Re: FN-FORUM Server prices - Dell vs Compaq etc

date posted 23rd January 2002 20:18

Dell support USED to be good, but I had heard that it had deteriorated. The
last server build I had was OK, but that wasn't recent. I've found getting
information about why ROMPaqs don't work and so on from Compaq quite
difficult, but I still think I'd go for Compaq servers if I could afford it,
but the PCs are horrid! Dell PCs are fine--only ever buy Optis and have no
probs with them. I spent some fixing Latitudes for the Halifax, so maybe I'd
source laptops elsewhere. For desktops and servers if you can't afford
Compaq, though, I think they're great.

Kathy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Felix Ritchie" [EMAIL REMOVED]
To: [EMAIL REMOVED]
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 6:23 PM
Subject: Re: FN-FORUM Server prices - Dell vs Compaq etc


> I've bought a couple of Dell servers, one PC and a laptop, but I don't
> think I'd do it again without a very good deal. The laptop never worked
> properly; and one of the servers it has taken over a year to get a problem
> solved (eventually they gave up and replaced the motherboard). The real
> problem is their customer service. I had to repeatedly call back, send
> emails both directly and through the CS pages, and still the promised
> drivers, returns of call etc never materialised. All this with next day
> onsite support. Someone did eventually turn up next day with a
motherboard,
> but only after I'd replaced all the firmware. Several times. In different
> orders. To their instructions. And then spent an hour on the phone to them
> explaining this.
>
> And more relevantly for Bob's client, the pre-installed software on the
> server wasn't much good. I expected to reconfigure them for the network,
> but the basic OS installation was almost useless.
>
> Now Compaq...I've only bought PCs but they were cheap (bought direct from
> Compaq), speedy and needed no further OS configuration - only addition of
> software and the network settings. Yes, their servers are expensive (can't
> get them direct, or at least you couldn't at the beginning of last year),
> on a like-for-like comparison. But then my last company bought its Compaq
> web server in 1997...and it's still happily serving several web sites,
> running Oracle, and doing a bit of streaming, all on 256Mb memory, a P266,
> and smallish RAID array. Ok, I believe it cost them about 20k when they
> bought it, but it's still going strong so I think they got a pretty good
deal.
>
> So I won't recommend Dell again, because if something goes wrong I don't
> trust them to sort it out. Of course, you can always get bargains so I
> never rule anyone out completely but I'd be very wary...
>
> I know this is a fairly limited sample, but so far Compaq's on top. I'd be
> interested to know what anyone else recommends.
>
> And of course I'd really like to recommend Macs because they're so pretty
> :-) (start another major war!)
>
>
> At 17:42 23/01/02 +0000, you wrote:
> >I'm very happy with my Dell servers and my three next day onsite support.
> >Better that f&^%ing Compaq! Although our local Compaq dealership are very
> >good. However you need to know how to spec your server if you buy from
Dell,
> >as their sales people are useless!! When I bought my first server about
five
> >years ago, the tech sales person was very good--now they just seem to
read
> >from the web site!!
> >
> >Kathy
> >----- Original Message -----
>
>
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