Dell's doing it "first" again

fahlman

<a href="http://www.investors.com/editorial/tech.asp"; target="_blank">http://www.investors.com/editorial/tech.asp</a>;



Dell Computer Corp. (DELL) says the time is right to stop including floppy disk drives as standard hardware on its consumer desktop computers. Later this quarter, Dell will no longer include floppy disk drives in its Dimension desktops unless specially ordered. "We would like to see customers migrate away from floppies as quickly as possible, because there are better alternative technologies out there," said Mark Vena, director of product marketing for Dell's Dimension desktop PCs.



Didn't Apple do this a few years ago?

fran441

The original iMac was the first to ditch the floppy drive but I don't see where Dell is claiming they are 'first' to get rid of it. I wouldn't worry to much about it. In fact, I'd say Dell's just about 5 years behind.

buonrotto

In any case this statement is just chock full of sweet irony:



"We would like to see customers migrate away from floppies as quickly as possible, because there are better alternative technologies out there."



The next line should be, "....and by quickly, we mean within the next decade or two."

ari

And by "better alternative technologies" they certainly mean "more cost-effective for us." Dell has never done anything out of technological vision.

xterra48

I just skimmed the article but it never says, "Dell will be the first computer company to eliminate floppy drive", or the like. So there is no reason to get up in a huff.

gizzmonic

Dell and Gateway are already charging extra for the floppy (something like $10-15 per machine). The only reason that they're doing this is to save money.



It's fine by me. I've hated floppies since I saw a parallel port CD-burner in 1995. Actually, hearing Steve Jobs pronounce the floppy dead in '98 was a big factor in convincing me to get a Mac.

stunned

Well, this is good news to Apple users. With less people using floppys now, there is also less trouble with file transfers for mac users.



I just hate it when my friends pass me data in a floppy!!

evo

Now that CD burners are pretty much standard on any new machine, floppies are pointless.

fahlman

Come on guys! I was in the mood for some "Ol' Fashion Dell Bashin??® and no one wants to play along? Seriously, the point that I was trying to make is that again Apple leads the way and finally years later the rest of the PC market catches up.

neurokid

well, I have to say that personally, I like floppies! or at the very least I don't hate them more than any other option. seriously -- Zips are too expensive for casual file exchange. CDs are cheap, and good for storing large amounts of data, but I've never been able to consistently and flawlessly burn and reburn a CD for exchange of small files. And CDs are too big to put in your back pocket.



in fact, i've been so frustrated by my removable media options, that i'm thinking of getting one of these USB keychains to grab small files on the go. unlike floppies (which don't go cross platform), or Zips (which every computer does not have), or CDs (which are not appropriate for small file exchange), this option should work for all scenarios (assuming that the USB plug-and-mount is robust, which I know, is a gamble).



so until these guys figure out what the standard is going to be -- i'll contend that floppies are no worse than anything else.

fran441

'Casual' File exchange? Isn't that what email's for?



Heck, you could even send the file over an IM and at a max size of 1.4 MB, it wouldn't take long to download at all.

eugene

[quote]Originally posted by fahlman:

<strong>Come on guys! I was in the mood for some "Ol' Fashion Dell Bashin??® and no one wants to play along? Seriously, the point that I was trying to make is that again Apple leads the way and finally years later the rest of the PC market catches up.</strong><hr></blockquote>



Well Dell bashing is great when appropriate, but this time they aren't making any stupid claims of being first. Now if only they'd be bold enough to drop parallel, serial, and PS/2 ports.

stunned

[quote]Originally posted by Eugene:

<strong>



Well Dell bashing is great when appropriate, but this time they aren't making any stupid claims of being first. Now if only they'd be bold enough to drop parallel, serial, and PS/2 ports.</strong><hr></blockquote>



U mean Dell computers still have parallel ports!!!!! :eek:

eugene

[quote]Originally posted by stunned:

<strong>



U mean Dell computers still have parallel ports!!!!! :eek: </strong><hr></blockquote>



Of course...

pscates

Between broadband, wireless networking, CD-R drives everywhere, etc. 1.4MB floppies are about as useless these days as...



Well, I can't think of a good analogy, but you know what I'm talking about.



And yes, it will be nice to no longer (hopefully) get files from PC-using buddies on floppy disks and having to explain to them - again - that Apple ditched the floppy drive about a gazillion years ago (sure seems that way) and that "no, I can't use it...put it on a CD or e-mail it to me, puddinghead".

hamfistedbunvendor

OMG think of their market share!!!



Look out Apple, there's a Dell trying as hard as it can to get down to below Apple's market share!!!



Quick Apple ditch the mouse!!!



Repeat after me



"we must be smaller, we must be the smallest!!" <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[surprised]" />

flounder

I'm with Fahlman.

You've got to get in the spirit of things!

Stupid Dell......

I can't wait to see the AtAT spin on this!

mccrab

Dell has no credibility as far as driving innovation in the industry is concerned - he was first to criticise Apple for dropping the floppy drive only to subsequently turn 180 degrees and follow Apple's lead. Apple's strategy in this regard has been totally vindicated.



Another example of a recent reversal of strategy by Dell is in the retail concept...read this (from CNBC)...



[Ms. Herera noted that Dell Computer had so far resisted the move to open its own retail stores, unlike Gateway and Apple, and asked Mr. Dell if his company would ever consider doing so. "No, you know, we figured out 10 or 15 years ago that you don't need stores to sell computers," replied Mr. Dell. He added "We have stores; we call them online stores. Dell.com will generate close to US$20 billion in revenue for us this year. We think the best computer store in the world actually is at dell.com. Physical stores have been tried by a number of our competitors, and generally, actually I would say universally, that strategy hasn't panned out."]



Against this (Dell Press Release)?



"Customers have responded overwhelmingly to the kiosks and the chance to experience products before purchase" said Michael George, vice president of marketing for Dell's U.S. Consumer Business. "We are focused on bringing kiosks to more consumers as we get ready for the busy holiday season. "



Score: Apple 2: Dell 0



Only thing to add: definition of Dell - hollow, clearing, dip. Entirely appropriate.

fahlman

Flounder-



I'm glad to see someone having a little fun! If I ever make it back to the Twin Cities we'll have a beer or see a Twins game.



Go Twins. Koskie for league MVP!

cosmonut

[quote]Originally posted by fahlman:

<strong>"...there are better alternative technologies out there," said Mark Vena....

</strong><hr></blockquote>



Yeah...they're called MACS!



I'd now like to give a visual to my thought process when I originally found out Apple was ditching the floppy drive:



:eek: ... ... ... <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> ... <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> ... ...

flounder

[quote]Originally posted by fahlman:

<strong>Flounder-



I'm glad to see someone having a little fun! If I ever make it back to the Twin Cities we'll have a beer or see a Twins game.



Go Twins. Koskie for league MVP!</strong><hr></blockquote>



Hell yeah, too much seriousness in here