From owner-freebsd-questions Tue Jun 16 19:40:44 1998 Return-Path: Received: (from majordom@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) id TAA20330 for freebsd-questions-outgoing; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 19:40:44 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG) Received: from smtp1 (smtp.snet.net [204.60.3.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id TAA20323 for ; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 19:40:42 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from metcalf@snet.net) Received: from daisy.snet.net (mail.snet.net [204.60.7.83]) by smtp1 (8.8.8/8.8.8/SNET-bmx-1.1) with ESMTP id WAA03682; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:40:43 -0400 (EDT) Received: from snet.net (nrwc-sh6-port167.snet.net [204.60.43.167]) by daisy.snet.net (8.8.8/8.8.8/SNET-pop-1.1) with ESMTP id WAA29840; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:40:40 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <35872C67.DB13ED99@snet.net> Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 22:39:35 -0400 From: "Jeffrey M. Metcalf" X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.05 [en] (X11; U; FreeBSD 2.2.6-RELEASE i386) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Sean Harding CC: FreeBSD Questions Subject: Re: Anyone using FreeBSD with Dell Dimension Hardware? References: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG Sean Harding wrote: > > Optiplex, Optiplex, Optiplex. The Dimensions are mostly junk. We bought > some, and they were horrible. The problem is that the Dimension is the > consumer model. Dell goes with whatever is cheapest that week when they > are building the machines and make no guarantees even of the compatibility > of the components together (this is information direct from Dell-we are a > major public university, and buy a lot of computers). > > You'll probably get some responses saying they are good. There are, of > course, lots of people who have had good experiences with them. But few of > them buy computers on the scale which the departments here do. The ones > who have made the mistake of buying the Dimensions have *all* been sorry > they did... > > My honest recommendation would be to hand pick parts and build it > yourself, but if you must have a Dell, Optiplex is the only one worth > shelling out money for. > > Sean > > -- > Sean Harding sharding@oregon.uoregon.edu|"Life is a sleazy stranger > http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~sharding/ | & this is his favorite bar." > NeXTMail OK! | --Ani DiFranco Sean, Thank you so much for your reply. You may sway my decision away from Dell entirely. Unfortunately, I think I can only get the Dimension model on my corporate discount. I have a co-worker who runs his own computer company and builds them, however he knows nothing about FreeBSD. I'm also not sure how much time I want to spend (how much time I really have is what I mean) researching every single component going into my machine. I was hoping basically to find a good consumer level machine that will satisfy my (basic) FreeBSD needs. Perhaps I should call the Dell consumer line and see if I can work out a discount on an Optiplex, however, I am not too optimistic. I will say though that three years ago I bought a Packard Bell Legend 132CDT by the seat of my pants assuming everything would work with FreeBSD. I guess I was very lucky since everthing did. I'm sure Packard Bell uses the same (if not worse) practices as Dell with regard to consumer level machines, which mine undoubtedly is. Thanks again or your reply. JM -- Jeffrey M. Metcalf metcalf@snet.net http://pages.cthome.net/metcalf/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message