~sniff~ Free at last, free at least, thank God Almighty...

 

It is to be known that the original issue was not first reported by Slashdot as the article seems to portray. captaintux was certainly at the forefront of this issue, and through intellect and perserverance came through for us all.

Way to go captaintux

Way to go Dell

wdean: Thanks for the clarification... didn't mean any disrespect to captaintux or other folks that raised it on IdeaStorm before Slashdot.
 

As the original poster for the Digg article, I have to say I'm impressed by how quickly this situation was rectified.

FYI, it probably could have been averted had CS been honest and said "oops it's a glitch" rather than saying it was intentional to drop warranty support.
 

thantix: Agree.. I can definitely confirm it wasn't intentional. We're working on improving our ability to share information with Technical Support and Sales quickly.

Thanks for your patience and we're glad to have customers from the Linux community. While there may be bumps in the road, we're serious about serving you well. Time will tell.

Thanks again for your support. 

Hey what about all the other options available on the Windows box? Can't we have those added as well? Its just a button to add on the web page shouldn't take long or much and will add revenue in the long run?

Better yet why not have the same web page and just add Ubuntu on the OS list?

Today is Make Dell Greener day and adding one button to the OS list of the computers on offer is much more efficient and green than creating a separate web page for each possible model just to add a different OS?

Come on Dell don't wimp out on your own Green Day and add more green house gases. Take the motto to heart and implement! Don't waste!

I am really happy to see the option of Linux. I'll be buying a system soon only... for the work I need the faster machine and the larger UXGA screen.

Will Linux be possible on those systems? I don't need support just to know the drivers are there and what works and what not.

In fact also this I'll probably be able to find out but I would like be counted as a Linux user even if I would need to buy a Windows system as you don't offer Linux on those notebook.

 It would really be good to offer the FreeDOS on all the systems. You could support an unofficial website that will show how to get everything to work on the systems that are not officially supported. This keeps you safe but gives many people the option to easily set up linux on the other systems.

 Why would I have to pay for windows if I don't need it? If you don't want to support linux on other systems (yet) I still should not need to have to pay for windows.

 Dada

 

Dell: Congratulations for your wise decision of supporting Gnu/Linux and for hearing your customers. I would be buying a Dell laptop with Ubuntu preintalled if they were available in Europe.

Asked to a sales person in Spain and told me that it would be eventually the case, told me that the Ubuntu initiative was kind of experimental in the U.S. and that if it goes well, it would be extended elsewhere.

I hope it is the case soon. Menawhile, can Dell give some feedback to their potential Ubuntu Gnu/Linux offering's  customers about how well (or otherwise) is this initiative resulting and if it will be extended to other areas outside the U.S.

Best regards from Spain. 

could you appose this label on the new Dell ?

It would be fun :p

Thank you for confirming my hopes that this was a glitch and not intentional.  If you really are putting your hearts into this, as it has seemed so far, I am excited beyond words.  The idea of a major (and good) computer manufacturer supporting Linux is amazing.  Hopefully it will eventually create competition that will encourage both Ubuntu and Microsoft to work harder on their operating systems.

Now you need to plan a way to advertise Ubuntu, if you can.  Maybe start at the low-end models, and offer it as a way to save money.  Or maybe offer it to businesses (if you don't) as a more secure alternative for basic desktops that just do word processing/email/Internet.

Before I continue, I would like to personally thank each and every one of you who said kind things about my efforts. Honestly, I am moved. Linux and OSS is a team effort, though.  Other people submitted DIGG articles, Slashdot articles, Canonical became involved, Marcel Gagne' posted the matter on his blog in a fair and polite manner. Dell representatives were always polite and professional to me and as I moved up the food chain, they always contacted me in a reasonable time frame.  Considering how much volume Dell deals with, I have to give them points for the individual attention I received.

 As far as the information given to me by the CSR (that unfortunately escalated the matter), I think there is a reasonable explanation.   If you have ever worked in a phone center, you will know that each call is different.  Every so often a situation arises that has a CSR stumped. I do not know about Dell, but in many phone centers teams and individuals have goals.  1st call resolution, no calls holding in que, average phone call should be under x amount of time, etc.  It is a pressure cooker when you wear the headphones for a living.  Further, the more people you talk to, the more you appreciate your dog.  Anyway, the CSR generally does not have time to call a VP and figure it out...they go to a supervisor on the floor.  The supervisor has to make a decision quickly.  Additionally, when one thing changes on one product out of so many, you assume you did not get a memo...or someone may see the change and make an assumption and send an incorrect memo.  In large companies, there are so many hands in the till of decision making and communication that errors like these can happen.  Heck, one of the executives I spoke with had initially assumed marketing made the decision, and she felt it was a bad decision.  She had nothing to back it up with other than a feeling based on experience.  She was in a position that the CSR was not, she had the luxury to investigate the matter fully.

Errors happen, mistakes happen.  I do not fault a company for errors, it is how errors are ultimately dealt with.  In this instance, it was ultimately dealt with well.  When things like this occur, it is important for a company to look at what happened and learn from it.  This is par for the course in any organization.  The hows and whys are a question Dell needs to answer, but not to me.  As a consumer my concern is the end result and continued quality service.  They informed us of the glitch and corrected the error.  At the end of the day, that is what I wanted.  Fact finding missions are things I leave to sub committees and corporate offices.  ;)
 

It's great that you'll get what you wanted here, and I'm sure others will be relieved to be able to get the extended warranty as well.  Offering warranty work helps more people run more free software, which is a benefit to the entire free software community.  However don't confuse an unaccountable private tyranny with democracy.

But, Johnny K, corporate power is the exact opposite of democracy and in many instances (all more serious than this) corporate power is used to crush democracy.  Go see or read "The Corporation" and learn about what corporate power really means to democracy.

Motorcylce Guy,

Thank you for a fair and balanced commentary that will in no way invite people  to get upset in any way shape or form.  BTW, proud owner of a '68 Electra Glide and a '06 VRSC.  Nice site you have and it is so much more helpful when one enhances comments and adds to the mix positively as opposed to dragging them down.

So when is "soon" as in "quote" above:

 "Customers who ordered systems when the extended warranty and CompleteCare option weren’t available will have the opportunity to upgrade at original price. More details soon."

I'm one of those customers, and I certainly don't consider the thread "RESOLVED" as indicated.  Please advise.

John 

Hi,

 
I have the same question as John above. When are we going to see the details about upgrading the warranty at the original price?

Thank you,

Marius