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Dell Might do AMD

mboverload writes "In a move that will surely make waves in the industry, Dell's CEO, Kevin Rollins, has said they may provide machines decked out with AMD CPU's if their customers really want them. "We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology," said Rollins. "

294 of 417 comments (clear)

  1. They just want better pricing from Intel by pointym5 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They'll never do it.

    1. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Quasar1999 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Problem is, Intel manufacturing is so expensive, they can't afford to give Dell any more of a discount... their bluff is going to be called... This should be interesting...

      --

      ---
      Programming is like sex... Make one mistake and support it the rest of your life.
    2. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Phylter · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well, truth be told, they play this game once or twice a year.

      It might be worth it to Intel for people to continue to see the P4 symbol on Dell computers regardless of how much their losing on it. Dell does have a large market share.

    3. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Joe+U · · Score: 1

      Intel has a stranglehold on the majority of the processor market.

      They can easily change prices below cost if they think it will hurt their competition.

    4. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by JPriest · · Score: 1

      This is only like the gabilionth time they started this rumor to remind Intel they don't own them too. I think at this point I am just going to say I will believe it when I see it.

      --
      Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
    5. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It might be worth it to Intel for people to continue to see the P4 symbol on Dell computers regardless of how much their losing on it. Dell does have a large market share.

      Well the large market share is a problem, isn't it? It might be worth doing a deal with a very prominent but low market share "regardless of how much they're losing on it" but losing money on every unit to someone with a high market share is just losing a lot of money. What do you do, raise your prices to every other company to make up for your losses to Dell, making Dell even more competitive relative to them so you sell even more loss making units to Dell? It doesn't work.

    6. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by saden1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Exactly. They always state we'll do it if the customers want it. Well I use to be a customer and I dropped their asses because they didn't to AMD among other things.

      --

      -----
      One is born into aristocracy, but mediocrity can only be achieved through hard work.
    7. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by 2short · · Score: 1


      They'll do it the day Intel doesn't make it worth their while not to. Which may well be never. I don't think Dell has any particular love of Intel. They do have a love of being #1 in market share, but I don't think they care if they keep that by offering AMD, or by being able to offer Intel cheaper than if they didn't threaten to go with AMD. But to make the latter work, they have to keep making it clear to Intel that they could go with AMD.

    8. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by plague3106 · · Score: 1

      Personall, except for laptops, I don't buy Dell because I can't get an AMD chip.

      I'm not sure why more businesses don't demand AMD; I've found that AMD often performs better than a similar Intel chip, and the cost savings are great too.

    9. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      "Problem is, Intel manufacturing is so expensive, they can't afford to give Dell any more of a discount... their bluff is going to be called... This should be interesting... "

      Sorry, you don't have a clue here.

      Intel's manufacturing is cheaper than AMD. They have a cheaper process which also gives better yields, and perhaps the most important, they have a much larger volume which usually leads to cheaper costs.

      If you need a hint on what is going on, look at the financial statistics for Intel and AMD. Intel _makes_ money on it's CPUs while AMD barely, sometimes does.

      AMD is happy when Intel have high prices because then they have a chance of getting profit.

    10. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by supabeast! · · Score: 1

      Agreed. I was planning to post the same thing, but not need to get redundant.

    11. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by TheLink · · Score: 1

      It's likely the cost savings for _Dell_ using AMD vs Intel aren't that great.

      I'm sure there's a very good reason Dell is Intel only. They probably have a very sweet deal.

      Anyway it's interesting to watch Dell haggle :). Maybe they're working out the terms of their new deal with Intel...

      Going to be fun to watch. Would be more fun if we knew more behind the scenes ;).

      --
    12. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by rajafarian · · Score: 5, Informative

      Intel _makes_ money on it's CPUs while AMD barely, sometimes does.

      While you may be correct that Intel's manufacturing is cheaper than AMD's, isn't it the case, however, that Intel can (and does) sell slower, less capable processors at higher prices than AMD? It seems to me I've always been able to look at Pricewatch and see equivalent Intel processors priced higher than AMD processors.

      To make my point, I picked a processor at "random," an AMD64 3400+ and looked it up on tomshardware and found this performance comparison. Then I went to pricewatch and found the following prices, AMD64 3400+ = $188, Intel Pentium 4 3.2GHz: $200. I looked up AMD processors and the first article I read said:

      ... the Athlon 64, while not priced as aggressively as AMD's chips in the past, ends up offering better performance than the Pentium 4, for less money. What more could you want?

      Obviously some people want it to say Intel at any cost.

    13. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Halvard · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Intentionally losing a lot of money when your are the largest player can be construed, at least in the US, as anti-competitive behaviour. And they are both US headquartered companies.

    14. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by KarmaMB84 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Due to Intel's market position, doing such a thing could be seen as attempting to create a monopoly in desktop processors by dumping their product on the market below cost until the competition (AMD) is dead.

    15. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by PhaxMohdem · · Score: 3, Funny

      *Flash!* This just in!! Dell announces intentions to use the PowerPC 940 (G5) CPU's in future models. After tormenting AMD users for years with false hopes the mega PC maker has decided to alienate even more users world wide. Stay tuned for further updates as they become available.

      --

      The Property of One's : "The Oneitude is directly proportional to the Colditude of the one." - S.B.

    16. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by leebrownusa · · Score: 1

      DITTO DITTO DITTO, DELL WILL NEVER DO IT, not in the stars in a million years! It's just lip service to get DELL in the news. Anyway, who needs their proprietary power supplies and such.

    17. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by klui · · Score: 1

      Yup. It was interesting the first 2 times they did this but backpeddled. Now it's like the kid crying wolf. You hit it right on the head.

    18. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by G3ckoG33k · · Score: 1

      So, why not give them a Slashdot effect of wishful beggings? Everybody, type out loud: WE WANT OPTERONS (or something to that effect).

    19. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by icejai · · Score: 1

      Actually, this sounds to me to be a hint from the CEO for people to really make a point of wanting amd procs when calling up Dell sales lines.

      If I were a Dell CEO, profiting like crazy already on Intel machines, while fully knowing that the overhead costs of getting into amd are fairly high and requires a lot of changes... I would not be able to make such a drastic change in direction if there were no hard numbers to support the claim of strong profitable demand for amd machines.

      So do what he says, start demanding amd machines from dell, instead of mumbling under our breaths about how they won't.

    20. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Equinox11 · · Score: 1

      The per unit cost for manufacturing even the fastest CPU is just a few dollars in the volumes they are produced. They large price comes from offsetting the R&D efforts.. So it isn't like Intel will be(on a per unit basis) making something for $400 and selling it for $300.. more like making it for $2, selling it for $300 but spent 400 million researching it. AMD has a better product though, so I hope Dell gets them in their product line. Intel went the route for MHz that don't matter, and AMD concentrated on building a solid product.

    21. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by croddy · · Score: 2, Insightful

      you should consider the cost of advertising and rethink your position -- regardless of whether all those TV spots and full-page magazine ads figure into the cost of physically manufacturing the chip, Intel is buried up to its neck in advertising costs that they have to recover before their chips can turn a profit.

    22. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by batura · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think its more of a problem with Intels marketing being too expensive

      I remember for the P-III, the development costs equaled what they spent on advertising. I haven't bought a P-x since.

    23. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by ZeroZen · · Score: 1

      Actually, they don't.

      Intel is known by everyone here mostly for their x86 processors, and while that makes them a little money, it's mostly a pissing contest as i can tell. They make a very large majority of their money from flash memory, as i recall.

    24. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by servognome · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Problem is, Intel manufacturing is so expensive, they can't afford to give Dell any more of a discount
      Intel can manufacture cheaper than AMD. If you look at the 2004 financial numbers, Intel has much better gross margins than AMD.
      Intel Revenue: $34.2B
      Intel Cost of Sales: $14.5B
      Intel Gross Margin: 58%
      AMD Revenue: $5B
      AMD Cost of Sales: $3B
      AMD Gross Margin: 40%

      --
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    25. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by servognome · · Score: 1

      Actually AMD spends more for marketing as a percentage of revenue. In 2004 Intel spent $4.7B in marketing vs $32.7B in revenue (14.3%), AMD spent $800M in marketing vs $5B in revenue (16%)

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    26. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by DA-MAN · · Score: 2, Interesting

      ... the Athlon 64, while not priced as aggressively as AMD's chips in the past, ends up offering better performance than the Pentium 4, for less money. What more could you want?

      Obviously some people want it to say Intel at any cost.


      As someone who has been using computers since the late 80's, it should be noted that AMD was not always the pinnacle of quality that they are today. Anything from random crashes to peripherals not working properly were a sign of an AMD proc in my day.

      A lot of us old fogies (I'm 24, just started early) are still a bit jaded from our previous experiences. I use to swear that I'd never buy an AMD again, along with Apple. I've now have both! The Linaire laptop and an iBook. Just saying, it takes time . . .

      --
      Can I get an eye poke?
      Dog House Forum
    27. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Bedouin+X · · Score: 1

      Well... if "the market" represents the PC market, then Dell does have the biggest share.

      Last I heard in the server market, Dell is basically tied with Sun for 3rd place behind IBM and HP.

      --
      Dissolve... Resolve... Evolve...
    28. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by FxChiP · · Score: 1

      Xbox, anyone?

    29. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by tokaok · · Score: 1

      this doesnt apply to xbox, in theory revenuw from licenses are to cover losses in hardware. intel has nothing else going for it really.

    30. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by DrMrLordX · · Score: 1

      The AMD 386dx40s were also good processors. I had one, and it never failed me or otherwise caused incompatibilities, random crashes, or lockups. I don't know which x86 processor AMD cloned first(they were a cloner company in the x86 market up until the k6, really), but according to their own history they were cloning x86 processors as far back as 1980 or 1981.

    31. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by jerw134 · · Score: 1

      Dell hasn't used proprietary power supplies for a very long time. Get with the program.

    32. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by notthe9 · · Score: 1

      Intel went the route for MHz that don't matter, and AMD concentrated on building a solid product.

      MHz don't matter? Since when? Clock speed is one of the several valuable rating factors.

    33. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by TrancePhreak · · Score: 1

      You should also factor in cost of motherboard. You have to buy a non-cheapo motherboard for AMD most of the time or you'll get some random erratic behavior. (Like below spec voltage on your AGP slot for ex.)

      --

      -]Phreak Out[-
    34. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by JiffyJeff · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Sometimes loosing a little bit of profit on every sale is better than loosing all profit on every sale. In other words, Intel has to pay the "rent" on their fabs whether they sell any product or not -- they'd better sell for as much as they can get (even at a loss). If Dell isn't shipping their product, they're screwed.

    35. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Equinox11 · · Score: 1

      Compare an AMD64 and a P4.. At the same clock rating(not the 3000+ stuff, the actual GHz) the AMD64 absolutely destroys the Pentium-4. This is why we are given the 3000+ designations... Pretty much means this 2.0GHz processor performs better than a 3.0GHz processor from Intel.. And it does.

      This is a tad off topic, but intel made several engineering decisions(extremely long pipeline, for instance) that in my opinion were based on marketing, not engineering. It allows for a very high clock rate, however the performance at that clock rate isn't all that impressive when compared to other approaches.

      (For instance, a very long pipeline means you need to keep a large amount of instructions 'partially' executed, this means you have to have very good branch prediction.. If you mispredict a branch(in other words if x=0 then do this..) You have to toss out a huge amount of partially/specutaively executed instructions. A processor with a shorter pipeline doesn't have such a high mispredict penalty.

    36. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by notthe9 · · Score: 1

      Yes, at the same clock speed ratings, AMD Athlon64 processors would outperform a P4. Hell, I think it is almost unfair to compare them, as one is what should be (and is by AMD) considered outdated technology.

      This does not mean "MHz don't matter." I did not say clock speed was the measuring factor... not even Intel wants you to believe that any more. Just because it is not fully descriptive, this has nothing to do with them not mattering.

    37. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by Equinox11 · · Score: 1

      Sorry, I misread your earlier comment. I should revise my statement to mean that most computer illiterate people at the time the Pentium-4 came out equated clock speed with performance in a 1:1 relationship. I think Intel was trying to capitalize on this misconception and AMD did a really good job of dispelling it.

    38. Re:They just want better pricing from Intel by DA-MAN · · Score: 1

      I've had motherboards in the past that could handle both Intel and AMD, this use to be the norm. I once had a machine where everything but the sound card worked with an AMD chip, but with an Intel chip everything worked.

      I've had random crashes back in the NT days. Major overheating issues and various other problems that I never had with any Intel (or even Cyrix) chips. I've even experienced random reboots and various other things in the Athlon series (not XP/MP or 64). AMD was always a sub par processor up until the advent of their 64 bit extensions.

      I have worked as a sysadmin for 10 years now, and all of my co-workers had similar experiences. I do not believe I had too unusual of an experience, and I know many are still jaded from using AMD procs in anything that requires an uptime of more than 2 days.

      --
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      Dog House Forum
  2. Dear Dell, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dear Dell,

    Please continue to offer less choices at higher prices.
    Please continue to lock us in to Intel only.
    Please continue to outsource your support to the clueless.
    Please continue to... nevermind, I found another company.

    1. Re:Dear Dell, by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

      News Update

      Kevin Rollins has informed us he has made his decision.
      Dell will not be using amd technology in their systems because of an overwhelming outswelling of support by the general public.

      Citing a posting on popular geek website slashdot.org Mr Rollins said "The posting from such an influential technology website proves they are behind us. The poster in question is a regular well respected member of the slashdot community, having well over 6 millions postings."

      Yes reader, I am as bemused as you, but do not underestimate the stupidy of upper management.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
    2. Re:Dear Dell, by MerlinTheWizard · · Score: 1

      I don't agree with your first statement. There may not be a lot of choice in their products, but their prices are extremely low. More often than not, you can't even assemble a computer yourself at theses prices.

    3. Re:Dear Dell, by gui_tarzan2000 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The prices are extremely low partially because their tech support was sent overseas like everyone else is trying. I know they brought a bunch of their business support back here but between that and the crappy hardware, we (K-12 school district) won't ever buy anything from them again. In the last five years I've only talked to a few people who actually like what they're getting from Dell. They may be #1 right now but they are skating on thin ice.

      --
      Have you hugged your penguin today?
  3. The year of AMD in Dell? by rylin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wow! This is turning out to be a remarkable year!
    Not only are we getting Linux on the Desktop, but we're also getting AMD in Dells!

    Just like last year!

    1. Re:The year of AMD in Dell? by JPriest · · Score: 2, Funny

      I want a pony.

      --
      Saying Java is nice because it works on all OS's is like saying that anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.
    2. Re:The year of AMD in Dell? by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      well, we don't have something quite that spiffy in the open source world, but we do have this

    3. Re:The year of AMD in Dell? by Math,+The+Ancient · · Score: 1

      I need a new wife.

      --
      If I really am talking out of my ass...explain it to me with respect so I'll at least pull my ears out to listen.
    4. Re:The year of AMD in Dell? by ImaLamer · · Score: 1

      I need a midwife... QUICK!!!

  4. Been here... by Spokehedz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Heard that. I give it a month before they revert back to their intel ways...

    1. Re:Been here... by bessel · · Score: 1

      Yep... for a while I was holding out buying a new computer because I really wanted a Dell (Dell is pretty hassle free compared to most local mom and pop shops)... however, I didn't want to pay more for Intel CPUs when AMD is clearly leading the technology in the market. Eventually I couldn't wait any longer and bought another brand with AMD. I'm happy with the purchase.

      Not too long a go, my mother and a computer illiterate friend asked me which computer they should get. I asked them to check whether Dell supported AMD and if not, buy elsewhere. They bought elsewhere and are telling their friends as well.

      I really don't mind Dell. For the life of me, I can't understand why they don't support the technology leader in this industry.

    2. Re:Been here... by stretch0611 · · Score: 1
      Dell is pretty hassle free compared to most local mom and pop shops...

      I usually buy from the "local mom and pop shops." You can have your choice of Processor/MB/VidCard etc... If you look around it is not difficult to find one cheaper^T^T^T^T^T^T less expensive then Dell and I have not had problems with them backing up their product.

      That being said I do go with the major brands for laptops. This way I know I can get service on them in a few years before complete obsolecense.

      --
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    3. Re:Been here... by Spokehedz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I have never bought a 'name brand' computer in my life, and I never plan to. Why would I when I can make one myself out of parts I hand-pick to do exactly what I want and at the quality I want?

      I'm not big into sound, so a SB Live! 5.1 works just fine (~30 bucks) whereas a Dell will most likely come with a onboard sound chip--unless you ask for a card. Then its a 'custom' system, and it costs tons of money, and it adds time to get it here. Same as a videocard. I'm into games, so I need a high-end videocard. And they jack those prices waaay up, because they know that if someone is buying a 'gaming' system, they have money and won't ask questions. Or there rich and stupid. Either way, they get their money.

      Their laptops are good though... I own a C600 that's currently running Fedora, and it rocks. I upgraded the CPU (933mhz) the ram (512MB) and the HD (60gb) so its a very portable little system that allows me to use my GPS or play a quick game of HL (love that game) when it is break.

      Take any Dell system, and I bet that I can make a system that's exactly the same for cheaper. You won't get any 'extras' such as a crappy printer/scanner/fax/cheese grater along with it, but you'll get a computer none-the-less.

      And who says you need a new computer all the time? Generation Viagra doesn't need the latest-and-greatest... They need something to get on the Internet. Why not use a computer from a used-computer reseller? I work at a place (I won't name names) that sells tons of computers at dirt cheap prices. 2.8GHz machines (SSF, integrated everything) for 300 bucks. Add a Keyboard, monitor and mouse for 50 more bucks. Shipped. Lets see Smell beat that.

    4. Re:Been here... by itsdave · · Score: 1

      where can i get a p4 2.8 Ghz with 256mb ram and a 17" flat panel monitor for $499 +free shipping.... oh yeah, dell.

    5. Re:Been here... by blanks · · Score: 1

      "Take any Dell system, and I bet that I can make a system that's exactly the same for cheaper. You won't get any 'extras' such as a crappy printer/scanner/fax/cheese grater along with it, but you'll get a computer none-the-less."

      You might be able to make a cheaper system for FREE, aka not charging for your time, taking into consideration stocking charges, book keeping etc etc. Things that a company like Dell needs to keep track of and pay for, and when you include all the other crap that most people need anyways (yes people do need printers and fax machines).

      Also taking into consideration their random deals like free shipping, free monitor etc, bundled OS and software (that is not pirated, and windows based) then no, you can't beat dell.

  5. /. can influence this one. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Call Dell and say you want quotes for an Opteron system. Dell does listen to Customers.

    1. Re:/. can influence this one. by 0x461FAB0BD7D2 · · Score: 5, Funny

      And thus began the Slashcall effect.

      People would have to post torrents of mp3s of Skype calls after Dell's tech support in Bangalore goes down.

    2. Re:/. can influence this one. by maotx · · Score: 1

      1-800-999-3355
      Press 2
      Press 2 for buisness or 3 for home
      Press 2 for Computer or 4 for Server (buisness)
      Closed on Weekend

      Press 2 to order a computer (home)
      Press 2 for desktop or 3 for laptop (home)
      ~~~~~~~Live Rep~~~~~~~

      Rep: Hi this is *** How can I help you?
      ME: Hi, do you carry the AMD processor?
      Rep: Um, No we don't.
      ME: Oh...that's to bad. Do you have any plans on carrying them as I would really like to purchase one.
      Rep: Sorry will not be carrying them.
      ME: Well unfortunatly I will have to take my buisness elsewhere. Thank you for your time.

      --
      I'm a virgo and on Slashdot. Coincidence? Yes.
    3. Re:/. can influence this one. by quarkscat · · Score: 1

      But..., I don't want a Dell Opteron system.

      I am waiting for the new dual core Opterons, so
      I can order some dual processor/quad core RM
      systems from SUN. At least "they" will ship
      systems with linux installed, and without the
      cursed MSFT "tax". Besides, there are still a
      few US-based SUN call centers, if I should run
      into any problems.

  6. Dell using AMD? - Right by romanr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I wonder what kind of concession Dell wants from Intel this time 'round.

    1. Re:Dell using AMD? - Right by game+kid · · Score: 1

      Maybe they just believe Intel has to learn computers.

      (obviously desperate for video version)

      --
      You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
  7. Flip-Flop by bigtallmofo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Does anyone else get the feeling that Dell doesn't know what the heck they're doing with AMD?

    I guess everytime they want to apply pricing pressure on Intel, they submit a story to Slashdot.

    --
    I'm a big tall mofo.
    1. Re:Flip-Flop by Raul654 · · Score: 1

      Yes - Intel is deathly afraid of major vendors offering AMD as an option (or worse, switching entirely) and those vendors are obviously exploiting that fear

      --


      To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
      --E.C. Stanton
    2. Re:Flip-Flop by FidelCatsro · · Score: 1

      ;) They know what they are doing doing with AMD im guessing it involves

      1: Buying shares of AMD when they drop
      2: submit story to difrent news sources about using AMD chips
      3: Sell shares of AMD stock after the shares skyrocket
      4: Profit

      *Cough* but you did'nt hear that from me.. oh that and the getting intel to lower prices for Dell and raise prices for smaller competitors so as to gobble a larger market share

      --
      The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
    3. Re:Flip-Flop by Seumas · · Score: 1

      "They have fairly good technology".

      Talk about an understatement.

      But that's okay. I'll continue to not buy pre-built computers. Doesn't really matter to me either way. Well, unless I owned AMD stock - which I don't. :)

      Speaking of pre-built, I have a Gateway M305 laptop that is in perfect condition except that the male part of the power adapter (the part in the laptop that the adapter plugs into) has been pushed back or broken off or otherwise busted. So I can't plug my adapter in. Has anyone fixed this problem before? Gateway only gave me a 30 day warranty and it's an $800 laptop! I don't want to throw it away just because a 20 cent piece of conductive metal bent or broke. And if it broke, I don't want to take a soldering iron to it unless it's certain that it won't cause the adapter to short out or something next time I plug it in.

      If anyone could help, I'd appreciate it. Or if you just want to buy it from me and fix it yourself (it has a hard drive full of porn if you're interested), I'd be glad to consider offering it cheaply (half what I paid for it - it's only been used for a month).

    4. Re:Flip-Flop by FidelCatsro · · Score: 1

      It should be a simple case of replacing the pin if it has snapped off or been pushed back .. after all its just a thin metal pin or if the worst comes to the worst(i have no idea about the specific machine but it's all pretty much the same thing) you will need to solder on a replacment socket(far more likely and far eassier ,plus these socketts cost hardly anything) .
      However you are going to need to open the laptop up and if your not used to working on laptops or simmilarly spaced devices then save yourself the stress and take it to a repairs shop and pay the 30 quid to have it done for you

      --
      The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
    5. Re:Flip-Flop by ckaminski · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Dells fear with AMD has nothing to do with pricing, and everything to do with execution. The Athlon launch party was PLAGUED by delay and pipeline stalls in getting parts from AMD. Dell sells SO many computers that they don't want to be forced to turn customers away to competitors if AMD started rationing processors.

      Now that the Opteron has turned out to be everything it's cracked up to be, and in mass quantities in the channel, Dell is rightfully readdressing the AMD issue.

    6. Re:Flip-Flop by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      Gateway only gave me a 30 day warranty and it's an $800 laptop!

      You actually spent *$800* on a laptop that only comes with a 30 day warranty?

      Sorry to say this, but unless I'm missing something (I'm assuming it wasn't refurb or second-hand), and unless it was unbelievably good value (in which case, now you know why it was unbelievable), then I'm not sure you deserve any sympathy on this.

      Who on EARTH would spend that much on something that only came with a 30-day guarantee?

      And for what it's worth, anyone inside the EU considering bitching about US prices being far cheaper; now you know why. EU law pretty much guarantees you 1 year's minimum warranty of anything of note- US law doesn't.

      Matter of choice which system you prefer, of course, but I still can't get over anyone buying a laptop with a 30-day warranty...

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    7. Re:Flip-Flop by Seumas · · Score: 1

      I didn't need an expensive laptop. I wanted low-end. Unfortuantely, their low-end machines come with little to no warranty. Granted, because I paid for it with my Visa, the warranty is doubled (whoo two months). But it was a matter of "pay a couple hundred dollars to extend the warranty for a year" or ... not.

      Most problems could be taken care of as most of a laptop is modular and replaceable. Never in my wildest dreams did I fathom that the actual power connector would break.

      I much prefer the PowerBook I had a couple years ago (during my brief foray into Mac-dome). Next laptop purchase is surely going to be from a non-brand-name company that has tested and supported their machines with linux.

      As for Gateway's normal warranties - I'm not sure what they are but I think they're a full year - but that's with the $1500+ versions. I wasn't going to spend $200 or more on a slightly extended warranty for a laptop that itself was only $200. And the laptop was never intended to leave the house so it's not like it'd be dropped, lost, broken, etc.

      Oh well. Really, never getting a Gateway again. Especially after that thread regarding refunding WIndows that produced some good links to linux-friendly laptop sellers.

    8. Re:Flip-Flop by Math,+The+Ancient · · Score: 1

      "Oh well. Really, never getting a Gateway again." At least you have found the root cause of the problem. The answer, obviously, is to learn how to disassemble laptops and fix it yourself (kinda like the ol' days, eh?).

      --
      If I really am talking out of my ass...explain it to me with respect so I'll at least pull my ears out to listen.
    9. Re:Flip-Flop by at_18 · · Score: 1

      In the EU it's actually 2 years minimum warranty.

    10. Re:Flip-Flop by michrech · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Depends on how the connector was broken.

      I have repaired dozens of these. The main problem is that these sockets are not usually held down by anything other than the solder. If the pins of the socket that get soldered to the mainboard came off of the board, or snapped somewhere in the middle (I've seen both), I usually re-solder after using an epoxy to hold the socket in place (as should have been done by the factory).

      In the case of the pins actually breaking somewhere in the middle, I usually remove what's left of the pins that are still soldered to the board, take a very small piece of solid core wire (somewhere around 16 gague or smaller) and use it as a 'patch' to fix the pins. Then I solder in place.

      This should serve as a lesson to those of you who aren't careful with your laptops. DON'T leave them plugged in when you put them into it's bag. DON't position the laptop such that the cord can be stumbled over. And for Pete's Sake, PLEASE don't pick up the laptop to walk away and leave it plugged in. (These are the most common excuses I hear. The others usualy involved 'the children', but I have a feeling most of those (at least 60%) are really the adults blaming the children so as to not look so foolish)

      I ramble. That's my two cents.. :)

      --
      bork bork bork!
    11. Re:Flip-Flop by CastrTroy · · Score: 1

      How much did XBox cost when it first hit the shelves? I seem to remember $300 or $400. Either way, still not cheap. And it came with a 90 day warranty. People really don't seem to care. I would never buy an xbox simply because if they don't trust the product to last for more than 90 days, then why should I expect it to.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    12. Re:Flip-Flop by meatspray · · Score: 1

      Carrying around a laptop without a warranty is like driving a car with no brakes. You might get away with it for a little while, but it's just a matter of time before you're sorry.

      Laptops are far too fragile not to have coverage. Anyone that can't manage a laptop and an extended warranty should reconsider purchasing a laptop.

      As chincy as they feel, I'll be continuing to purchase Dell laptops for the $400 four year complete care warranty. I purchased a new laptop three years ago. Took it to work, tripped over the power cord, pulled it off a desk and broke the heck out of the case. I call Dell, theres a box next day. They replace the PIII 1.2Ghz with a PIV 1.4 in just three days. No questions asked. Since then, I've managed to crack a magnet in the CD burner and pop a key off, I send it back, they fix it and I have it back in a week. We have a bunch at work with the same deal, anything goes wrong, they come out and replace it doesn't matter how it happened.

      Anyway on to the help you requested.

      I've replaced those types of connectors on laptops.

      First off lay out a sheet of paper on a sturdy table. (not the one you're working on) Draw a diagram of the underside of the laptop. As you remove screws, place them on the appropriate point on the paper. (or otherwise track them to indicate where they came from) You'll want to do the same after you flip it over with another sheet of paper. Depending on your memory and disassembly skills you might do this for every layer you take apart.

      Most laptops it's a matter of unscrewing everything on the bottom and back to lift the top off, then taking everything thing out, top down until you can loosen the mobo. It's a lot of work to get to the mobo generally you have to remove everything as it's on the bottom.

      Once you have it out, most power connectors are soldered right on the main board. Unsolder it and start hunting for a replacement. I have a lot of resources for finding these things and once I couldn't locate a close match on it, I had to replace both male and female ends to get a box rolling.

      It's obvious you don't have a bunch of money to spend but if you're uncomfortable with small screws and a very complicated jigsaw puzzle, leave it to the shops or send it to Gateway.

      Chances are wherever you send it will want to replace the mobo. (sadly, people don't solder things anymore) Then again how much can a mobo cost in an $800 laptop...

    13. Re:Flip-Flop by Splab · · Score: 1

      Not entirely correct.
      You get 6 months full warranty, the next 6 months the company has to prove that you did something wrong in order to void warranty - and then for the last 12 months its up to the user to prove that the equipment was malproduced - thats what the law says, but most places they tend to give 2 years full warranty (at least here in Denmark) - Oh yeah, and if you turn something in, get it repaired then the warranty gets extended. My muvo died after 14 months of use, got it replaced with a bigger model and extended for 24 months - only expenses I had was buying the bus ticket to turn the hardware in.

    14. Re:Flip-Flop by Seumas · · Score: 1

      At least with a desktop, you're unlikely to hose the entire system because of one fuck-up. I can blow the whole motherboard and replace it for $100. With a laptop, blowing the motherboard results in a significant problem of replacing it (if you can find a suitable replacement and afford it).

      The laptop world is unfamiliar to a lot of us who only build or own equipment and have never ever bothered to buy a pre-built machine of any sort (including a laptop). Parts are a lot more interdependant and unless you can find someone with another broken version of your laptop, it can be hard to find replacement parts that are still appropriate.

      The laptop itself is pretty damn nice for the price. The power input was just very poorly designed. Aside from that, I was kind of impressed by it.

    15. Re:Flip-Flop by eander315 · · Score: 1

      This has happened more than once in the past. Dell turned down AMD, supposedly because they couldn't supply enough processors, and AMD was left with a large surplus that drove retail prices lower, causing AMD to lose money while gaining market share since their CPUs were hundreds less than Intel. Intel is an 800 pound gorilla, and when they throw their weight around, Dell listens.

    16. Re:Flip-Flop by Not_Wiggins · · Score: 1, Troll

      Dells fear with AMD has nothing to do with pricing, and everything to do with execution.

      You're on the right track but...

      The Athlon launch party was PLAGUED by delay and pipeline stalls in getting parts from AMD. Dell sells SO many computers that they don't want to be forced to turn customers away to competitors if AMD started rationing processors.

      Oooo... thought you were going to go down the right track, but you faltered. Dell's decision had less to do with the execution of AMD for delivery or production; it had more to do with extra support costs.

      From Dell's POV, they wouldn't want a second processor with a second socket/slot configuration, with non-interoperable motherboards because it would be a nightmare to maintain. Just the burn-in testing of all the different configurations they have in an Intel only world is an oppressive task. Basically take that effort and multiply it by a factor when you add in another "architecture." This is why Dell has been so resistant to adding AMD to their line. Of course, they get great business incentives by threatening Intel with adding AMD (and Intel gets to threaten "no more price break" if Dell adds AMD), but unless they're in danger of losing customers or they can figure out a way to do it much more cheaply (read: have off-shore tech people test configurations for $1/hour) they wouldn't make the move to AMD. The latter has more potential, methinks.

      Most likely, this is just a move to get better pricing out of Intel (for now).

      --
      Diplomacy is the art of saying, "Nice doggie!" until you can find a rock.
    17. Re:Flip-Flop by Seumas · · Score: 1

      Actually, the way mine broke was this:

      The power cord plugs into the very center of the rear of the laptop.

      The laptop was sitting on a little box on my bed, in front of me.

      Someone came to sit on the end of the bed; when they did, the laptop slid off the (six inch high) box and the weight of the laptop pushing down on the female part of the adapter that plugs into the laptop caused damage to the pin inside. Having not yet located the proper screw driver to remove the case, I have no idea what kind of damage to the pin is involved here.

      Really, it seems like a situation that should not have caused the kind of damage involved. The last laptop I used was a Dell and it had a three-prong (rubber) connector that plugged into a large input on the laptop. Short of pouring a bucket of acid over it, there was no way the connectors were going to be damaged in any way.

    18. Re:Flip-Flop by cixelsyd · · Score: 1
      IIRC, (to be somewhat back on topic) the new low-end Dell laptops (Inspiron 1200 and 2200) only come with a 90 day warranty now, rather than their traditional 1 year minimum.

      I'm sad to see many consumers will be duped into getting basically zero support (most problems don't crop up in the first 90 days anyway) because they want the lowest priced machine... Maybe if this 'Dell using AMD' rumor would actually come to fruition, they wouldn't have to settle for a 90 day warranty on a $599 laptop. I'm glad the shop I work for walks people through the process of buying a Dell, and would certainly not allow someone to buy only a 90 day warranty.

      --
      Take a dollar, divide it by 100, take two and call me in the morning.
    19. Re:Flip-Flop by Seumas · · Score: 1

      The main reason I never bothered with an extended warranty on that laptop (aside from the fact that I didn't intend to use it for anything other than somethign to work on in bed) is that buying an extended warranty strikes me much the same way the creeps at Best Buy or Circuit City do when they want to sell you an extra year for $200 on top of the two year warranty your purchase already has. It's usually a rip off, and that's the same way I approached the laptop.

      Next time, I probably will go for the best warranty option. Especially since I'll likely go with one of the linux-friendly shops mentioned in the other slashdot article this week. God knows I had a painful enough time trying to get Debian to behave well on that Gateway.

      And yes, I'll admit that the laptop was mostly just to surf porn without having to be at my desk. Bastards.

    20. Re:Flip-Flop by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      I didn't need an expensive laptop. I wanted low-end. Unfortuantely, their low-end machines come with little to no warranty. Granted, because I paid for it with my Visa, the warranty is doubled (whoo two months). But it was a matter of "pay a couple hundred dollars to extend the warranty for a year" or ... not.

      I thought this point would be obvious but.... no-one was forcing you to buy a Gateway.

      Unless it was *massively* cheaper than everyone else's (from what you said I get the impression it wasn't), I wouldn't touch anything with a warranty that short with a bargepole.

      Sorry, but a 30 day warranty on new equipment is ridiculous, and suggests that it's garbage.

      And I certainly wouldn't pay for an overpriced guarantee on top of that; better to buy a decent laptop in the first place.

      Most problems could be taken care of as most of a laptop is modular and replaceable. Never in my wildest dreams did I fathom that the actual power connector would break.

      Even if the replacements were modular, they're generally horribly overpriced, and unlikely to be available second-hand (via dead laptops) for relatively new models; if they were, I'd avoid that model like the plague!

      Of course, for half-decent models that are a few years old, it's a different story; that's not the position we're discussing, however.

      At the risk of repeating myself though; is a laptop whose manufacturer is only prepared to guarantee it for 30 days *ever* going to be worth the price they can produce it for?

      As I said, I'm lucky in that the EU pretty much forces warranties of (what I'd consider) a reasonable length (the UK already did this to some extent). But if this wasn't the case, I'd still be unwilling to buy something that came with a warranty less than one year; six months at a push (considering the bathtub failure curve, that's not as bad as it sounds).

      Repairs are expensive, so if you get a 1-year warranty, it's cheaper to make sure the machines work properly than to sell crap and repair it. And that's more convenient for me as well; I'm paying more for a guarantee of quality as much as a guarantee of repair.

      30 days... sorry, nope.

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    21. Re:Flip-Flop by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      if you turn something in, get it repaired then the warranty gets extended. My muvo died after 14 months of use, got it replaced with a bigger model and extended for 24 months

      Implication: Buy shoddy crap that'll fail within the 2-year guarantee period, and get free replacements for the rest of your life!

      Of course, they'll eventually figure out what's happening, and give you the product designed to last 3 years, just to spite you. ;-)

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    22. Re:Flip-Flop by ckaminski · · Score: 1

      You have a great point, and it makes sense. In the home market. Dell's continued resistance to the Opteron makes no sense, since at the moment it *IS* superior to the other available options. At least in the business group I'd expect AMD to make a presence, extra support cost be damned.

      The question is, how many units does Dell think it's losing to IBM and others?

    23. Re:Flip-Flop by KupekKupoppo · · Score: 1

      Except Dell support eats balls.

    24. Re:Flip-Flop by RM6f9 · · Score: 1

      Problem is, those nickels and dimes can add up to millions - add the leverage of trading options, rather than stocks, as well as the notion that options markets aren't usually scrutinized as hard for such suspicious "nickel-and-dime"ing, and... cha-ching!

      --
      Take the 90-Day Challenge! http://rwmurker.bodybyvi.com/
    25. Re:Flip-Flop by MrWa · · Score: 1

      Exactly. Part of the reason that Dell does not go with AMD is also their lack of manufacturing flexibility. Look for AMD to partner with a major foundry player to help create more wafer start ability - that will placate Dell.

    26. Re:Flip-Flop by jp10558 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but what I don't get is: why didn't you shop around even a little?

      Toshiba's cheap laptops $999 with rebate to $750 come with a 1 year warrenty.

      --
      Opera, Proxomitron-Grypen,GPG 0x0A1C6EE3
    27. Re:Flip-Flop by Not_Wiggins · · Score: 1

      You were kinda making sense, up until you mentioned the socket/slot thing. Intel's probably changed its socket system about five times more often than AMD over the last 5 years; I still have a socket A Duron 600 that'll plug into a modern socket A motherboard just fine

      To clarify... I wasn't referring to how often Intel/AMD change their socket/slot (ok, been a while since "slot") configurations... it was with respect to the fact that AMD and Intel use different configurations from each other. The ideal situation for a company like Dell is that AMD and Intel could use the same motherboards, memory, everything for all of their respective processors. Then, it would just be burn-in testing with a single motherboard.

      As it stands, since their are multiple packages, that means multiple motherboards with different chipsets, memory requirements, etc. Testing all of those combinations is a daunting business task; especially when Dell has leasing contracts and a needs to support those configurations for years. They need to keep an appropriate amount of inventory to replace X% of all those old configurations that may fail during that time... it soon gets to be less cost effective.

      This isn't an Intel vs. AMD thing... they'd be just as hard pressed to support VIA. So until it either becomes cheap enough to do so or there is a business demand for it such that they wouldn't survive without it, I wouldn't expect to see Dell add AMD anytime soon. Instead, I would bank on it being the same negotiation tactic they've used repeatedly with Intel over the years (and if Intel is willing to keep changing pricing over that kind of threat, why should Dell stop doing it?)

      --
      Diplomacy is the art of saying, "Nice doggie!" until you can find a rock.
  8. Will customers care? by eLamer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I find it hard to believe that the average dell customer, the essentially computer illiterate home user just looking to check their e-mail and use office software really cares what CPU they have, if they even understand the difference. If people are looking for a high-end machine to get better fps at "insert game here," they usually aren't even looking at Dell.

    1. Re:Will customers care? by Blackknight · · Score: 4, Informative

      Dells biggest customer is the U.S. government and corporate buyers. While some of them might not care I know the .gov is pretty picky about what goes into their systems.

      Also a lot of web hosting companies use Dell servers, it would be nice to be able to order dual Opteron boxes that include a support contract.

    2. Re:Will customers care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      our server room is 90 feet long, with racks and racks of Dells. If it means better performance, you bet we'll be interested. I'm going to make sure they hear from us.

    3. Re:Will customers care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Hm. Here in Ireland, Dell has their linux clustering group. I've got a feeling they'd love to offer opteron clusters to the european market, anyway. Dell's servers aren't quite as nice as IBM's, but sure are cheaper, and still have many features that home users and even ordinary linux geeks don't understand or need that add to the cost of professional machines for large clusters (remote management related, mainly, but also hot-swapping and such). I know they've probably lost several EU tenders for hundreds-to-thousands-processor clusters to Opteron vendors (note that IBM already offers cluster-oriented opteron servers...).

    4. Re:Will customers care? by MasterOfCeremonies · · Score: 1

      If it's cheaper then yes.

    5. Re:Will customers care? by back_pages · · Score: 1

      I work for the Department of Commerce and all of our computers were bought through yet-another supplier. I haven't looked the company up, but they appear to be your standard PC shop assembled machines, although they obviously had the capacity to provide my sub-organization of the DoC with 10,000ish machines.

    6. Re:Will customers care? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1
      The U.S. government is NOT AT ALL concerned about what goes into its PCs. If you think they are, you have been sorely misled. All the government in general cares about is who they will get the greatest benefit from giving the contract to. Every once in a while, the type of PC is a major factor, but in general the different branches and divisions thereof have their own process in place for purchasing hardware. The USAF in particular likes to use Micron. In some cases they have different standards for labs and for desktops.

      This is good news for anyone who wants to run AMD and who has a purchasing agreement with Dell. Most large organizations just pick a single vendor and buy everything from them, with the exception of some servers here and there. Most people buy their servers and their clients from the same vendor, as well. (It will be interesting to see what happens at my employer; we went from gateway to omnipro and I'm curious to see where we start buying servers. I'm pretty happy with gateway's 1u systems, but then I didn't have to pay for them.

      There's a whole raft of dual-processor 1U opteron systems out there. With dual-core processors, those systems are going to be insane powerhouses. The processing power per rack might even rival IBM :)

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    7. Re:Will customers care? by Math,+The+Ancient · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but the deficit would triple what it is now. Not to mention the fact Apple "was" dying until they changed the core operating system (or opened it, still debatable).

      --
      If I really am talking out of my ass...explain it to me with respect so I'll at least pull my ears out to listen.
    8. Re:Will customers care? by michrech · · Score: 1

      There are many companies like that (Premio, SysteMaxx, and Pionex immediatly come to mind)...

      You can find these brands with a google search.

      --
      bork bork bork!
    9. Re:Will customers care? by SunFan · · Score: 1

      Dells biggest customer is the U.S. government and corporate buyers.

      Another argument in favor of AMD is that Xeons are burning holes in companies' power bills. Tens of watts spread over hundreds or thousands of computers becomes a noticable item on the balance sheets. Everyone uses flourescent lighting, so why not get better computers, too?

      --
      -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
    10. Re:Will customers care? by maotx · · Score: 1

      Our company is a Navy Contractor. Every government PC that we acquired with the contract is either a BSI or Triton Elics; though to be fair it is because these are more rugged machines. However, our company has a Dell contract and every machine we purchase for ourselves and for behalf of the government is a Dell machine. Our engineers and draftsmen currently use a dual-Xeon processor for their machines to create CAD drawings. If Dell offered it I would use AMD to get better performance out of our software.

      --
      I'm a virgo and on Slashdot. Coincidence? Yes.
    11. Re:Will customers care? by PaschalNee · · Score: 1

      Intel has not spent eleventy bazillion dollars over the past 15 years on their 'Intel Inside' campaign for nothing. It was done to inextricably position Intel the minds of their target customers as the centre of the computer and the only CPU you'd want.
      The fact that the home user is, as you put it "computer illiterate" works in Intel's favour not against it. Many users will not buy a PC without the Intel Inside logo. I don't think that the B2B market cares as much about the Intel Inside factor though so maybe that's where Dell can start.

      http://www.intel.com/pressroom/intel_inside.htm

    12. Re:Will customers care? by Nasarius · · Score: 1
      it would be nice to be able to order dual Opteron boxes that include a support contract.

      You can already get those, from Sun.

      --
      LOAD "SIG",8,1
    13. Re:Will customers care? by General+Melchett · · Score: 1
      Many users will not buy a PC without the Intel Inside logo.

      I have seen this many times. When supplying a laptop to a customer not long ago, we were looking up some specs, and there were 2 options, one an AMD 2800 Sempron, and the other a Celeron M 1300. All other specs were nigh on identical, including RAM, HD and battery life and price.

      Now, after 20 Minutes of me explaining that for what he wanted to do, the AMD option would be better, all he could say was: 'I'd still fell better with a pentium'. Even after explaining the difference between this Mobile Celeron and Current P4 chips, still the same reply.

      It just worries me that in even when presented with facts (higher clock speed, larger cache, greater efficiency, generally *better*) that intel marketing makes people wary of other options.

      Bloody Marketing, makes me sick.
  9. Dupe from Dell by strider44 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Haven't they already said that several times? Someone at dell might just really hate AMD enough to play games with them.

    1. Re:Dupe from Dell by slavemowgli · · Score: 1

      It's not AMD they're playing games with but Intel. The whole talk about how they consider to offer AMD-based systems is most likely just meant to publicly put pressure on Intel to give them better prices.

      --
      quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
    2. Re:Dupe from Dell by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      It's worth AMD's effort to have a department on staff to lobby Dell, just in case.

      If HP doesn't stay in the PC business (who knows post-Carly) we're pretty close to seeing a market consisting of Dell, whitebox and Apple. IBM is out, Compaq is gone, Gateway went Bankrupt, EMachines isn't cheaper than Dell anymore, Micron is selling mostly memory...

      So having Dell sell your CPU's is pretty darn important.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  10. this guy is a deep sleeper by l3v1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    they have fairly good technology," said Rollins

    :] yup, and nukes can do a fairly large damage, and B. Gates if fairly wealthy, and Antartica is fairly cold, and

    --
    I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I can think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
  11. swap the words in the blurb.. by CrackedButter · · Score: 3, Insightful

    where ever it mentions AMD, swap this with linux and you can gauge the progress here. Dell is always "might" this and that.

    1. Re:swap the words in the blurb.. by timeOday · · Score: 5, Insightful
      I suppose you're right. However, compared to Linux vs Windows, there is a difference - from the end-user standpoint, Intel and AMD CPUs are practically indistinguishable, so it's an awfully easy switch.

      That said, I don't care too much. Even without Dell, AMD already has enough market pull to deflate Intel's once-ridiculous profit margins by about all they can. AMD processors aren't all that much cheaper than equivalent Intel anymore.

      I'm not sure what's behind the stagnation in CPU and RAM offerings and prices the last couple years. Maybe the weak dollar?

    2. Re:swap the words in the blurb.. by ckaminski · · Score: 1

      Heat. Physics. Little Green Men from Tatooine. Pick any two.

    3. Re:swap the words in the blurb.. by CrackedButter · · Score: 1

      Is Green men from Tatooine one choice or two?

  12. In other news by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 5, Funny

    RIAA setup bittorrent server,

    Duke Nukem Forever went gold,

    Microsoft unconditionally released source code to windows.

    Slashdot impliments dupe filter and story/author/editor moderation.

    --
    liqbase :: faster than paper
    1. Re:In other news by martyn+s · · Score: 1

      Actually it is a sentence, it was just missing a space. Try "RIAA set up bittorrent server". Ever hear of past tense?

  13. Re:Challenge To intel by metricmusic · · Score: 1

    Or that David has finally knocked over Goliath?

    --
    http://www.livejournal.com/users/metricmusic
  14. Fairly Good? by gihan_ripper · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Rollin's noncommittal comment that they have 'fairly good technology' certainly stands out. It confirms the impression he's trying to convey that Dell would only be interested in going with AMD if the customers really want it.

    Perhaps he intends to use this as a bargaining chip not with Intel, but with AMD!

    --
    Phoenix, Boston, Little Rock, see a pattern?
  15. AMD Inside? by bogaboga · · Score: 1

    What will it be this time? Will it be AMD inside?

    1. Re:AMD Inside? by 01000011011101000111 · · Score: 1

      Bad soundbite - the first letters aren't the same.... Maybe AMD Accellerated? AMD Active? AMDazingly Awesome? would be more likely...

      --
      Programming is an Art. I am an Artist. Does that mean I get to wear a daft hat?
    2. Re:AMD Inside? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      nah its the intel outside logo they are after.

  16. The keyword is different this time by TheCamper · · Score: 1

    Well, regardless of whether they accept AMDs or not, the key here this time around is, "if their customers really want them." So...perhaps someone should express that they really want them.

    1. Re:The keyword is different this time by Chubby_C · · Score: 1

      its funny most of the people here complain that Dell doesn't carry AMD, but more than likely they wouldn't even buy one from them if they did.

      --
      - My question is: Can Slashdot be Slashdotted? -
  17. In yet more other news by panurge · · Score: 3, Funny
    Cardinal Ratzinger said the next Pope might not be a Catholic
    A large number of bears were seen queueing outside a restroom

    Personally, though, I'm typing this on an AMD-64 Acer. Behind it is an iMac. What is this Dell and this Intel of which you speak?

    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    1. Re:In yet more other news by bob670 · · Score: 1
      "What is this Dell and this Intel of which you speak?"

      It is, for better or worse, what a large part of the computing population uses while you pat yourself on the back for being different.

  18. AMD == good for the bottom line by dubdays · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why haven't they done this before? I mean, a large part of their business is selling to corporations. AMD chips are very stable compared to what they used to be, they're cheaper, and they're plenty fast enough for standard business desktops. Being cheaper, you'd think most companies would go with the AMD, so that when it came time to upgrade a few desktops, it wouldn't break the budget.

    Personally, being the IT guy at my company, I always buy AMD systems. About the same bang for way less bucks. And let's face it, the suits up top love it when you can add a bit more to the bottom line.

    1. Re:AMD == good for the bottom line by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      probably a sweet deal with intel.

      they've said before that they're considering amd chips.. probably to get an even sweeter deal with intel.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  19. Dell flirting again to get Intel jealous... by Krankheit · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We have seen these articles before. However, with Intel having to switch to dual core to increase performance due to nearing a brickwall in the area of performance increase via CPU clock increasing, perhaps Dell sees AMD as a better partner. AMD is no longer the butt of egg frying on CPU jokes thanks to their new power saving chips that actually put out less heat than Intel's Pentium 4 offerings. If I were him, I would start with AMD64 servers, because without a 64-bit AMD server offering, I think Dell is losing alot of orders to other companies like MBX.

    --
    Powered by caffeine and sugar; BSD
  20. What? by CypherXero · · Score: 5, Funny

    FTFA:"We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology"

    Fairly good? What rock have they been hiding under all these years?

    1. Re:What? by LFS.Morpheus · · Score: 1

      I believe they've been hiding under this rock.

      (...every time I hear that Intel "chime" on TV I almost lose my mind...)

      --
      The space unintentionally left unblank.
    2. Re:What? by Deliveranc3 · · Score: 1

      The one where you don't give soundbytes that make you look like a chump when you get stabbed in the back by your marketting department?

    3. Re:What? by deek · · Score: 1
      • Fairly good? What rock have they been hiding under all these years?


      It's called the Rock of Haggling. The first rule of getting a good bargain is:

      • He who appears to want the least, gets the most.


      Mr. Rollins is obviously an experienced haggler. He can't overtly praise AMD, otherwise he looks too eager, and loses bargaining power.
  21. seen before... by diegocgteleline.es · · Score: 3, Informative

    This already was said in the past. It won't happen.

    See, Intel has 80% of the desktop market and 90-95% of the x86 server market. This is quite unlike to change. It doesn't really matters how fast are AMD CPUs, people seems to care more about the chipsets, and that's the achiles' heel of AMD, they just make CPUs not chipsets.

    With intel, I can buy a motherboard with a intel or serverworks chipsets, which is not exactly the same than a VIA/Nvidia shitty chipset that people uses with AMDs.

    1. Re:seen before... by pegr · · Score: 1

      It doesn't really matters how fast are AMD CPUs, people seems to care more about the chipsets, and that's the achiles' heel of AMD, they just make CPUs not chipsets.

      No, AMD just doesn't make chipsets.

      (Damn, did I just feed a troll?)

    2. Re:seen before... by argent · · Score: 1

      With intel, I can buy a motherboard with a intel or serverworks chipsets, which is not exactly the same than a VIA/Nvidia shitty chipset that people uses with AMDs.

      You're obviously not a gamer.

    3. Re:seen before... by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Insightful

      *With intel, I can buy a motherboard with a intel or serverworks chipsets, which is not exactly the same than a VIA/Nvidia shitty chipset that people uses with AMDs.*

      yeah it's not the same. via/nvidia offer more things people want on their desktop with reliability that is good for desktop(no problems there to be frank)while being lower priced....

      what exactly do you perceive the problem to be with, say, nforce3 chipset? or via's kt800? maybe you just buy intel because you don't bother to keep up with the choices?

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    4. Re:seen before... by m50d · · Score: 1

      You can't be serious about the quality of the chipsets. Have you ever tried to use an i810 for graphics or sound? My via82xx may be crappy in terms of features (no midi at all, not even FM synthesis, and no hardware mixing) but at least it actually works, which is more than I can say for any intel chipset I've tried

      --
      I am trolling
    5. Re:seen before... by happyhangone · · Score: 2, Informative

      Is not only the chipset, amd doesnt have the factory production to cover the demand that Dell can put on them... And if amd cannot cover it... the dell's direct model goes down in flame...

    6. Re:seen before... by ckaminski · · Score: 1

      It's relative. In the Intel world, the Intel chipsets are usually top of the line. In the AMD world, it seems (in my experience) that VIA is king dog.

    7. Re:seen before... by diegocgteleline.es · · Score: 1

      That the majority of AMD motherboards you see on store shelves are broken? Bullshit.

      Go to a store, buy a motherboard with a shitty chipset and fill all the PCI holes with a clever combination of expensive cards which forces the chipset to work hard to give all the neede resources to those cards.

      Sure, it'll work with only a nvidia card, but don't ask for more because low-end chipsets are designed to put nvidia cards in it, end of the story. The high-end x86 hardware is biased towards Intel, it's a fact and some people seem to hate facts. Perhaps AMD will get better chipsets with the time, but that's something that doesn't happend in a couple of months.

    8. Re:seen before... by k4rm4_p0l7c3 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      VIA makes _broken_ implementations - and their Windows drivers hide that fact. Ask any MythTV user with a Hauppage PCI card (a card that actually saturates the bus with data, and oh-gee it makes the bus run 100%) how they feel about VIA. VIA chipsets classicly hardlock under these loads.

      Anything VIA is shit under load. King dogs they are not..

    9. Re:seen before... by Courageous · · Score: 1

      Serverworks is currently working an AMD chipset...

      http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16272

      C//

    10. Re:seen before... by argent · · Score: 1

      I've a friend who likes to test mainboards, he uses several combinations of PCI cards filling all the PCI slots with expensive SCSI cards, etc

      Tell me, exactly how many gamers (the computer industry's equivalent of "audiophiles", except they're the biggest part of the performance market instead of being a profitable niche for boutique manufacturers) are going to "fill all the PCI slots with expensive SCSI cards, etc", compared to the number that will go "SLI! l33t!".

    11. Re:seen before... by Henk+Poley · · Score: 1

      Uhm, just as if Intel doesn't make shitty stuff from time to time. My only 'pure Intel' system is the system that I have the most driver trouble with, both on Windows and Linux. Okay, it has Broadcom WiFi, but the rest is Intel (yes I know, no native Broadcom WiFi drivers under Linux, I'm just talking about Intel parts).

      Especially the on-board graphics gives odd problems on Windows ("Could not start device" -> 640x480 with 16 colors, once every few days) and Linux (broken BIOS so driver won't go above 800x600).

      And the most ironic of all, this a Tablet PC. This means that the manufacterer had access to quite a few resources at Microsoft to get it working just right both hardware and software wise.

    12. Re:seen before... by Anonymous+Luddite · · Score: 3, Interesting

      >>>> With intel, I can buy a motherboard with a intel or serverworks chipsets, which is not exactly the same than a VIA/Nvidia shitty chipset that people uses with AMDs.

      >>You're obviously not a gamer.


      I think what DELL needs to do is start a second in-house "brand" just to build and market AMD based solutions. - When selling to business, it can be blown off as "our gamer line" and they can keep on pimping Intel... When sold to everyone else they can call it "our cost effective" line.

      It would work.

    13. Re:seen before... by NormalVisual · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I'll second that, given that I own a MythTV setup with two Hauppage cards. Runs just fine on my ancient PIII-700 with a 440BX chipset, won't run acceptably at all on my VIA-equipped machine with a CPU clocked at more than twice that. Heaven forbid VIA might consider DMA performance to be important.

      It's a real shame too - those Hauppage cards bring CPU utilization down to almost nothing, so you can still get some reasonably use out of your machine while you're recording two channels and playing back a pre-recorded show to another client.

      --
      Please stand clear of the doors, por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas
    14. Re:seen before... by argent · · Score: 1

      I think what DELL needs to do is start a second in-house "brand" just to build and market AMD based solutions.

      Maybe they can buy what's left of HP?

    15. Re:seen before... by mollymoo · · Score: 2
      Go to a store, buy a motherboard with a shitty chipset and fill all the PCI holes with a clever combination of expensive cards which forces the chipset to work hard to give all the neede resources to those cards.

      I have a VIA KT400 chipset board with a Duron 1400 in it. Two analogue and one digital PCI TV tuners, PCI NIC, PCI SCSI. 43 days uptime since I last rebuilt the kernel. That's good enough for me.

      --
      Chernobyl 'not a wildlife haven' - BBC News
    16. Re:seen before... by Math,+The+Ancient · · Score: 1

      "yeah it's not the same. via/nvidia offer more things people want on their desktop with reliability that is good for desktop(no problems there to be frank)" Oh, my. I would have to disagree with this statement with my own multi-year experience...sorry, but I consider VIA/NVidia as very UN-relisable with lots of problems. Not to mention the lacking of support. Perhaps this will improve as these vendors grow, but as the parent is trying to point out, it's the chipsets underneath that drive the system as a whole and VIA/Nvidia are just not up to par yet. Their platforms need vast improvement, imho.

      --
      If I really am talking out of my ass...explain it to me with respect so I'll at least pull my ears out to listen.
    17. Re:seen before... by rweller · · Score: 1

      Who's going to buy a desktop board and fill it full of SCSI cards?

      If you can only afford a desktop board the chances are you will be using SATA disks.

      If you got the money to fill a board full of SCSI cards you got the money for a proper server board...

    18. Re:seen before... by Math,+The+Ancient · · Score: 1

      "I have a VIA KT400 chipset board with a Duron 1400 in it. Two analogue and one digital PCI TV tuners, PCI NIC, PCI SCSI. 43 days uptime since I last rebuilt the kernel. That's good enough for me." Good for some games, maybe, but throw on a RAID5+ controller with two or three GB nics needed for redundancy. Fill up a storage array and put some serious "work" on it and you'll see how long you stay up if you don't freeze up due to compatibility issues (if you have any that will work with this chipset).

      --
      If I really am talking out of my ass...explain it to me with respect so I'll at least pull my ears out to listen.
    19. Re:seen before... by mollymoo · · Score: 1

      I case you couldn't guess from the 3 TV tuners, it doesn't get used for games, it's mostly a PVR box. It spends many hours every day chucking gigs of video around. Perhaps not serious work compared to the Pixar render-farm, but it sure as hell aint idle.

      --
      Chernobyl 'not a wildlife haven' - BBC News
    20. Re:seen before... by ashayh · · Score: 1

      People knows this, and there's a reason why intel has 90-95% of the x86 server market
      The reason why Intel has 90% of the server market is that same reason why Intel has 80% of the deskptop/laptop market share.
      People want brand names.

    21. Re:seen before... by stretch0611 · · Score: 2, Informative
      nvidia offer more things people want on their desktop with reliability...

      I can't talk about the nforce3 chipset. However, I bought a Athlon 2500+ XP with a nforce2 chipset as a windows gaming machine. It is the absolute worse machine I ever had in my life (and that is a lot of machines). Random BSODs, crappy audio driver that stops working, network driver that works intemittently, and a guarentee of a BSOD if I try to burn 2 CDs/DVDs without rebooting after each one.(Occassionally I can't even burn one).

      Also, I use a KVM switch for multiple computers. For this machine (and only this machine) If I do not have the KVM set to it for the entire boot process it will change my monitor refresh rate to something unusable that can only be fixed by going back to VGA and reinstalling the video drivers. If I leave a blank CD/DVD in the burner during boot it will not recognize the drive until I reboot. Twice I had to reinstall windows to get it to re-recogize the burner.

      I prefer Linux to windows. I would love to blame these problems on windows but I know I can't. These are all problems of the MB/Chipset. That is why I will not by an nforce chipset in the future.

      --
      Looking for a job?
      Want your resume written professionally?
      DON'T USE TUNAREZ!!!
    22. Re:seen before... by UnrefinedLayman · · Score: 1
      Good for some games, maybe, but throw on a RAID5+ controller with two or three GB nics needed for redundancy. Fill up a storage array and put some serious "work" on it and you'll see how long you stay up if you don't freeze up due to compatibility issues (if you have any that will work with this chipset).
      Do the same with a Celeron 1.4 GHz and and an old sub $75 dollar Intel board and you'll run into the same problems. You're talking about running a medium sized server off a Duron -- get with the program here, buddy. It's not a matter of platform, it's a matter of the throughput and capability of the board.

      Anyone that tries to use a desktop board, desktop processor, and desktop memory for a server with a RAID 5 array and multiple gigabit ethernet links is an idiot that deserves to crash and burn. Neither Intel nor AMD have motherboards in that price range for that performance level that can support that much traffic across the PCI bus. This is why they make servers. This is why there are $75 motherboards and $400 motherboards.

      Put up an Opteron server and a Xeon server with the same configs, throw them head to head, and the results come out like the typical desktop results. Intel leads on some benchmarks, AMD on others, and the fanboys end up drawing ridiculous comparisons to claim they're right.
    23. Re:seen before... by Xross_Ied · · Score: 1

      Which brand on motherboard was this nforce2 board?

      YMMV but cheap manufacturer's cut corners on board design, caps, etc using the same chipset, just sell a motherboard that is $50 cheaper than the rest.

      Again YMMV.

      --
      This sig space tolet, reasonable rate.
    24. Re:seen before... by toddestan · · Score: 1

      Chipsets are a big problem in the AMD world. Via chipsets have issues, unless you have no need for PCI slots. All of the AMD chipset based boards for the MP/XP boards I have had experience with were flakey (don't ever build an Athlon MP server unless you like headaches). Ditto for nForce, not much experience with them. But Intel chipset+Intel chip=solid system, even if it is a little slower.

    25. Re:seen before... by TheIrishScion · · Score: 1

      What do I perceive the problem to be with?

      Predictability. I've built about 10 custom PCs per year for the last 9 years (averaged out a bit, obviously, and not including production runs of one particular machine) and over that period I've consistently had an order of magnitude more trouble with non-Intel chipsets.

      This isn't anything to do with processor architecture, it's everything to do with predictable, reliable, consistent and supported chipsets. I'm quite sure there are absolute gems in the VIA/SIS/nVidia/etc lineups but honestly, I can't be bothered trying to ferret them out anymore. It's much more reliable to buy an Intel board (or a board with an Intel chipset at least) and bung an Intel processor on it and ship it out. (So, yes, I don't bother to keep up much with the choices, though I do watch events with interest. I just doesn't seem a good use of my time.)

      The people who pay me to build systems for them (and it's neither a service I advertise, nor is it cheap) do so because I build fast, quiet, robust and predictable (though not price conscious) PCs. Unfortunately, I usually can't do that without using Intel gear. Which is a pity, I hate Chipzilla's business practices about as much as anyone else out there. If I saw a viable alternative in AMD based systems that would allow me to assemble a faster, more capable machine for less money and without sacrificing the attributes of robust and predictable, I'd be all over it.

      All that said, if Intel don't sort out the heat problems with the latest P4s, I may have no good options. As ever, life is a series of compromises...

    26. Re:seen before... by stretch0611 · · Score: 1
      I'll double check; but I'm 90% sure that it was an ASUS motherboard.

      In the mean time, What does YMMV stand for? That is a new one to me.

      --
      Looking for a job?
      Want your resume written professionally?
      DON'T USE TUNAREZ!!!
    27. Re:seen before... by Nazmun · · Score: 1

      If your putting in more then two "expensive" scsi cards (this much even low end amd boards will handle quite well--i have a setup with two+other pci cards) then you shouldn't be running a desktop board like that. You need to get a workstation or opteron board. NForce pro series is not that much more expensive. But for general home/gaming/enthusiast use amd boards even on the low end have enough pci performance. You will not realistically find many using all pci expansion slots with high end scsi cards (that alone would cost several times the mobo price).

      --
      Hmmm... Pie...
    28. Re:seen before... by Nazmun · · Score: 1

      Thats funny, i currently use that same chipset and it's been working solid for over two years now. Even the fsb has been overclocked by about 33% all this time. There's a good chance you just have a defective board made by some ultra cheap motherboard maker. There are many taiwanese companies that will cut a lot of corners to make the mobo cheap. The chipset itself is excellent. From the sound of it you bought a cheap pc from a cheap manufacturer :( and are now feeling the burn.

      During test time i ran some extreme testing programs that worked the chipset and the processor for long periods of time. Basically ran both the chipset 5% slower from the point i was error free. IE, at 200mhz the fsb was working just fine after a long 12 hour burn in test (zero calculation errors--overworking some compaq amd machines that some relatives bought did not fair as well), i'd run it at 190 mhz (motherboard was made to run at 133mhz).

      Then and again i built my machine myself and handpicked almost every component, everything was from a reliable/reputable company...nothing purely on price (many small pc manufactures will choose the cheapest components).

      --
      Hmmm... Pie...
    29. Re:seen before... by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      I've pretty much done that with several amd boards for couple of years without problems. stop saying that the boards wouldn't WORK - they do. if they didn't you could take 'em back anyways. that's like saying that honda couldn't carry 5 persons because you happen to like fords.

      *Sure, it'll work with only a nvidia card, but don't ask for more because low-end chipsets are designed to put nvidia cards in it, end of the story.*

      that's just total bullshit from design point of view, sounds like myths you'd hear on boards filled with uninformed people.

      maybe you need to go out and actually go out or check some msg boards discussing these things. high end x86 is not biased towards intel in the fashion that you say.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    30. Re:seen before... by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      *Most of the VIA/nvidia chipset can't even be used. They don't work, even in win nt, etc. Several of them don't even pass the post bios test. Intel chipsets and cia usually do well most of the time*

      ok. now i know it. you're a troll on high. claiming weird shit like that is just too much.

      "yeah.. coca cola usually kills you if you drink it. i think pepsi is better."

      and check your numbers.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  22. Bit tardy for an April fools joke ... by RedDirt · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Dell's talked about this before and it's always seemed to me that they play the AMD card in order to force Intel to give 'em a sweeter deal. Sort of like when AOL threatens to use Netscape instead of IE as their default web browser. Just exerting leverage - they won't really ever do it (though I'd love to be proven wrong).

    --
    James
  23. Actually by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology," said Rollins.

    AMD's technology is on par with Intel. It's their marketing that falls short.

    1. Re:Actually by mollymoo · · Score: 1
      AMD's technology is on par with Intel.

      All the people buying 64-bit servers agree with you there. I almost got trampled to death by a bunch of guys rushing to get Itanium boxes the other day.

      --
      Chernobyl 'not a wildlife haven' - BBC News
    2. Re:Actually by SunFan · · Score: 5, Informative

      AMD's technology is on par with Intel.

      The Opteron vs. Xeon reviews lately show AMD winning quite handily. In one review the Xeon overheated, and the author had to keep the case open to finish the tests!

      I think Intel has put so many resources behind Itanium, that AMD64 and Opteron really took them by suprise. Just comparing the HT architecture to Xeon's old shared-bus architecture is really telling. The fact that Sun is jumping all over Opteron and not Xeon is also interesting.

      In x86-land, AMD is now tremendously underrated, and Intel is riding on pure inertia.

      --
      -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
    3. Re:Actually by goldmeer · · Score: 1
      In x86-land, AMD is now tremendously underrated, and Intel is riding on pure inertia.

      We are talking a LOT of inertia here.

      Think:

      Aircraft carrer meets a wind surfer.

      Freight train meets a shiny new penny.

      Chinese tank meets a protester in Tiananmen Square.

      Personally, I have no machines running Intel X86 processors, (Athlon and C3 systems) but I do recognise the gorilla for it's 800 Lbs.

    4. Re:Actually by SunFan · · Score: 1


      Intel is last to commodity 64-bit processors, Intel will be last to multi-core processors, Intel's top-end processors use way too much power, and Intel has apparently hit a big MHz wall. They are forced to adopt a competitor's ISA (AMD64), they are forced to retract to the Pentium M to sidestep the limitations in the Pentium 4, and there's only a handful of companies in the whole world selling Itaniums.

      That inertia is probably enough to pull them through the next business cycle, but it'll be interesting to see how the landscape has changed by then.

      Microsoft is in the same boat, BTW. Longhorn, when?

      --
      -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
  24. Can Dell do spec AMD systems today? by JoeMerchant · · Score: 1
    I went to our IT manager and discussed getting a Quad-Opteron system with 32GB of RAM - we're a Dell shop, and he acted like Dell could supply this if we would spec it - wonder if that is something Dell does on spec, or if they were just thinking of trying to bait and switch me to an Itanium system?

    ----------

    ICLOD, a better way to waste your real life....

    1. Re:Can Dell do spec AMD systems today? by TheLink · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Just go do it for fun...

      After all Dell said if enough customers demand it...

      And actually I think Dell do listen. After all they brought back some call handling to US from India after there were complaints. In contrast HP has done like what?

      Just in this case I think Dell have got a really really sweet deal with Intel. So they'll see how much they can squeeze Intel. And then they'll go do the figures and then the rest of us can go try guess how sweet the deal was and the next deal is...

      --
  25. Re:Challenge To intel by lrosa · · Score: 1

    Could be: Compaq did the same thing many times. But can also be a way to offer alternatives. I hope for the latter. Ciao, luigi

  26. If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by argent · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I mean, nVidia just did this new P4 chipset to let you pull their dual-GPU trick on Intel, and since all the hardcore gamers use Athlon-64 about the only market for this chipset is Dell. If Dell starts shipping AMD there goes the market...

    1. Re:If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Good. There's no reason for nVidia to support intel. The only people buying two of their cards are willing and usually even eager to go Opteron. Piss on Dell anyway, would YOU purchase a high-end engineering workstation from them? Or a high-end game machine? I have no qualms about recommending or purchasing dells for everyday use, because these days a PC is a PC is a PC, but why even bother supporting high-end gaming on the second-place processor? Lots of people will throw down $300 on a video card so they can play the latest games; hell, a video game console costs that when it's new. Not very many people are going to spend $600.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by argent · · Score: 1

      There's no reason for nVidia to support intel.

      Dell's money spends as well as anyone else's.

    3. Re:If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Dell can use AMD in high-end gaming systems as well as anyone else. (Actually, they probably can't; it will take them some time to spin up and get their stupid BIOS tweaks right on a new platform.) Dell has probably resisted it thus far because having one supplier and one architecture is simpler and thus cheaper. You have to be pretty sure you're going to make enough money when you take on another supplier to provide enough incentive to actually do it.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by argent · · Score: 1

      Dell can use AMD in high-end gaming systems as well as anyone else.

      Well, yes, they could, but they don't. That's why we're discussing the possibility of Dell shipping AMD on slashdot to begin with.

      Which brings us back to nVidia's new chipset. The only reason I can think of for nVidia to bother supporting SLI on P4 is because Dell only ships Intel and they're the biggest computer manufacturer in the world. If they start building AMD-based gamer boxes, there goes the market for nForce 4 for P4.

    5. Re:If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I think a more likely reason is that nVidia wants to get their slice of the Pentium pie. Advertising works and a lot of monkeys are sold on the P4 even though, well, it sucks. :) Seriously though, the P4 is not going away until intel takes it away because they have so much mindshare, no matter how much better the AMD offerings are. Why not come up with a chipset to let them get a piece of that pie, too? If not them, then someone else...

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    6. Re:If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by argent · · Score: 1

      drinkypoo: There's no reason for nVidia to support intel.

      drinkypoo: I think a more likely reason is that nVidia wants to get their slice of the Pentium pie.

      Will the real drinkypoo please stand up?

    7. Re:If Dell does AMD, nVidia will be pissed... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Well, I was exaggerating the first time. There is always a reason, and the reason is money. On the other hand, I doubt the long-term viability of producing a SLI chipset for Pentium IV, because P4 is on its way out. Maybe not immediately, but pretty soon.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  27. cheaper AND (often) faster...win/win by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I don't think I'd buy Dell servers anyway, but I *certainly* won't entertain it at all if I can't get them with Opteron processors. For the kinds of tasks we generally run on my company's server farm, the Opteron is noticibly faster AND cheaper per unit. A no brainer choice.

    As near as I can tell, unless you are going to use a system for a particular GAME that's optimised for Intel cpus or plan to do media encoding, Intel is going to be playing 2nd fiddle to AMD for the near term.

    Given that Dell tends to cater to the generally uninformed masses and middle market businesses, perhaps they feel that their customers simply don't know or don't care to know what the real difference is. In the absense of shrinking market share, perhaps they feel they'll make more money by consolidating their production around one particular architecture.

    *shrug*

  28. Fairly Good by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 5, Insightful
    "We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology"

    Nobody seriously considering changing suppliers calls the new supplier's stuff "fairly good." What's their slogan if they make the switch?

    Dell Computers - Now with fairly good technology!

    1. Re:Fairly Good by netzwerg · · Score: 1

      Well, that would be quite an improvement!

  29. Re:Buggy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Funny.. I run an AMD Athlon XP2600+ and have been running this system with an Abit board for about 2 years now.

    I don't remeber the last time it crashed on me actually - it has been impeccably reliable, and performance is still good despite its age!

  30. Oh yeah? by ElvenMonkey · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I reckon timing is about right.. its been, what, 5 or 6 months since the last time 'Dell might have been going to do AMD'. I've lost count of how many times this has been claimed, its certainly been going on for something like 5 years now. I'll believe in an AMD based Dell the moment I see one for sale on their website. Till then the speculation is pointless, Dell have always done this to ensure Intel continue to give them good prices.

    --
    "Joy is not in things; it is in us." Richard Wagner
  31. Gateway screwed up by Morky · · Score: 1

    When they couldn't beat Dell on price, Gateway at least had AMD chips as a way of differentiating themselves. Then they dumped AMD; bad move.

    1. Re:Gateway screwed up by hawaiian717 · · Score: 1

      Gateway's eMachines line still offers a product with Athlon64.

      --
      End of Line.
  32. Welcome to 1995 Dell by Control-Z · · Score: 1

    AMD CPUs have been 100% compatible, usually cheaper, and often faster for 10 years or more. What took them so long to realize that?

    1. Re:Welcome to 1995 Dell by daishin · · Score: 1

      Well, to be fair to Intel, AMDs chips used to overheat. Ever used a thunderbird processor?

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      (> <) to help him achieve world domination.
    2. Re:Welcome to 1995 Dell by DreadCthulhu · · Score: 1

      Well, now Intel's processor's are the ones with heat problems. Ever used a Prescott processor?

    3. Re:Welcome to 1995 Dell by SirTalon42 · · Score: 1

      I'm going to take on that challenge! I have a 3 ghz p4 in my laptop and its running at:

      temperature: 48 C

      Thats running really well considering about a month ago before dell repaired my laptop it was running at 60+

    4. Re:Welcome to 1995 Dell by toddestan · · Score: 1

      In 1995, the K5 would of been top chip in the AMD world, nothing special at all (the 586-133 rocked though). You probably mean around 1997, when the K6-2 came onto the market and offered some serious competition for Intel.

  33. Good Move by fatman22 · · Score: 5, Funny

    If Dell, who has a significant presence in Austin, were to start buying from AMD, who also has a significant presence in Austin, they may be able to get some tax breaks from the Austin city council, who also have (unfortunately for Austin residents) a significant presence on Austin.

    1. Re:Good Move by OO7david · · Score: 1

      Yes they do, but at least now we can go complain in style with the new city hall.

  34. I'd like to see AMD tell Dell to piss off by JudgeFurious · · Score: 4, Insightful


    I know it's an impossibility and AMD would be insane to do it but Dell seems like they've played this particular note so many times in the past that I'd like to see AMD answer once with a press release going something like this:

    Today, in one of the strangest announcements by a technology company in recent memory AMD said that their rival Intel should in no way be concerned about the recent comments from computer maker Dell and that no Dell computer would ever feature an AMD processor regardless of how much Dell was willing to pay for them. Said AMD "Dell makes crap and we won't be a party to it at any price!"

    --
    Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
  35. AMD+DELL=bad idea by brontus3927 · · Score: 1
    Thank god it's not actually going to happen. Dell manufactures some of the biggest peices of shit on the market. If Dell started shipping AMD proccessors, More people would associate AMD with their Dell-related problems and the reputation of AMD would suffer.

    AMD is better off for not having the proccessors in Dell's computers. It would mean more sales, but it would mean more people would have problems with computers built with AMD proccessors. In the end, AMD wins without Dell

    1. Re:AMD+DELL=bad idea by argent · · Score: 1

      You don't get to be the #1 computer vendor of all time by selling shit.

      Nice theory. Pity that so many companies from Commodore (#1 personal computer manufacturer with the Commodore-64), Radio Shack (TRS-80 outsold Apples for years), through Gateway and Dell have proven that most people can't tell a hawk from a handsaw and buy the cheapest shit they can instead of paying extra for quality.

      You get to be the #1 personal computer manufacturer by selling the cheapest boxes, whether they're shit or not is more or less irrelevant.

    2. Re:AMD+DELL=bad idea by ckaminski · · Score: 1

      Now ask youself, how a company shipping millions of dollars a year, is going to stay at the top of the heap by having a huge percentage of those things coming back? Or sending millions of replacement parts. They may not be the BEST in quality, but that doesn't make them shit, either.

    3. Re:AMD+DELL=bad idea by argent · · Score: 1

      Now ask youself, how a company shipping millions of dollars a year, is going to stay at the top of the heap by having a huge percentage of those things coming back?

      There's all kinds of shit in the world, it's not all explosive diarrhea. Sometimes you'll eat shit and you know it right away, but not always. There's the kind that lies in wait, delayed action shit, that you can't smell until you've had the machine for a year or two... until something goes wrong and you have to fix it... until you want to expand it, because your needs have changed... whatever.

      We had an IT manager who was really fond of Dells, for a while. Lucky for us she was also responsible for fixing them, and had the class to come and tell me I was right about them all along. "Never buy a computer from a company whose name rhymes with Hell", I said, "Dell, Packard Bell, Gateway"... "Gateway doesn't rhyme with Hell", she pointed out. "Just wait", I said, "You'd be amazed what it rhymes with when you get going..."

    4. Re:AMD+DELL=bad idea by Frumious+Wombat · · Score: 1

      The first replier has the answer:

      You buy their good equipment, the workstation-class Dimensions or the midrange and up serveres or their ultra-light but pricey laptops, and they will be fine for years. You buy their loss-leader home-user systems, and you'll be better off whacking yourself in the shins with a hammer.

      We had a couple of the old dual-proc, PIII 220/420 systems, which were fast when they came out over four years ago and they're still running fine. Last I knew one had entered an afterlife as a NIS master, after the addition of a RAID card and some more memory. OTOH, someone bought the cheap, home-based ones, and most of those ended up being cannibalized to keep others running.

      Dell can make good stuff, but their good stuff costs as much as everyone else's good stuff, and at that point, you have to start evaluating them by other criteria, such as how quickly, with how little hassle, will they fix problems, or how easily can you upgrade them in the future (*cough* rdram *cough*)

      --
      the more accurate the calculations became, the more the concepts tended to vanish into thin air. R. S. Mulliken
    5. Re:AMD+DELL=bad idea by Vegeta99 · · Score: 1

      Yanno, the only gateway I bought came in a nice midsize case. It was a Pii-450, with many expansion slots and thumb screws for the back. I've never, ever had problems with it. It still runs as an MP3 server. In my car.

    6. Re:AMD+DELL=bad idea by argent · · Score: 1

      Damn, you got the good one.

    7. Re:AMD+DELL=bad idea by argent · · Score: 1

      So where are Commodore, Radio Shack and Gateway now?

      Radio Shack is selling HPs, Commodore got trampled by the fued between Jack Tramiel and Irving Gold, and Gateway got undercut by Dell and couldn't keep shipping shit as cheaply.

      Dell still seems to be doing fine,

      So's Microsoft, and dear god do they push some bad shit... in EVERY sense of the word.

  36. Don't please don't!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    If Dell will do this what will happen soon:
    1. I'll get AMD notebook and desktop at work (100% Dell oriented) because they are cheaper
    2. C# compiler will be running faster
    3. My boss will force me to work faster because of that

    NOW, I CAN ALWAYS SAY:
    This cannot run faster because it's Intel

    If they do this, I'll be P4 for gaming in opposite. :)

  37. Re:Buggy? by zakezuke · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have an AMD box that I put a video-capture card into and I wouldn't be able to capture more than a few minutes of video before the system would either lock-up or spontaneously reboot.

    It's just as likely you have a flacky motherboard or flacky ram as chipset incompatibilities. For example, my system here started to suffer from random reboots and crashes till I finally isolated the problem to the memory having single bit errors when warm. I run an AMD 2800xp, have 3 drives, and my PCI slots are full. While my cooling system should be adquate [120mm case fan running 5v rather than 12v, 90mm power supply fan, 70mm cpu fan, 60mm GFX fan]. My issues go away when I use PNY memory, and they go away when I add fans and run coverless. I am able to capture up to 4hrs of video without crashing.

    One of the reasons I started going with VIA chipset motherboards was the compatibility with a vast variety of memory including that cheepo stuff. The disadvantage is you get given this cheepo stuff that people can't use on their intel chipsets that has intermittent hard to diagnose issues. Also many OEMs designate AMD as the cheep system and use sub standard parts doesn't really help matters.

    There were issues with non-intel chipsets in the 1990s. Microsoft was pretty much an intel only house and no thought was given to anything else. I remember many headaches with TNT2 video cards and both Cyrix and VIA chipsets. But these days AMD is very popular at MS esp since the AMD Opteron.

    Why not bring up your issues on your friendly neighborhood capture card news group, and your motherboard's newsgroup. If nothing else there always is someone out there to help you with trouble shooting, or perhaps someone already documented the issue.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  38. Re:Buggy? by zakezuke · · Score: 1

    Funny.. I run an AMD Athlon XP2600+ and have been running this system with an Abit board for about 2 years now.

    Agreed. I have one Asus k7v333 with Crucial that has been running a xp2000 for a couple of years now. Wasn't so stable under winme, very very stable under 2k and xp.

    My biostar vip pro motherboard with generic memory, not so stable, but that's been resolved with different memory.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  39. It's well known by labratuk · · Score: 2, Informative

    Dell has said this every 6 months or so for the past.. well, since I can remember. They say it to get better deals from intel. In 2 months you'll have a story saying 'Dell decided to stick with intel after all'.

    --
    Malike Bamiyi wanted my assistance.
  40. How many times.... by twodot72 · · Score: 1

    How many times will the "news" that Dell is "looking at AMD" make the headlines? We all know it'll never actually happen.

    Rollins also said they may use AMD if their customers really want it. Yeah right.

    Luckily, where I work, we just switched to a supplier who actually offers AMD today, so now we can finally get Opterons. This is the only strategy that will work for companies that want Opteron. Dell will never offer it. Won't happen. AMD processors have been requested for years. They say they listen to their customers, but they really don't.

  41. But what motherboard chipset will Dell use? by MtViewGuy · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I think Dell will use nVidia's nForce series of chipsets if they do decide to build machines using AMD CPU's. Also, Dell will probably limit themselves to the Athlon 64 CPU's for their desktop machines (they likely won't support Sempron CPU's initially because currently Sempron doesn't support x86-64 instructions).

  42. What is this crap? by t_allardyce · · Score: 2, Funny

    So basically what they're saying, is that they asked their customers what they wanted and now they will give them what they wanted... This is exactly the sort of non-sense non-news press release thats designed to get free advertising by pretending to be informative. All Dell are saying is that they might start selling a product if the demand is there, D'UH thats exactly what 1000's of businesses around the world do every day. It would be news if Dell came out and said "actually you know what? we've been using Intel for years and we don't actually have any sort of market research team checking for better products or customer opinion because infact we don't give a shit and we're going to just keep selling whatever crap we feel like even if no-one buys it because thats the sort of chaps we are".

    In other news, IBM have announced that they will continue to sell high-performance e-business slutions at competative prices and are currently developing new products based on the current industry trends!

    --
    This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
  43. Re:Just how monopolistic do Dell and Intel have to by ckaminski · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, everyone's missing it. It's not pressure on Intel, it's pressure on AMD. Dell is saying to AMD, you must, ABSOLUTELY FUCKING MUST, meet our part quota every quarter, no shortchanging us, no sending our parts to IBM, Acer, Toshiba, because we're gonna ship 250,000 units this year, and we're not going to lose our hardwon customers to someone else. So get your shit in gear, and once you prove you can keep the pipeline FLOODED, we'll talk.

  44. Re:Flip-Flop [OT] by Seumas · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I've never done anything more with laptops than changeout the drives and ram. I'd called two local shops and neither was willing to work on it. *grumble*

    I wasn't sure what the adapter was like on the board, so wasn't sure if it was a matter of soldering on a module or not. If I can find the right screw driver this week, I'll pull this puppy apart and see what's up.

    I'm definitely not buying laptops with this kind of connector ever again though. What a dumb, clumsy idea.

  45. Dell's CEO following slashdot fashion... by brainnolo · · Score: 1

    Looks like:

    while(1)
    {
    uint8_t intelLoweredPrice = 0;

    while(!intelLoweredPrice)
    {
    uint8_t newPrice = checkIntelPrice();
    printf("We might start using AMD\n");
    if(newPrice currentPrice)
    {
    intelLoweredPrices = 1;
    currentPrice = newPrice;
    }
    }
    sleep(7776000); // 3 months
    }

    1. Re:Dell's CEO following slashdot fashion... by isometrick · · Score: 1

      12193206.c: In function `main':
      12193206.c:15: error: parse error before "currentPrice"
      12193206.c:18: error: `currentPrice' undeclared (first use in this function)
      12193206.c:18: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
      12193206.c:18: error: for each function it appears in.)

    2. Re:Dell's CEO following slashdot fashion... by brainnolo · · Score: 1

      It didn't mean to be a complete program, it was a snippet.

    3. Re:Dell's CEO following slashdot fashion... by vonsneerderhooten · · Score: 1
      You should've used proper html
      <snippet>
      tags then.
  46. There is a reason Dell is #1. by glrotate · · Score: 1

    They assemble a reliable machine and, as a company, are a dream to work with. If you are a company of reasonable size, ordering and support are prompt and hassle-free. I work for a large leasing company, and since technically it's our cash upfront, we own tens of thousands of Dell PC's and servers. You ought to see the free stuff we get around here.

    1. Re:There is a reason Dell is #1. by plague3106 · · Score: 1

      They assemble a reliable machine and, as a company, are a dream to work with. If you are a company of reasonable size, ordering and support are prompt and hassle-free. I work for a large leasing company, and since technically it's our cash upfront, we own tens of thousands of Dell PC's and servers. You ought to see the free stuff we get around here.

      Are you saying they can't assemble a reliable machine on AMD chips? Would using AMD change any of the other reasons you sited?

  47. Dell is screwed by Brian+Stretch · · Score: 3, Interesting

    AMD doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to supply the entire world + Dell. If Dell loses their massive Intel CPU discounts, they lose the bulk of their competitive edge. If they don't offer Opteron servers (especially now that the dual-cores are coming out), they're going to take a nasty hit to their server sales. Until AMD has the capacity to mostly replace Intel, Dell just has to smile and say "Do you want HypeThreading with that?" and hope people keep buying. It helps that most people are too clueless to know what they're missing, plus even a Celeron is enough to "surf the Information Superhighway, d00dz!"

    Next year, when AMD's new 65nm fab is up and running and Charter (and IBM?) start fabbing AMD CPUs too, THEN things will get interesting.

    1. Re:Dell is screwed by supabeast! · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "If they don't offer Opteron servers (especially now that the dual-cores are coming out), they're going to take a nasty hit to their server sales."

      Server sales to whom? All those IT shops out there where the sysadmins decide what hardware to buy based on performance reviews they read on the web? Big IT decisions regarding vendors aren't made by people who give a damn about the nerd cred of running customized open-source apps on kewl AMD gear, they're made by CTOs and bean counters concerned with getting low prices and support contracts. Unless Gartner, Oracle, and Microsoft partner up on a series of high-profile reports about dual-core Opteron chips offering signifigant cost/performance savings over Dell's intel servers, Dell is still going to be the king of the x86 server world.

    2. Re:Dell is screwed by Brian+Stretch · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Big IT decisions regarding vendors aren't made by people who give a damn about the nerd cred of running customized open-source apps on kewl AMD gear, they're made by CTOs and bean counters concerned with getting low prices and support contracts.

      Maybe if the sysadmins tell the bean counters that if they buy Opterons they can buy fewer servers to do the same amount of work and burn far less electricity per server, which also cuts air conditioning costs (not to mention eliminating the "How the heck are we going to power and cool these Xeon blast furnaces?!" question). If "nerd cred" is having a clue then nerds ought to help management to get one. Though, as you point out, that's easier said than done.

      Microsoft and Oracle are rather geeked about Opterons, BTW.

    3. Re:Dell is screwed by ChrisMaple · · Score: 1

      If I recall correctly, Chartered Semiconductor used to be known as Orbit Semiconductor, and anyone who used them was screwed. Terrible yields that seemed to be caused by carelessness throughout the company.

      --
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    4. Re:Dell is screwed by akuma(x86) · · Score: 1

      >> Until AMD has the capacity to mostly replace Intel, Dell just has to smile and say "Do you want HypeThreading with that?"

      At 3 billion dollars per fab, it'll be a cold day in hell before that happens. AMD barely makes money as it is. Every 3 months, Intel makes more money than all of AMD is worth (market cap wise).

      >> Next year, when AMD's new 65nm fab is up and running and Charter (and IBM?) start fabbing AMD CPUs too, THEN things will get interesting.

      You're assuming Intel is going to stand still and keep mis-executing on 65nm and let AMD walk all over them. Yes, they've mis-executed the past few years but would you bet against them in the future given their 15 year track record with the Pentium brand?

      What happened to Jerry Sander's maxim - "Real men have fabs". AMD is at a serious cost disadvantage compared with Intel on the manufacturing front.

      AMD is a one-trick pony with the Athlon/Opteron. Where is their answer to Centrino when the entire market is shifting towards notebooks? Voltage-scaled Athlons/Opterons don't really cut it in that market as evidenced by Intel's 88% notebook share.

  48. Re:Flip-Flop [OT] by FidelCatsro · · Score: 1

    Ouch non were willing to do it .. hm have you contacted gateway i would imagine they would charge you a premium though..
    ? you should check with gateway as the 30 day gaurentee is void if the part was faulty (the metal).. though that may require some pushing and angry threats of a lawyer

    --
    The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
  49. Dell Motto: We're fairly good. by standards · · Score: 4, Funny

    "We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology," said Rollins.

    He went on to say that "Dell excels to use as many fairly good components as possible. Dell strives for mediocre computers, and that can only be done by using adequate, middling componentry sourced from the most average manufactures in the world"

    Mr. Rollins went on to attack other vendors. "IBM and Apple, well, they think they produce pretty good products too. But the public knows better - excellent design, manufacturing, componentry, and software does not make for a pretty good product. That's why Dell is the market leader".

    Many consumers agree. In recent reports, Dell consistently hits the "adequate" mark in customer satisfaction. "We don't want our customers to think we're better than anyone else - people are put off by that kind of talk. It's kind of like the Bush/Kerry campaigns. We have to work very hard to be average in this business."

    Dell is now considering AMD, but Dell still has some concern that AMD processors may not be average enough. Rollins says that Dell looked at AMD's products a few years back, and "they kicked some butt. But that's not the Dell way. We're hoping that now their products are getting a little dull - but only some fairly standard analysis will tell. We hope that they'll hit our mark, more or less."

  50. Dear Mr. Rollins: by IGnatius+T+Foobar · · Score: 2, Interesting

    We want Linux desktops too. Can you take care of that for us pls? kthx.

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  51. Re:Dell customers won't ask for it by Freaky+Spook · · Score: 1

    In the Home PC market, most people shopping at Dell in the first place will have difficulty understanding that a Pentium is not the only processor in the world & when offered a choice between Intel & AMD they will go intel because they haven't heard or trust this "new fandangled processor brand"

    Unless AMD suddenly went on a massive advertising campaign, got Dell to fully support them publicly & let the average joe user know about it, Dell aint going to get too many requests for the latest AMD processor.

  52. Maybe this time . . . by UnknowingFool · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Dell has threatened to do this before. In the past, it may have been posturing to get a better deal from Intel. This time it may be more realistic because of only 1 factor. The Opteron. Intel's Itanium has lost major support from Windows, IBM, and other players. The Opteron is getting all the attention. Maybe Intel will build something to match it in the future. However, if Dell wants to build a 64-bit server for their customers, the only game right now is AMD.

    --
    Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
  53. did i just read that? by illuminatedwax · · Score: 1

    "Dell has said they may do ____ if the customers really want it."

    My world is shattered.

    --
    Did you ever notice that *nix doesn't even cover Linux?
    1. Re:did i just read that? by supmylO · · Score: 1

      Mark Dell down for another psyche out.

      (Baseketball, sorry I had to do it.)

  54. Seriously, what is the matter? by writermike · · Score: 2, Insightful

    As others have pointed out, the issue MUST be a matter of price. There's certainly little-to-no valid technological reason for Dell not to offer AMD anymore. We're not talking slightly incompatible CPUs that need instruction-translators.

    Having said that, I still have to let customers know that it's okay to get off the Intel teat when thinking about a new computer. People like that brand recognition. If Dell starts pushing AMD, they'll have to go through some customer-training on what a AMD is and why it's just as good as Intel. That will piss off Intel, no doubt.

    Otherwise, what? Just stick it in a catalog? People won't buy it. The fact it's not an Intel will be major turn-off.

    Dell's kind of in a Damned-If-You-Do/Don't situation here.

    I would love to see Dell push AMDs on the lower-cost systems and stick to Intel for higher-priced systems designed for certain applications. I realize that AMD can fulfill both roles, but this might be a good way to introduce the line to customers. Besides, I'd take a Sempron over a Celery right now.

    --
    If Nalgene water bottles are outlawed, only outlaws will have Nalgene water bottles.
  55. Dell ALWAYS threatens this by WCMI92 · · Score: 1

    To get a sweeter deal with Intel.

    This has been happening since the days of the P3 shortage. Dell wraps itself around Intel's cock and gets preferrential treatment.

    That is what is happening here.

    --
    Corporatism != Free Market
  56. Smart long term strategy by amightywind · · Score: 1

    AMD's technology is on par with Intel. It's their marketing that falls short.

    I think AMD's marketing is pretty smart. As all of the pro-AMD postings on this forum suggest, AMD has a rabid following among enthusiasts, gamers, hobbiests, etc. By targeting this group AMD has smartly sown the seeds of further success. Most AMD home users have jobs. Eventually the good experience they've had with the processor at home will influence the equipment purchases of their employers.

    --
    an ill wind that blows no good
    1. Re:Smart long term strategy by Dachannien · · Score: 1

      To a large degree, I think that Nerds Like Us like to let a chip's performance speak for itself. AMD have proven themselves to us, but when it comes to Old Granny Wossername buying a computer from Dell, she has no clue either way. (Heck, the only people who know about AMD are computer geeks and stock market investors.) When it comes to Dell, they've been suckered into believing that the "Intel Inside" label actually means something to the consumer, and without a corresponding marketing push from AMD, it's a tough sell trying to get Dell to build machines with AMD chips inside.

  57. Re:Flip-Flop [OT] by Seumas · · Score: 1

    Gateway has never responded to my contacts. I do, however, continue to get plenty of email spam from them, wanting to sell me the latest greatest laptops. Go figure!

  58. This happens every year by homerj79 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Dell pulls this stunt every year. They simple use it as a way to scare Intel in giving them better pricing on CPU's. Dell will never support AMD. Ever. So long as Intel succombs to their threats every time, Dell will stay an Intel only house.

    On a side note, Mr Rollins made a statement, paraphrased as such: ...[A]ny decision to make AMD its second supplier of microprocessor chips, which function as the brains of PCs, would be complicated by the sweeping changes required for related components inside Dell PCs.

    WTF? What sweeping changes? You can use the same PSU, video cards, RAM, NICs, HDDs and software. The only change you're making is the motherboard. Which is mooted by the fact Intel requires mobo changes every so often thanks to its unreliance on one socket format. It's really becoming no news at all when Dell touts they may use AMD chips at some point. It's never happened and the changes of it happening anytime soon are nil.

    --
    SYSOP ('sih-sop) n.: the guy laughing at your typing.
    1. Re:This happens every year by BCW2 · · Score: 1

      You got it. As a computer tech that has to fix Dell's that come into our white box store, I will say that Dell has no concern about performance. Their P4 3.2Ghz machines are slower than most AMD Athlon XP 2400+ machines I've seen. I wonder if Dell has a clue what performance is?

      --
      Professional Politicians are not the solution, they ARE the problem.
  59. Re:Flip-Flop [OT] by FidelCatsro · · Score: 1


    1: Sell faulty products with crappy gaurentee then hide
    2: advertise newer laptops after origional expires
    3: profit
    4: (the reason gateway keeps going bankrupt) Customers get pissed off and move elsewhere

    --
    The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
  60. Please continue to... nevermind, I found another . by halleluja · · Score: 1
    Well,

    Could you give a hint to an international computer provider that is as good as Dell was in the old days?

  61. Read between the lines... by jromz03 · · Score: 1

    Dear Intel, The money that you've gave us ran out. I need more to complete my mansion, that and other vices. Did I say vices I mean for the betterment of both Dell and Intel... Please understand that we are #1 and last I heard AMD has these awesome processors that would rock your world. Although this is rumored and with the proper... "convincing" I might retract this and say I was just drunk that time. So anyway, I'm sure news are getting around. AMD's stock would probably be rising now, yours might go down a bit. Not to mention, AMD fans probably jumping up and down that it's hard not to notice them. I heard they were an influencial lot. Hey, guess what? I have to go... You know my bank account. I'll be waiting for your deposit... err.. response! BTW I have this AMD PC made just recently. All I can say is WOW! With Love, Kevin

  62. Insightful? by knapper_tech · · Score: 1

    Dell is evaluating AMD products for their server lines, not pc's. The reason this seems a likely move is that AMD is releasing dual-core opterons on the 21st, the day of Intel's conference call. Intel hasn't roadmapped dual-core server chips for at least six months. Because of lower power consumption, savings on software licensing, and increased performance/footprint, AMD Opteron dual-core processors will definitely be advantageous to server customers. Whether or not those customers are brighter than "the average dell customer"...well, yeah.

    --
    "There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell them." ~ Louis Armstrong
  63. Re:Challenge To intel by LifesizeKenDoll · · Score: 1

    Both Intel and Dell are Goliaths. Intel's just out having a smoke or something.

  64. Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AMD by Glasswire · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Look at the published % margins of Intel and AMD and realize that this is much greater gap than you would get simply from Intel's ability ot command a price premium -compared to AMD, Intel's manufacturing costs per die are LESS, so it's not "so expensive".

    Say what you want about AMD's microprocessor design prowess, they are definately not in Intel's league in terms of wafer yield and other areas of manufacturing prowess that dictate cost to produce.

    Many clueless /.ers are infuriated that the stock market doesn't reward AMD stock price like that of Intel stock price, but if they understood that share value is determined by the ability to make money, not just pump out cool stuff, they'd understand. Making money means keeping your cost-to-selling-price ratio healthy and AMD doesn't manufacture at lowest price and doesn't sell for a premium price.

    (BTW, please don't assume this represents some kind of consumer-friendly behaviour for AMD - if they could charge a big premium over Intel's product, they would in a heartbeat. And of course, the poster that said this is a price negotiation tool on Dell's part is correct)

  65. nVidia Actually by Luthair · · Score: 1

    In my experience most people prefer the nforce line to the SiS/Via chipsets.

    In fact, from reviews nVidia's nForce4 for Intel CPUs out performs Intel chipsets.

  66. Have you seen Valve's latest survey? by The+Real+Nem · · Score: 1

    It shows a near 50/50 share in Intel and AMD systems. No mater how computer illiterate, the general consensus between gamers is the AMD64 is on top. Armed with this knowledge, gamers looking to replace their aging PC might turn to Dell only to be disappointed and look elsewhere.

  67. Walmart effect? by John+Seminal · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I wonder what kind of concession Dell wants from Intel this time 'round.

    Probably the same thing Walmart does. No matter what your prices are, come next year they will want it lowered.

    I doubt Dell will add AMD to their choices. They leverege their prices by using one supplier. If AMD takes sales from Intel, Intel will not give Dell as good a price.

    I know some will be ticked off. But for the poor, you can't do better than a Dell. $250 will get you a P4 2.4+ghz system with a 80 gig hard drive and 256 megs. Go on the right day, and they might be offering double RAM or double hard drives for the same price. I even saw it fall to $220 once, but that is rare. Just click on small buisness, not residential. And add your own OS, linux or whatever. Only downside is there is no video card, but 64 and some 128 meg video cards are dirt cheap.

    You can't get a good machine off ebay used for the price of a new dell.

    --

    Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."

  68. What I want to know by John+Seminal · · Score: 1
    Whatever happened to the "Dude, your getting a Dell!" guy? That guy was damn funny.

    Marketing got them where they are, and they still have the lowest prices. MBA programs should study their sucess, they are doing something right.

    --

    Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."

    1. Re:What I want to know by ThatComputerGuy · · Score: 1

      He got caught buying weed. Oops?

      Slow Down Cowboy!

      Slashdot requires you to wait 20 seconds between hitting 'reply' and submitting a comment.

      It's been 11 seconds since you hit 'reply'.

      Chances are, you're behind a firewall or proxy, or clicked the Back button to accidentally reuse a form. Please try again. If the problem persists, and all other options have been tried, contact the site administrator.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
  69. Re:Please - DELL more choices! by zogger · · Score: 1

    Dell has a 299$ desktop on sale right now, bumping the ram to half a gig makes it to 329$, and you get a free 17 inch CRT with it, and kb and mouse. I couldn't determine what shipping costs are though without actually buying the thing. This was just last night as I have been shopping for a low end or a barebones I can stick my own drives in.

    I know it doesn't exactly hit your price quotient, but it's close considering the monitor with it. It would be nice though if you could get it sans XP with some more dollars off the price.

  70. This is dup by smartdreamer · · Score: 1

    Can't we call this a duplicated thread? I mean, with the number of times we heard that... Let me guess, we will see a new post in a couple of days (the time for Intel to call Dell) telling that "Dell do not need AMD technology blah blah blah".
    No big news here.
    I wish Dell would die not to hear this anymore.

  71. Re:Buggy? by SunFan · · Score: 1

    Actually, you should buy a computer with dollar bills instead of pennies, next time.

    If I can help it, all my next computers will have ECC RAM, and generally decent components all-around. Too many people get burned by bad RAM (likely to be your problem) or fragile components that just make life a PITA.

    --
    -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
  72. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by random+coward · · Score: 1

    Intel has more plants to amortise their R&D costs of production and product production over. The economies of scale are the major difference in margin between the two. Yields are very very close. Developing a new fab process, developing a new processor are very expensive propositions. If making 10x the processors on the process and on the design means that the development cost per unit is 1/10th.

  73. it is very possible by jwilcox154 · · Score: 1

    that Dell may go with AMID, especially since there is a motherboard that supports both the P4 and the Athlon64 939 processors. That will allow Dell to stick primarily with Intel, at the same time they will also be able to build machines with an Athlon64 processor with little or no additional cost to them, since it uses the same motherboard.

    Here is a post that an AC wrote about this.

  74. I'd rather see them by sucati · · Score: 1

    get rid of the "Windows Tax". You can order a dell server w/o an operating system, but not a desktop.

  75. Call and ask by augustz · · Score: 1

    1-800-WWW-DELL

  76. Re:AMD == not more stable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    >> AMD chips are very stable

    Have you tried using > 4GB on your AMD64 ? If you are like me, you get daily crashes. Why ?

    Go read the April 7 slashdot posting here.
    http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=127

    AMD64 systems have proplems with fully populated DIMMS. Crap like this is unacceptable to corporations purchasing 1000's of boxes. It is also unacceptable to DELL. Every customer problem cost DELL money.

  77. Hah by IBeatUpNerds · · Score: 1

    Dell pulls this stunt every now and then to scare Intel into sweetening their deal a little better. Intel will offer Dell a slightly lower price (or something appealing) if Dell stops yammering about AMD, and Dell will put it's AMD plans back on the shelf for a year or two.

    They'll probably also say something along the lines of "we've decided we'll wait a little longer for AMDs technology to mature." I think we all have seen this happen several times before.

  78. Just maybe... by Junta · · Score: 1

    Another thing to keep in mind, last year at this time, the x86 server market looked like this:
    1. HP
    2. Dell
    3. IBM

    Last I heard:
    1. HP
    2. IBM
    3. Dell

    In other words, for the first time in a long while, Dell's server marketshare has slipped in a rather significant milestone.

    What do HP and IBM have in common in x86 land? AMD offerings. Was this the sole cause of the slip? Probably not, but it is a factor. If Dell's analysis shows that AMD's role in this market shift is significant, it may be more serious about it.

    Of course, Intel will probably come through with some incredible offer for Dell, but those incentives are going to have to be better and better if AMD gives success to HP and IBM in marketshare.

    --
    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
    1. Re:Just maybe... by jwave · · Score: 1
      There is a stigma attached to the absence of an Intel-Inside logo. The company where I work (US$350Million) has the official Band-wagon Approach, touting "Market Share" as their slogan for buying only what the majority buys regardless of capability, quality, or value.

      This means, Microsoft, Intel, um... well, I guess, Microsoft, Intel...

      As long as "nobdody ever gets fired" for being a lemming, AMD will end up on the short end of the stick.

      When I ran my own small consulting firm, I had only two Intel and fifteen AMD boxes. But then, I only answered to myself and wasn't afraid to make decisions based upon performance over perception. It appears that the bigger a company gets, the more important it becomes to be perceived as competent than actually being competent.

      One other thing. I intend to buy two more notebooks for myself. They will be AMD processor based.

      ---
      The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.
      -- Thomas Jefferson

  79. Re:Please - DELL more choices! by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

    Somebody who used to work at HP mentioned they were paying $14/machine for XP. Dell may even pay $10.

    Percentage wise it's only slightly important - it's only on principle that you'd want to not get XP.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  80. In other news by mr.mighty · · Score: 1

    In other news, Sun's Schwartz has announced they are considering open-sourcing java.

  81. Re:Hassle-free, easy to deal with???? by glrotate · · Score: 1

    First of all there laptops crap out after two years of hard use

    That's why you get a 3 year warranty.

    How about the laptop plug recall, that was a friggen headache

    It was annoying, but not that bad.

    Small form factor optiplex that makes it cook itself.

    I haven't seen that one.

    Motherboard failures

    Fewer than average.

    Fan failures

    I haven't seen that one.

  82. Re:Please - DELL more choices! by zogger · · Score: 1

    Well, that but they could save a license and sell it to someone who wanted it and would really use it, and maybe it would help offset the shipping costs. Right now today I think is a bad time to get a new PC because dual cores are coming out and the switch to 64 bit computing. sort of a major transition period. Locally to me the best I could get barebones with no drives and one stick of 128 was 240$, some athlon, forget which one now. Used pentium 3's are still hovering at 200 clams, some under 1 gig speed. It's ridiculous, I would rather just drop 50 or 100 and get something good enough used to last for a couple years, *at this juncture*, then at that time get something a lot more decent. I wasn't planning on getting anything right now, but bad power fried my two desktops and I had to snag my girlfriends machine just to get online with.

    My loot comes dear, even 10 or 20 isn't chump change to me, I just now got back from culling 6 broiler houses. I don't think in terms of money, I think in terms of nasty "fowl" work that I swap for consumer goods, heh.

  83. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by calculi · · Score: 1

    Number of plants has no effect on how much R&D a company can amortize... (I am an accountant.)

  84. Re:Please - DELL more choices! by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well, that but they could save a license and sell it to someone who wanted it and would really use it, and maybe it would help offset the shipping costs.

    If you do, make sure it's a private sale and don't put it on eBay. The Doctrine of First Sale won't keep you out of court, and it'll cost lots of broilers to do it! :)

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  85. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by Sj0 · · Score: 1

    don't assume this represents some kind of consumer-friendly behaviour for AMD

    You're mistaking the cause for the effect. Who cares WHY they've got a customer-freindly behaviour, they do. :)

    --
    It's been a long time.
  86. Re:Hassle-free, easy to deal with???? by Sj0 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I'll vouch for Dell hardware any day. I've worked with a lot of newer dell hardware, from Dimensions to Optiplexes to some of their server line, and they're definitely solidly put together and well designed, much better than most other computer manufacturers.

    The dimension 2400 sitting next to my desk right now has been running non stop since it arrived with the exception of the installation of a S3 ViRGE video card as a second monitor. My only complaint is that they didn't include an AGP port, but for the money, I can't complain.

    --
    It's been a long time.
  87. I can make a fortune.... by Comatose51 · · Score: 1

    This Dell using AMD thing is so predictable and the market always acts as though they've never heard it. So... My new plan to become flithy rich goes:
    1. Buy AMD stock when it's low.
    2. Wait for Dell to mention AMD.
    3. Speculators get excited and drives price up.
    4. Dump AMD stock.
    5. Wait for Dell to reconfirm their Intel only strategy.
    6. Price falls.
    7. Profit!
    8. Repeat as needed.

    --
    EvilCON - Made Famous by /.
  88. Never! by dtjohnson · · Score: 1

    Dell has screwed over AMD so many times that this has become an industry joke. Dell will NEVER use AMD products as long as Intel continues to make products that are even somewhat remotely competitive with AMD products. If AMD hasn't figured that out by now, then they would be establishing new metrics for gullibility. Con men probably use an 'AMD 0-10 scale' to define how big a sucker their target is as in 'That guy's an AMD 10' when they spot a guy just getting off of the turnip truck. Frevvinsake, AMD, wise up!

  89. AMD is fairly good by crypto55 · · Score: 1
    AMD is fairly good
    OMG... Let's think about that for a second. Maybe since AMD has been kicking Intel's ass with the Athlon 64 while Intel sat around saying that no one needs/wants a 64 bit processor, until they finally realize that people do and start scrambling to release one. Intel couldn't even support SLI graphic cards until recently, although very few of their chipsets allow it. It's about time. But then again, Dell isn't known for its advanced gaming systems, perhaps with the expection of the XPS, which is just wannabe technology. For the average user, Intel works perfectly fine, and if anyone actually wanted a 64 bit processor, they would either go to a more reputable computer maker, such as Alienware or VoodooPC, or build one themselves. I don't see Dell's decision to 'consider' using AMD that big of a deal, but rather them finally waking up to the fact that just because Intel makes those snazzy ads with the Blue Man group doesn't make them superior to other CPU developers. AMD is superior to Intel in the respect that they realized the potential for 64 bit processors, and will continue to be better for the time being. Well, maybe now that Intel has that dual core proc. But we'll see.
    --
    Due to financial difficulties, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.
  90. This just in by Bloodlent · · Score: 1

    Dell might do AMD's mom too.

  91. Trite sarcasm... by TheLittleJetson · · Score: 1

    ...quote of article...

    Sarcastic comment. Reference to other frequent slashdot subjects. Bad joke.

    Geeky closing line.

  92. when hell freezes over. by mike518 · · Score: 1

    This had got to be the dozen'th time ive heard this. Dell is likely just trying to get intels attention as to aquire better pricing, lisencing or products. In any event Dell said "if their customers demand it". I ask, how are dell customers gonna demand it, dell customers usually cant even get through for tech support let alone calling to make casual recommendations. Besides most dell customers arnt technie enough to even understand what a processor is let alone what company produces it.

    I still have people come in and demand the whole tower is a modem. people just dont get it, and if this user friendly, point and click world we live in is too confusing, they never will.

    --
    Mike
    I heart the RIAA & MPAA, im sure its mutual...
  93. Re:Buggy? by mike518 · · Score: 1

    yeah mine did that too... craziest thing, it would just turn off when playing games in the middle of all the action. VERY annoying. So i took the processor, along with the box, instruction manual and packets of some "thermal paste" (whatever that is) and chucked them all out the window. Im never buying another AMD, no matter how much cheaper and faster it is than Intel Pentium 4 (with patented superior extreme hyperthreading technology)

    --
    Mike
    I heart the RIAA & MPAA, im sure its mutual...
  94. They do this every year. by srwood · · Score: 1

    Every year Dell talks about how advanced the AMD chips are and how they may switch and then just as suddenly Dell announces that they are staying with Intel after the negociating the contract.

  95. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by killjoe · · Score: 1

    If all that is true then explain this to me.

    AMD sells processors for less then intel even though intel processors cost less to make right?

    So why isn't dell selling machines with AMD processors in them so they can sell them cheaper? Why do they have to try and play this game to try get intel chips cheaper? Is there a law that says you can only sell computers with one companies chips in them?

    It sounds to me like somewhere in this process capitalism derailed.

    --
    evil is as evil does
  96. For the Budget Shopper by djinn2020 · · Score: 1
    As long as I can buy a 2.4Ghz(processor) 512Mb(ram) 40Gb(hd) Dell computer for $273, I am exceedingly happy

    If this AMD/Intel schism lowers prices further, kudos to it, I could use another 5 computers for my cluster :)

    --
    Mens et Manus
  97. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Just because a few slashdotters say AMD kicks Intels ass does not make it so. These folks are in their Dorm room or in the parents basement and they read a few benchmarks. In the real world, other issue are more important. Costs, manufacting, volume, quality, support, etc...

    1. AMD cannot supply the volume DELL requires. (AMD would need to double their capacity just to supply all of DELL's volume.)

    2. AMD cannot supply the complete systems Intel does. DELL does not have RnD. Intel supplys complete proc, chipset, motherboard, drives, bios, etc.

    3. AMD cannot supply the quality DELL requires. All AMD64 systems have issues when all DIMM slots are used. DELL's would be getting class action law suits if they shipped millions of that crap.

    4. AMD cannot touch Centrino for performance and power. Mobile is the fastest gowing segment. This year Mobile will ship more than desktops. DELL has picked the best supplier for the fastest growing market segment.

  98. rox0rs by macshit · · Score: 1

    "We are still looking at AMD; they have fairly good technology," said Rollins.

    Always amusing to see "AMD totally rox0rs!1!" in utterly-bought corporate-tool speak.

    Of course we'll know Intel's toast if he subsequently pulls out the E-word: "We're excited to be working with AMD technology."

    --
    We live, as we dream -- alone....
  99. Re:Buggy? by zakezuke · · Score: 1

    Dude, compatibility with "cheapo memory" is NOT what you ever want! The fact that you've been seeing single bit errors is a sign you should be using ECC memory instead of cheapo Walmart RAM.

    ECC =! quality

    Part of the reason I went with VIA for my 1700xp system, is the fact that it would take ECC registered memory. I.E. old hand me down server memory which should meet with even your high quality requirements.

    Compatibility with "cheapo memory" just means comptable with what is currently in mass production.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  100. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by killjoe · · Score: 1

    "1. AMD cannot supply the volume DELL requires. (AMD would need to double their capacity just to supply all of DELL's volume.)"

    So what? Why not sell as many as you can?

    "2. AMD cannot supply the complete systems Intel does. DELL does not have RnD. Intel supplys complete proc, chipset, motherboard, drives, bios, etc."

    Again so what? As long as you can put together a sysytem what's the big deal?

    You seem to be saying that Dell buys an entire motherboard/CPU combination from intel. Is that really true?

    "3. AMD cannot supply the quality DELL requires. All AMD64 systems have issues when all DIMM slots are used. DELL's would be getting class action law suits if they shipped millions of that crap."

    On this I call bullshit.

    "4. AMD cannot touch Centrino for performance and power. Mobile is the fastest gowing segment. This year Mobile will ship more than desktops. DELL has picked the best supplier for the fastest growing market segment."

    You seem to be under some sort of an impression that Dell is only allowed to sell processors from one manufacturer. I don't know where you think somebody passed that law but it's not true. If it's true that intel makes better processors for laptops then dell can sell intel laptops. They can also sell intel desktops AND sell AMD desktops too.

    Why would they not sell something a segment of the market wants especially if it costs less?

    '

    --
    evil is as evil does
  101. Re:AMD == not more stable by davros74 · · Score: 1

    I presume you refer to Athlon64, using unbuffered non-ECC RAM. This is one thing I believe is being addressed in the new Venus cores (better memory controller/compatibility with DIMMs). Even so, worst case you run the memory at DDR333 instead of DDR400, and stability should be okay, at the loss of some performance. (Most boards today seem to work fine at DDR400 if all the DIMMs are SINGLE sided).

    Now, in the Opteron market, where you are using buffered ECC DIMMs, we have machines with 8, 16 and 32GB of RAM and not one problem whatsoever.

    Oh yeah, and Dell lost our contract for that server because they wouldn't sell us Opterons (they wanted to sell us Xeon-EM64s).

  102. Re:AMD == not more stable by davros74 · · Score: 1

    Venus core should read Venice core. Oops.

  103. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by Trepalium · · Score: 1
    You seem to be under some sort of an impression that Dell is only allowed to sell processors from one manufacturer.
    There is no such law, but it is quite likely that Dell has signed a contract with Intel to exclusively purchase and sell Intel processors only in exchange for preferential pricing. It's also likely that this same contract just expired, and Dell is simply putting pressure on Intel to continue with the favorable terms in exchange for ignoring AMD again. Such contracts are common practice for OEMs.
    --
    I used up all my sick days, so I'm calling in dead.
  104. Re:Buggy? by zakezuke · · Score: 1

    So i took the processor, along with the box, instruction manual and packets of some "thermal paste" (whatever that is) and chucked them all out the window

    You must be the guy who dropped an retail box edition AMD 1700XP+ on my head. In all fairness to your claim I have found that AMD fans clog up rather quickly. Mine clogged in under 6 months. I've actually had similar luck with intel's solution.

    If you have an AMD fan it's highly reccomended that you upgrade... This is what I use to adapt 80mm fans to the AMD sync. Because AMD uses machine screws there is no chance of it falling off, the airflow is higher and the noise lower.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  105. YMMV by ZxCv · · Score: 1

    Your Mileage May Vary.

    --

    Perl - $Just @when->$you ${thought} s/yn/tax/ &couldn\'t %get $worse;
  106. Re:Intel manufacturing cost us much better than AM by killjoe · · Score: 1

    "There is no such law, but it is quite likely that Dell has signed a contract with Intel to exclusively purchase and sell Intel processors only in exchange for preferential pricing."

    Aah and so my comment about capitalism being derailed in this case.

    I think the DOJ should look into this, it sure sounds like manipulation of the market to me.

    --
    evil is as evil does
  107. Re:Lies by Zorilla · · Score: 2, Funny



    ^^^^^
    You left these carriage returns in front of my house. Please claim them.

    --

    It would be cool if it didn't suck.
  108. Re:Challenge To intel by metricmusic · · Score: 1

    I was thinking of AMD being David.

    --
    http://www.livejournal.com/users/metricmusic
  109. Re:Please - DELL more choices! by kuiken · · Score: 1

    At work we asked dell for 50 laptops without XP and they said they where 10 euro's more expensive since they had to remove xp

    --

    42
  110. Cue cheesey porno music by tbase · · Score: 1

    Bow-chicka-chicka-bow-bow

    --

    666-607: 6th floor apartment of the beast
  111. I love AMD by synapsefyre · · Score: 1

    Personally I had an AMD Thunderbird back in the day, and that little chip was dropped on the tile floor, and consistantly ran hot, like aroud 140 degrees, and never skipped a beat. In fact, my friends now own that machine and it has yet to foul up on them. Adn teh thing still runs hot. But I made the mistake of falling for Intel's higher speed and got one. Not really any issues with it, but didnt see that much improvement. But then I started reading the reviews.. and when a co-worker needed a PC, I sold him my Intel and I got an AMD64 3500+ 939 socket with NVidia 3. Personally I dont look back.. not one issue at all. And fast... much faster than my P4 2.8Ghz. Now I run exclusively AMD systems and build only those for people. I work for one guy that is Intel only doing multimedia, despite the benchmarks, but thats okay. My computer is an AMD64 :)

  112. What? by intangible · · Score: 1

    The promise comes from none other than CEO Kevin Rollins, and is probably just another indication that Dell is twisting and turning like a twisty turny thing with the mighty Intel or is hanging out for a better deal with AMD.

    Who in their right mind would write that?

  113. Not quite the point by panurge · · Score: 1

    I was just making the point that if you want a non-Intel processor (and perhaps you have good reason, like the need to evaluate 64 bit apps?) you have plenty of choice. Big as Dell is, it is not a monopoly. I've bought Dells over the years (starting with a 12.5MHz 286 with a VGA screen, which was bleeding edge when it finally arrived) and we have a Dell in our test server rack, along with Proliants, an odd 32-bit AMD, P4s and P3s. Our employee fleet includes notebooks from Dell, HP and Acer. I would be astonished if anyone ever got sacked for buying any of these; they are all good solid machines. Bottom line: whether or not Dell buys AMD cpus doesn't seem to matter very much.

    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
  114. The've said this by Some_Llama · · Score: 1

    Like a thousand times before, it's just PR plain and simple.. whenever the chips fall Intel firmly reminds them the price cuts they are getting and how they might not be feasible if the quantities they are buying decrease (I.E. if they start using AMD processors).

    Dell sold it's soul to Intel in order to have the most competitive prices on the reseller Intel market, now they realize how costly it will be to get that soul back (by giving customers what they want E.G. AMD cpus...).

  115. Re:Buggy? by mike518 · · Score: 1

    holy crap... i just bought one of those yesterday, in hopes of cooling the system and in turn reducing noise (besides 60mm make a ton of noise anyway)... what luck to know its worth getting, i wasnt sure. Mike i got it at comp usa... where to my shock... the price was reasonable.

    --
    Mike
    I heart the RIAA & MPAA, im sure its mutual...
  116. Re:Buggy? by zakezuke · · Score: 1

    (besides 60mm make a ton of noise anyway)... what luck to know its worth getting, i wasnt sure. Mike i got it at comp usa

    Fair warning... make sure you check the CFM of what you have vs what you are getting. I just tested a 80mm 25CFM @ 2000rpm and found to run 10C hotter than 70mm fan 33.8CFM @ 4200rpm. 2000rpm may be cool for my 1700xp but barely adquate for my 2800xp. About 55C at no load.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  117. Re:Still not a sentence by martyn+s · · Score: 1

    No actually you are wrong. I'll say it again: Ever hear of past tense?

    I guess the sentence is wrong because it doesn't have an article, perhaps it should be "RIAA set up a bittorrent server", but I think it is correct according to the grammar found on history/timelines

    2005: RIAA set up bittorrent server

    Anyway.