Micro,
Dell made all that right by the guy. It was a mistake on Dell's part. Stop spreading it around, okay? They are not anti-gun. Not necessarily pro, but not decidedly anti.
That said, I have been in a Dell shop for nearly 10 years. We have over 15,000 Dell computers (servers, desktops, and laptops). While not as good as an IBM, they are affordable. I will say that the quality has gone down since a decade ago. I guess the demand for more and less expensive has caused QC to drop. Laptops, servers, and desktops we bought 10 years ago were of much better quality, both internally and externally, than what I am getting today. We have had a rash of parts failures in the past 2 years, and this is on there business-grade equipment.
If you can afford an IBM (server, laptop, or desktop), get it. You won't be disappointed.
On a funny note--my procurement guy calls me yesterday and says I will be getting two IBMs to evaluate and to make sure they are around and visible when our Dell rep comes around for her bi-weekly meeting. Cruel, I know, but hey, we have said it over and over to them that the quality is going to hell, especially on the servers.
Greg