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Todays' funny: What a great comic!!!

:pi: Ok, so I think I've discovered two design flaws in the Dell Optiplex GX240 model. We have approximately 35 of those machines running here on the network, and at least once a week I'm having to fix someone's CD drive. Why, you might ask?

First problem -- They unplug themselves. I know, it sounds impossible. But I can't count how many times one of the users has called me to say their CD drive has disappeared. I go, open up their mini-tower and sure enough the plug is just kinda laying off to the side. The first few times it happened, Dell actually sent us a replacement CD drive. But it kept on happening. I think they just haven't designed the junction tightly enough. These aren't like full-CD drives anyway with the separate cables -- everything runs through one connector and it's less than an inch long. Sacrificing secure connections isn't a good idea just to keep everything smaller for the mini-tower workstation.

Second problem with the CD drive is that CD's often "disappear" inside them. You have to open up the computer, pop out the CD drive, and the CD is trapped between the drive and the side of the computer. It's bizarre. Again, I bet I do this for a user at least once a week.

:pc: This adds up to quite a bit of time fixing something that shouldn't even be a problem in the first place. I'm trying to get in contact with our Dell representative to see if they can remedy the situation somehow (maybe give me 35 brand new machines!! I know. I'm dreaming!!).

Thank goodness we have nice full-size Dell's at home where all the parts are the right size and haven't been downsized to fit a teeny tower. I :heartbeat: my dell.