We had a customer ask us if the Dell XPS could come with Linux as an operating system. We didn't think so, but we hardly expected to get our head bitten off by "XPS Rep Ronnie"

We almost walked out on this one, we waited 9 minutes to get waited on. I guess the bigger the company, the less customer service?

7:53:38 PM System Welcome William Lee ...
7:53:38 PM System Connecting to server. Please wait...
7:53:38 PM System Thank you for using Dell Chat, a representative will be with you soon.
7:53:38 PM System Initial Question/Comment: Can the XPS come with Linux?
8:05:26 PM System You are now being connected to an agent. Thank you for using Dell Chat
8:05:26 PM System Connected with XPS Rep Ronnie
8:05:30 PM XPS Rep Ronnie Thank you for choosing Dell's Digital Home XPS Experience, my name is XPS Rep Ronnie, I will be your personal assistant today. Give me a moment to review your concern. Please don't go away.

(Even Ronnie Howard didn't wanna be called Ronnie as an adult....I sit here wondering if "XPS Rep Ronnie" has freckles and red hair) Just an aside, but one of the things people hate about restaurant work is the gay little names they give you, like "Tricia, C.U.T." which invites ridicule, and the insertion of the letter "N." into the credentials. It must be really humiliating to be called "XPS Rep Ronnie". I'd rather be found dead in my bathtub than be called "XPS Rep Ronnie".

8:05:36 PM XPS Rep Ronnie no it does not
8:05:50 PM XPS Rep Ronnie we do not support Linux

One of the things I hated was being told "We won't help you", or, "We don't support that." I usually want a reason. If we don't sell it here, it's because we don't like the quality of the component, or the manufacturer is difficult to deal with.

8:07:12 PM You why not?
8:08:08 PM XPS Rep Ronnie there is not a demand for Linux
8:09:06 PM You Wow, IT's like saying Dell has no support-but here you are. You say there is no demand for it, but yet I want it! Am I no one to you?

Funny, they never answered this question.

I wonder if XPS Rep Ronnie knows that TWO THIRDS of the world's web pages are hosted on Linux? I can load it for the customer, though...but I don't want to pay for the "Dell version" of Microsoft Windows, though. Maybe if I bought the computer without an operating system....Another thing-Dell DOES support Linux. For proof, click here! or here, or here, or here.

8:09:36 PM You Can I buy it without an operating system?
8:10:17 PM XPS Rep Ronnie sorry the only system without a OS is a desktop the E510
8:10:50 PM You So you are forcing me to buy an operating system that I don't want if I want a Dell?
8:11:10 PM XPS Rep Ronnie open-source
8:12:23 PM You ?
8:13:04 PM XPS Rep Ronnie look at the open-source for the N510 no OS on that unit.

Open Source is a way of programming that shares coding with other programmers. You can't "look at the open source" when you are trying to buy a computer. Probably someone told him to use a big word...Oh yeah, I did a search for the N510 and got nothing.

8:14:10 PM You I did a search on the dell site and it came back with no results, can you provide me with a link?
8:14:20 PM XPS Rep Ronnie sure
8:14:41 PM System XPS Rep Ronnie pushes page, http://www1.us.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/e510_nseries?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn

I just realized Rep Ronnie said N510, of which there is no Dell model. Probably why I got no results. I figured Ronnie would catch his mistake if I told him about it, but no...

8:15:11 PM You That's why, you said N510
8:15:34 PM XPS Rep Ronnie right
8:15:45 PM You The E510 is a desktop

Did you see that? He said N510, I told him there was no such thing, and he says "right". Then he goes on to say the E510 is a desktop....

8:16:10 PM XPS Rep Ronnie right that is the only system without an OS

So I looked up the E510. Nowhere, I mean nowhere, could I find a "Delete Operating System" option. And I looked.

8:16:18 PM You Sorry, I said XPS, I wanted the SPX laptop
8:16:23 PM You XPS (I get a little slysdexic with the s and x keys...hey, I include MY mistakes here too!)
8:16:41 PM XPS Rep Ronnie there is not one with out the OS
8:17:18 PM You And Dell is not willing to delete the OS to make the sale?
8:17:35 PM XPS Rep Ronnie we can't

I find this very hard to believe. All you have to do is NOT install the software! You can add RAM, which requires you take the computer apart, you can change hard drives, which is pretty major...but you can't have them NOT load software? Sounds fishy to me!

8:17:49 PM You can't?
8:18:21 PM You Are you required to have an OS on every computer?
8:20:04 PM XPS Rep Ronnie they will not remove a OS if you need it removed you will need to do it all system but the one desk top have OS installed now we have beat the horse to death

Wow. Ronnie gets UGLY. AND he shows his education with the run-on sentence, not pluaralizing "system" and by the way Ronnie, it's "desktop" not "desk top". I wouldn't press the point except he was hired for his communication skills, no doubt. Also notice it is obvious he is NOT Indian. When they are trying to sell you something, you get an American. When you have already plunked down your money, you get an Indian, not that I care WHERE my help comes from, but they don't speak English. Notice he says "They will not do it." I thought I was talking to "Them"! And I really don't like beating horses. I DO enjoy the occasional cow tipping though!

8:20:37 PM You I am truly sorry I have inconvenienced you. I will do so no more.

Yeah.. I got my "answer" from them. I'm done.

8:21:18 PM XPS Rep Ronnie not an inconvenience but we have no way to change the order system.
8:22:14 PM XPS Rep Ronnie sorry common tern around here.
8:22:23 PM XPS Rep Ronnie term

"Term." Sounds like a good idea. So I did.