I'm getting a Dell

OK, don't laugh at me and just appreciate that fact that the word "dude" did not appear in the title of this blog post. I have something to tell you that may scare you:

I have never bought my own computer.

I know! I've gotten 2 old ones from my dad and I bought one from someone on campus years back but I didn't end up liking it (I think it's in my garage somewhere). But I have never, ever bought a new computer.

One of the great things at Microsoft is that we are encouraged to use our own technology. That's one of the reasons that many people keep their personal stuff on their work machines. It's not as verboten as it is at other companies. But earlier this year, when I scanned in my family photos, I felt a little weird. I loaded them to a disc but I wasn't able to delete them from my machine. I'm scared.

Also, I've had a little trouble with my external hard drive (do I need to remind you that I am not technical? Yep, they still let me work here). So as I write this, my music sits on my work computer hard drive (shhhhh, don't tell). I have used it for events I've run but still, I want to get it off of there.

Anyway, it was time to be a big girl and get my own computer. And Dell was having a sale on Inspiron notebooks. So there you go. I ordered one and get this: it's even pretty! Should be here in a couple of weeks. I can't help it, I'm excited. I thought I needed help buying this (from an advice standpoint) but I totally didn't. And I think that there's something a little liberating about admitting that "pretty" comes into play when I buy something like this (just like it did with the Scooter....so?). It all goes back to that concept of it giving me pleasure when I look at it. It's all my right brain stuff. I like order and beauty.

Hey, maybe I am crossing over to the nerdy side if I can get excited about a computer.

Comments

• Anonymous
  May 25, 2008
  Heather, you couldn't have made a better choice. I just got an Inspiron 1525 for my wife and she loves it (not to mention liberating me to go back to my linux ways on our desktop, muahahaha) Now we just need to get Steve Ballmer off of Toshiba and over to Dell. -Dan (Disclaimer: I work for, though I do not speak for, Dell)

• Anonymous
  May 26, 2008
  DanF - love the evil laugh. I got a 1525 too. I even got one of the fancy schmancy ones with the pretty outside. Can't wait to get it! I haven't had a Dell before, I don't think. Right now I have a Lenovo (for work) and my previous laptops were all Toshiba, I believe.

• Anonymous
  May 26, 2008
  I have 2 Dell's. A desktop and laptop. A 1525 that I just got. Love them both. I have a Lenovo at work that is full of bugs and takes 10 minutes to turn on and cycle through all the startup stuff it goes through.

• Anonymous
  May 26, 2008
  Congrats on your new Dell.  I've worked with several, and also with IBM's and Compaq's, and have always been happiest with Dell. And welcome to the nerdy side.  You'll like it here.

• Anonymous
  May 27, 2008
  Heather and Dan I work for Dell too and wanted to say thanks to you both :-)

• Anonymous
  May 28, 2008
  Thank you, Heather. I work at Dell and am proud that you are our customer. Hope you enjoy your 1525. Did you get a specific color? I got a pink one for my daughter and she absolutely loves it.

• Anonymous
  May 29, 2008
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  May 30, 2008
  I'm amazed that this post has made it so far without any Dell bashers. :) Dell's have been good to my family so far. Six in the past decade and only one of them is dead, and that was when the power supply quit after 7-8 years when it wasn't powerful enough to be exciting anyway. I do like what Dell's doing with aesthetics as well. They're looking nicer than just about anything except maybe a Sony or a Mac.