Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
More info?)
You ought to think about getting back into writing. You still have the knack
for it.
Rocky
<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:40c6866e.55642601@news.charter.net...
> I am an independent reseller/dealer/service provider with no direct or
indirect
> ties to any name brand manufacturer. I am no longer a practicing member
of the
> trade press, having halted my professional writing activities about 10
years ago
> after producing millions of forgettable words with thousands of hours of
lab
> work for a number of primarily Ziff-Davis trade rags. I worked nearly 20
years
> for one of the old BUNCH companies that vainly tried to compete in the
mainframe
> business against IBM. In my past and current lives, I've been involved in
many
> parts of the computer industry, hardware, software, manufacturing, company
> liquidations, spares and logistics, project management.
>
> I handle a lot of Dell computers, because there are a lot of them out
there.
> Mostly, I upgrade them or service the software which is error-prone,
unreliable
> and highly insecure. I do not see very many broken down Dells. I DO see
broken
> down machines of other makes, most often with catastrophic hard disk
failures,
> but otherwise due to choice of poor quality parts.
>
> What I have stated is not based on any inside info from Dell. But if you
were a
> betting man, and we placed a small wager on the accuracy of my assertion,
and we
> could find someone at Dell willing to talk, he/she would either
corroborate what
> I have stated or say that I am damned close, and I would win the bet.
Following
> the money in the computer production food chain is not rocket science
either.
> When a product becomes as much of a commodity item as computers have,
there is
> only one way to wring out extra costs. Use standard parts wherever
possible.
> No exceptions. Manufacturing computers today is more like manufacturing
toilet
> paper than automobiles.
>
> If this all sounds arrogant, after 40+ years of diverse experience in the
> computer biz, I've seen it all. So far, anyway. Well, I admit wasn't
there
> when Eckert and Mauchly built the first Univac beast, and I do not lay
claim to
> inventing the internet... Ben Myers
>
> On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 02:18:10 GMT, Vince McGowan <SPAMvincemcg@nada.com>
wrote:
>
> >Ben Myers wrote:
> >> My point is that Dell DID NOT or could not squeeze its contract
manufacturers on
> >> this one. Somebody at Dell woke up to the reality of manufacturing
costs. Now
> >> that Dell is there with standard P4-ATX power, it is unlikely they will
return
> >> to the more proprietary connector.
> >
> >Are you a high level executive at Dell or was there something about this
> >in the trade press? If not, how can you be so certain of Dell's reasons
> >for the change?
> >
> >I'm speculating here and not claiming you're wrong, just pointing out
> >you might not be right.
> >
>