I thank you all for doing your computer dances for me... really very cool of you. I'm sorry to say I got another email this morning from the company I ordered my computer from: DELL (I was trying to be nice and not out them in a public forum, but I've had it at this point). And my computer is on backorder for another week. I cannot wait another week. I haven't been able to design in a month.

I even found this link where they talk about why the delays. Seems LOTS of folks are having them. Mine, I believe (since they refuse to actually TELL me when I call to ask), is related to the color I chose (spring green) and the LCD monitor. Soooooo, long story short, I think I'm going to go buy a Toshiba at a local store and cancel my Dell order later. Dell has just lost a long-time customer, and the person I spoke to in customer service didn't really seem to care too much.

What I don't understand is WHY they didn't put a moratorium on orders for certain products until they could get their backlog worked out. People are still ordering computers, completely unaware that it could take months to get them. That's just wrong to me. They mention halting production on their white finish, but what about the other colors that are delayed? And I'm sorry, but WHY can't they tell me if the projected ship date is reliable or not? The CS person I spoke to told me my computer was under construction, but the CS person I spoke to on 7/31 told me the exact same thing. I also never got the promised follow-up from the original calls I placed prior to calling today. So, I've had enough.

After I get the Toshiba tonight, I'm cancelling my Dell order. And I'm never ordering from them again. And I suggest you think long and hard before you order from them too. They've upset me in the past, and this was the last straw for me. And it looks like some of the folks commenting on the link I included above have been waiting a lot longer than I have.

Bye, Dell. It hasn't been so nice knowing you.

Of course, it's going to take me a lot of time to transfer all of my files (particularly with my crappy USB ports on my current computer) and load all of the new software in that I have to purchase AGAIN because most of what I have isn't Vista compatible. But I will be up and running soon, I hope.