Network Support College of Veterinary Medicine Michigan State University >>> John Gorentz <[log in to unmask]> 5/29/2008 3:24 PM >>> We at KBS have two polices about notebook computers. 1. We always recommend Thinkpads, except in the rare circumstances when some feature is available only on a Dell (or whatever) and not on a Thinkpad. 2. When people don't follow our advice and buy Dells instead, we say "I told you so" when they come to grief. This is a case where I also follow my own advice for personal purchases. At our house, it's only Thinkpads. My kids don't have a habit of taking my advice, but they all have Thinkpads, and only Thinkpads. John Gorentz At 03:10 PM 5/29/2008, Stephan Andre' wrote: >What you say is true--companies are cutting back on everything >they can, including quality, to make their shareholders more money. > >This is true across the board, but I do think that Lenovo has >suffered from this the least, at least in terms of their Thinkpad >laptops. They are still excellent, and far far better built than >any other laptop. I've turned into a Thinkpad snob because of >this, and the fact that I keep getting roped into helping friends >with broken computers and have to deal with various companies >in getting parts, etc. Ugh! > >--STeve Andre' > >On Thursday 29 May 2008 11:15:13 Oscar Castaneda wrote: >> The problems that everybody is describing in here are problems that I >> find with any other vendor and by no means exclusive to Dell. >> >> Long waits in the phone. You tell me what company does not make you >> wait, or hop from person to person for a while? >> Lack of knowledge of what they are giving you? All of them >> This week I had some stuff that I ordered from HP lost in the vacuum. It >> never came, until I got in a yelling contest with a person in the pone >> >> To me the quality of support has gone to the drains all across the >> spectrum of software/hardware vendors. >> >> >> >> >> oscar >> >> Troy Murray wrote: >> > My latest experience's with the Dell rep have been somewhat lacking. >> > In trying to find answers to some questions on parts that I needed I >> > received no response, then vague responses, over the course of about a >> > week. Finally I was able to talk with Sergio and had the answer >> > within a few minutes. >> > >> > -t >> > >> > On May 29, 2008, at 10:14 AM, Hoekzema, Andrew wrote: >> >> I had a laptop with a monitor problem, I sent the laptop back to Dell, a >> >> month at a time each time that I sent it in. The problem was never >> >> resolved, I found a work around but that's what we as techs do. I as a >> >> personal user do not believe in buying from Dell because personal >> >> service is definitely second class compared to corporate service which I >> >> think is excellent. >> >> >> >> Andrew Hoekzema >> >> Information Technician >> >> College of Arts and Letters >> >> [log in to unmask] >> >> 353-0778 >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On >> >> Behalf Of Charlot, Firmin >> >> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:50 AM >> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> >> Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Dell found guilty of fraud and false advertising >> >> >> >> I have not experienced any of the problems listed in the complaint >> >> either. This is not to say that they are not happening. >> >> >> >> Firmin Charlot, MCSE, A+, Information Systems Manager >> >> Educational and Support Services 162 Student Services Building East >> >> Lansing, MI 48824 >> >> [log in to unmask] (517) 432-7541 >> >> Submit technical requests at http://help.ess.msu.edu/ >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> >> From: MSU Network Administrators Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On >> >> Behalf Of Surato, Michael S. >> >> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:45 AM >> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> >> Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] Dell found guilty of fraud and false advertising >> >> >> >> Interesting, I have not experienced any of the problems listed in the >> >> complaint. I have, however, experienced them with Apple support. >> >> >> >> +-------------------------------------------+ >> >> >> >> | Michael Surato | >> >> | College of Arts and Letters | >> >> | Michigan State University | >> >> | 320 Linton Hall | >> >> | East Lansing, MI 48824 | >> >> | Voice: (517) 353-0778 Fax: (517) 355-0159 | >> >> >> >> +-------------------------------------------+ >> >> >> >>> -----Original Message----- >> >>> From: MSU Network Administrators Group >> >>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stephan Andre' >> >>> Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 6:12 PM >> >>> To: [log in to unmask] >> >>> Subject: [MSUNAG] Dell found guilty of fraud and false advertising >> >>> >> >>> Something interesting to read. I think it parallels some >> >>> of my experiences with Dell. >> >>> >> >>> <http://www.cio.com/article/371313/Court_Finds_Dell_Guilty_of_Fraud> >> >>> >> >>> <http://techland.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/05/27/dell-deceive> >> >> >> d-customers-says-ny-judge/?section=money_topstories> >> >> >> >>> --STeve Andre' >> >>> Political Science