> > There is an increasing number of Dell boxes being delivered here at 
> > work,
> one thing that makes dells very very attractive in a 
> corporate setting is that they are very quick to get things 
> like drives out of, particularlly if you keep your spares 
> already fitted up with rails. I think the same may apply to 
> some other big brands too.
> 
> whiteboxes by comparison tend to use the cheapest cases on 
> the market which can be far more work to maintain.


I'd disagree with part of that.

Dells are great in corporations, where you can order replacements and get
exactly the same machine again, something you can't do with whiteboxes.
Unpack, image, and you're good to go.

As far as 'keep your spares already fitted up with rails', Dell changes
designs with every model (dunno about rails).  I  don't think I've ever seen
two Dell PCs with the same motherboard (never mind they had their own 20-pin
power connector wiring standard for a while).  Compaq were the same.

As Russell (almost) said, old Dells are junk as you can't upgrade them, and
you can't cannibalize them for spare parts, not even the cases.  Remember
the old XT-AT boxes with the flip-top cases?  That's what my machines are
housed in.  Amuses me no end that the cases must be 20 years old, and they
were junk when I got them.  In fact, I found another on the side of the road
a while back, still with the XT (? maybe?) board in it.  I passed on the
monochrome CRT monitor.

Most of my time with Dells is spent trying to figure out how the catches
work.

Oddly enough, Dells are a great study in how to do something properly,
little things like the badges (stamped metal, 2 tabs to bend to hold it in)
have the tabs are different sizes so you can't put it in upside-down.

Dell - yes for corporates, maybe for domestic, no for nerds.

Tony

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