Guide Note:

Dell Inc. was founded in 1984 in Austin, Texas, as a company that built and sold personal computers for both businesses and consumers. The concept of providing computers with the latest high-tech software and the fewest moving parts at an affordable price has led Dell to become one of the top-25 companies on the Fortune 500 list. Today, the company also provides various offshoots in the PC world, manufacturing and distributing not only desktop computers, but also servers, notebooks, printers, and peripherals.

Fast Facts:

1. NASDAQ Ticker Listing: DELL
2. Founded in 1984
3. Dell CEO: Michael Dell
4. Headquarters: Round Rock, TX
5. Employees: 95,000
6. 2007 Fortune 500 listing: 34th largest company

Customizing your computer

One of the innovative ideas that helped launch Dell into the national consciousness was their ability in the beginning to offer customers the ability to customize the exact specifications of each computer ordered. Rather than forcing consumers to be 'pigeon-holed' into a standardized computer, Dell offered the opportunity for customers to not only pick and choose the options they wanted, but to pre-assemble them as well.

Dude, you're getting a Dell!

Dell was also a pioneer in the area of marketing and shipping of their products, offering customers the ability to purchase from catalogs to computer magazines, and eventually through the internet, rather than forcing them to go to a local store. Dell was also one of the first to offer 24-hour technical support through both telephone and internet connections. Additionally, Dell has offered enticements such as free shipping and free add-on products, such as printers.