Are the systems fully tested? Does Dell have enough components on hand? Frankly, I'm not sure. But ultimately, it looks like it will take Dell three weeks to build and ship an Ubuntu Linux PC to me. Not terrible. But not exactly a rapid supply chain for the king of direct PC sales.
Here's the background: I ordered my new Dell Linux PC during Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-28). Originally, Dell informed me the PC would likely ship by June 12. But when I logged into Dell's Web site on June 12, I noticed two issues: A strange alert and a shipment delay.
First, the online alert stated: "The [Dell] system is undergoing routine maintenance. Please check back in a few minutes." So I did. Here I am 24 hours later, and that same note is displayed on the Dell online order system. Messages like that don' make customers feel very loved.
To Dell's credit, company bloggers have been informing customers that they are investigating the maintenance issue. It seems like Dell is really listening and reacting to the blogosphere. Kudos, Dell. You can find one of Dell's comments over at the AllAboutUbuntu.com blog.
Now for my second concern. I drilled down into my order status on Dell's Web site, and the estimated ship date for my PC is now June 19 -- rather than June 12 -- or roughly three weeks since I placed the order.
It's not a huge deal. I'm not depending on the new PC to run my business. Instead, I'll be testing Ubuntu as a lower-cost alternative to my trusted Apple (AAPL) PowerBook. But the extended wait for an Ubuntu Linux system from Dell seems a bit, um, strange.
I remain long on Dell, and continue to believe in Michael. But it seems even the most basic process at Dell -- building a new PC to order -- requires a little bit of polish.
Disclosure: Author has a long position in DELL
