Wednesday 11 August 2010
Dell Fail
Separate from the laptop discussion, I just bought a new home machine. I just wanted a generic PC, high-ish end for longevity and in case I (or someone else) wants to hack on it. This machine will definitely run Linux, but I'm going to keep the Windows 7 install in a partition in case we ever need it. So I'm going through Dell's Windows 7 first-run experience, and it's not great.
The initial Microsoft setup screens are pretty good, although it all seems to take longer than it should. Then you get to a Dell screen asking you to opt into some Dell stuff, which for some unfathomable reason is rendered in the Windows 95/2000 "Classic" theme, gray box scrollbars and all. It's ugly, jarring and totally mystifying.
Soon you're offered the chance to burn system recovery DVDs. I don't understand why they ask users to obtain blank DVDs and burn them instead of just shipping those DVDs; shipping them with every system would add a few dollars to the system cost, but probably save more in support calls and give a much better user experience.
The application that burns the recovery DVDs has one crazy screen that shows you some information and asks you to click "Next". But there is no "Next" button visible. But there's a vertical scrollbar! Scrolling down, you can get to a "Next" button. Of course, the window is not resizable, and it contains lots of blank vertical space so there is no possible reason why the "Next" button should not be visible.
Microsoft's initial Windows network setup asks you whether you're on a "Home", "Work" or "Public" network, which I bet is often hard for people to answer. I wonder how Windows uses that information. But right after choosing that option, the (preinstalled) McAfee antivirus software pops up an ugly little box in which you have to choose those same options again.
Of course I still have to analyze the system for the paid-to-be-there crapware (including McAfee) and uninstall most of it.
I'm genuinely curious about what motivates system vendors like Dell to sully what could have been a better experience. It's not apathy, since they obviously paid people to develop many of these "extras". Whatever it is, it's no surprise platform vendors want to sell directly to the customer instead of working through partners like Dell.
Comments
People usually come up with the wrong answer when they ask the wrong question.
(My solution: Boot Linux from a CD, fix the MBR. Boot Windows, unstall two Dell programs (I don't remember the name, the two are discussed various places on the web). Then book Linux from a CD and fix the MBR again. Much easier to disable the Dell software before dual-booting.)
I believe the LoJack software also re-writes the MBR so I didn't install that feature.
Back on topic: Its not as bad as it once was, but its still pretty bad. When I got my latest Windows desktop (also a Dell), I just wiped everything and installed the OS from scratch - it was just easier than dealing with all that crap. Thankfully, all the additional stuff was on a separate DVD (which isn't always the case).
This is due to them having installed such treats as "the Dell Dock" which is some hideous clipart lump at the top of the screen.
Suffice to say the (included) copy of Windows 7 went into the DVD drive and reformatted the lot.
First boot this time, 48 seconds. After restart, 15.
Morons
The Windows Folder sharing is for example deactivated for public.
The setup experience and crapware installations are why I tend to reinstall from original media when I get a new PC.
The Recovery Partition has all of the Dell "extras" in it, but the install DVD is simply Windows. I was conflicted on whether I would want any of the Dell "extras" and for a short time played around with trying to extract just Roxio out of the Dell Recovery Partition as a separate install. But in the end, the internet led me to believe the Dell Roxio adds no value to a Windows 7 system, and so I ended up blowing away the Recovery Partition entirely and doing a clean install of Windows 7 from the DVD. I had to go out to Dell's site to get all the drivers but aside from that small headache I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to escape the crapware path.
Likewise, those thin margins are partly an explanation for "crapware". If a software vendor like McAfee will pay a few dollars per system shipped with their product, it will go in to try and raise the profit per unit.
Dell, as far as I have found, has possibly some of the worst build and software quality here in the US. I'm not sure about how they are outside their home country, but I don't expect it's much better.
Home - "Network discovery" is on and you can create or join a "home group".
Work - "Network discovery" is on, but no access to "home groups".
Public - "Network discovery" and "home groups" are both unavailable. Windows Firewall (if enabled) starts blocking more applications and types of traffic unless they are whitelisted by the user.
The naming seems straightforward to me, but I agree that the presentation (referring to the network type as opposed to asking "Where are you?") could be better...
> I bet is often hard for people to answer.
That's all right. You can just click the red X and it'll be designated a public network.
> I wonder how Windows uses that information.
"Home" networks can have homegroups, which are really nice (easy file, music and printer sharing, but only as long as the computers are all Win7. "Work" networks are a little tighter, and "Public" networks have much stronger security rules.
Having McAfee immediately ask the same thing though, is pretty crappy.
Not sure about Dell, but in some cases if you need support to send you a CD, they will charge you more than enough to cover the cost of the CD, the postage and the support call.
It would still make sense overall to ship the CDs with the system, but if the consumer pays either way, then the supplier is going to go for the cheaper up-front price. Unfortunately...