Is Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) falling out of love with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT)'s Windows Vista? First off, the company decided to bring back Windows XP as an option for an installed computer-operating system on its PCs. Then, in response to popular demand, the computer maker begins selling Ubuntu Linux as an installable option instead of Windows at all.Then, in the midst of Microsoft shelling out half a billion to market and promote Windows Vista, the computer maker patches together what appears to be a slapstick promotional gadget to "entice" new Dell customers to see how Windows Vista is a superior operating system. After watching the video linked from here, I was left amazed -- this is the best a leading computer manufacturer can do to promote the product that comes installed on virtually all of its new PCs? What does Microsoft think about this half-hearted attempt at promotion of its flagship operating system?
Does Dell just not like Windows Vista or something? One could certainly get that impression, although I believe it is far from the truth. All the signals here have lined up to form a somewhat inconsistent angle from Dell's end on just what it wants to be. The company needs to be everything to every customer perhaps, which can be a recipe for disaster or can allow it to survive in short-term fashion (just not long-term). Entering Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT)just muddies the issue further and seems like a quick-fix experiment for now, but at least Dell's stance on operating systems offered is still a tad confusing.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-31-2007 @ 2:07PM
charles marano said...
I work in the business district on NYC and all I hear is that Vista is slow and sux.
5-31-2007 @ 2:30PM
suzanne said...
Dell sucks ! I've bought 5 PCs and 1 was a Dell. Forget it if you have a problem, once you buy
it they forget who you are until your warranty is about to expire.I don't even know why they have a warranty ???? It's good for nothing. So it really doesn't matter what they run in it.
Suzanne
5-31-2007 @ 4:01PM
Travis said...
well I got a Dell and am very happy with it and its service since they have helped me with all my problems
5-31-2007 @ 4:31PM
Jim said...
I am a traveling consultant to large corporations. I wanted to get a new computer in March, but could not buy anything except a computer with Windows Vista. My clients do not use or support Vista yet, so I had to keep the old computer. I am glad that Windows XP is still available for a WORK computer as consultants need to match the system their clients are using.
5-31-2007 @ 7:25PM
cliff corson said...
I found it very interesting that the day that Vista was released you could no longer buy a computer with XP on it.
since vista was released I've not sold more than 3 copies of the upgrade and most people I've spoken to hate vista.
6-01-2007 @ 8:07AM
Wiley Cotton said...
Does Dell have any love...? Nobody has any love for Vista. Almost everybody still accepts it as the latest/greatest OS for 96% of the computers on the planet, but MSFT failed to create a compelling reason to buy it. MSFT is my largest stock holding and I'm so disappointed in the Vista product. I haven't found anything in it to draw consumers to purchase it except maybe the gaming power, but gaming geeks are a small market.
6-01-2007 @ 2:54PM
JohnP@Dell said...
Dell's stance on operating systems is pretty straight-forward: listen to customers and provide a choice. Same for our global retail strategy, of which Wal-Mart is just the first shoe to drop.
6-07-2007 @ 8:16PM
kevin geery said...
After a month with Windows Vista, I gotta admit I am not impressed. I have to wonder if the people who developed it ever tried to use it. It makes no sense to me. I was hoping for a more intuitive approach. Hard to believe such a huge outfit comes out with such a aggravating thing. oh well I guess I can be thankful it has caused me to spend less time on the computer. Better luck next time.