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Don't buy Photoshop, (or any downloadable software), from Dell

Gorgonzola

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Yesterday I bought and paid for Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022 from Dell. This is product is available only by download -- but I can't download it because the info Dell provides isn't what Adobe requires for the download.

Dell send you an email that directs you to your order; from there you go to your "Digital Locker". There, click on 'Important Note', and you see a pop-up that gives you a link to Adobe.

You go to the Adobe and login with your Adobe account, (which you have to create if you don't have one). That do, you eventually get to Adobe's digital locker equivalent. Adobe demands that you enter a 24 digit "code to redeem your purchase" which you supposedly got from Dell, (the retail vendor) -- except that no Dell document provides the necessary redemption code. Dell provides an 'Entitlement ID' but that doesn't work as a redemption code. At this point you SOL.

I contacted Dell's Order Support via email with the Order ID, Dell Purchase ID, and my Customer Number. Soon I got back email for Order Support giving me link to Technical Support " as they are specialized in resolving such issues." So I clicked to the Tech Support link and I ordered the product as "Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022" -- it turns out that Technical Support doesn't support Photoshop.

I looked for a Chat option under Order Support but Chat was available at that time of day.

What a fiasco. :mad:
 

ZolaIII

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Don't buy anything from Dell period!
When I saw a lot of Dell's equipment behind a "game developer" studio in new Matrix it became obviously... not real.

A grunch (BIOS exploits in the paste along with many disappointing peaces of equipment and they fail rate [including but not exclusive to inflated battery's in their laptop lines recently] and cetera), probably yes.
 

mhardy6647

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Don't buy anything from Dell period!
Sadly, at this point, I, too, think this is good advice.
I was a big Dell fan for a long time. I lost faith ;) when a lappie I bought when I retired (admittedly a cheap one) suffered display issues one week out of warranty.
Dell also seems like one of the more serious offenders in terms of bundling useless and obtrusive bloatware with, at least, their "home user" 'putes.

I've been pretty keen on Lenovo for over a decade now. The business lappies are (still) very well built and serviceable, although not inexpensive.

We just got Mrs. H a cheap(er) Lenovo "Ideapad". Time, obviously, will tell how it holds up (it's not built with the Thinkpad level of toughness, but at least parts of the case are metal), but, at the least, it wasn't crammed with too much cr@p I had to disable or uninstall when we set it up.

When I saw a lot of Dell's equipment behind a "game developer" studio in new Matrix it became obviously... not real.
Umm, I thought that was the whole Idea of The Matrix. ;)
 

RickSanchez

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I've been pretty keen on Lenovo for over a decade now. The business lappies are (still) very well built and serviceable
Agreed. My daily driver is an Asus ZenBook (me trying to look cool in front of all the Macbook Air kids despite me needing Windows :cool:) but I still own a Lenovo ThinkPad from ~12 years ago. Even after all these years it still runs great despite the wear & tear. It's never given me a single issue, and easy to service / upgrade.

As for Dell ... I have a number of friends in Austin who have worked for Dell. Can't say I've ever heard them say anything positive about their experiences there.
 

sarumbear

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Yesterday I bought and paid for Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022 from Dell. This is product is available only by download -- but I can't download it because the info Dell provides isn't what Adobe requires for the download.
In principal I only buy from the producer/publisher direct.
 

mhardy6647

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Agreed. My daily driver is an Asus ZenBook (me trying to look cool in front of all the Macbook Air kids despite me needing Windows :cool:) but I still own a Lenovo ThinkPad from ~12 years ago. Even after all these years it still runs great despite the wear & tear. It's never given me a single issue, and easy to service / upgrade.
My cannon fodder lappie is a T430 that I bought used. :)
(still) Works great.

EDIT: The best part about the Thinkpads is their ruggedness. In a pinch, one can use a Thinkpad to drive nails in the absence of an actual hammer. I wouldn't recommend it for framing work, but fine for finish carpentry. ;)

In seriousness, the hinges are the value-add in Thinkpads. We've had several cheapie lappies that worked fine but became rather literal basket cases due to broken cases and/or hinges from stress. Thinkpads seem to be more or less immune to being dropped onto hard surfaces, as well -- and please don't ask me how I know this. :facepalm:
 
OP
Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola

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In principal I only buy from the producer/publisher direct.
Evidently that is the best idea.

Moments ago I had a lengthy Chat with Dell Order Support -- they were clueless but promised to follow up. Once again, they first suggested I contact Tech Support but confirmed that Tech Support doesn't support Photoshop Elements -- why should they? PE is an Adobe product, no a Dell product.
 
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mhardy6647

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Evidently that is the best idea.

Moments ago I had a lengthy Chat with Dell Order Support -- they were clueless but promised to follow up. Once again, they first suggested I contact Tech Support but confirmed that Tech Support doesn't support Photoshop Elements -- why should they, PE is an Adobe product, no a Dell product.
I'd click "like" but, sadly, there's (almost) nothing to like here. :(
Well... at least Dell's being somewhat responsive.

We need a commiserate button which we can click!
 

JeffS7444

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IME, at the enterprise level, sometimes you do want to buy your software + hardware as a package from a company like Dell, when they accept responsibility for ensuring that the combo works. Not necessary for a single application like Photoshop Elements, but potentially a much bigger deal if you're talking about VMware or Nutanix virtualization environments. This sort of high-level enterprise support + logistics (like getting you the replacement power supply you neglected to keep in stock) is what Dell does well.

Dell Digital Locker, and various support portals: Yeah, this baffled me too, but eventually I figured out the magic combo which connected me with the right people with the insider know-how. In the OP's case, I think this isn't an Application Support issue, it's an Order Support issue. Maybe best to see if order can be canceled, then purchase directly from Adobe?
 
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Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola

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IME, at the enterprise level, sometimes you do want to buy your software + hardware as a package from a company like Dell, when they accept responsibility for ensuring that the combo works. Not necessary for a single application like Photoshop Elements, but potentially a much bigger deal if you're talking about VMware or Nutanix virtualization environments. This sort of high-level enterprise support + logistics (like getting you the replacement power supply you neglected to keep in stock) is what Dell does well.

Dell Digital Locker, and various support portals: Yeah, this baffled me too, but eventually I figured out the magic combo which connected me with the right people with the insider know-how. In the OP's case, I think this isn't an Application Support issue, it's an Order Support issue. Maybe best to see if order can be canceled, then purchase directly from Adobe?
Yeah, I contacted Dell Order Support for a 3rd time; this time they promise to refund my money ... I'll believe it when I see it, though.

I'll order directly from Adobe, hopefully after I get my refund.

I only order from Dell because I bought a laptop for my wife from them late last year; that when smoothly and the laptop works well.
 

maverickronin

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My MSP is a Dell shop. Their warranty and support is much better than HP or Lenovo. Lenovo, especially the Thinkpads that still have some IBM heritage, might not need the warranty as much though.

OFC, the other important thing to note is that no matter which brad you go with, generally skip their "consumer" tier entirely and go straight to the "business" models if you want decent quality.
 

anmpr1

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My MSP is a Dell shop. Their warranty and support is much better than...

OFC, the other important thing to note is that no matter which brad you go with, generally skip their "consumer" tier entirely and go straight to the "business" models if you want decent quality.
If a company buys a thousand, or ten thousand, or a hundred thousand licenses, they are going to get better treatment that the guy trying to download one copy, for his home PC. The enterprise also has its own IT department, and can generally troubleshoot in-house; if not, someone responsible can get on the horn and obtain OEM support quickly.

The days of an individual user going to ComputerLand or Babbages to pick up a DOS upgrade, possibly an After Dark screensaver, and a copy of Microsoft Works for Windows are long gone, for sure. The upside is that prices generally came down, with direct downloads. Until... the never ending subscription model. That has to be the biggest consumer rip off ever. The idea that you will 'rent' your software, paying monthly, for the rest of your life. Who came up with that idea?

Software as a service? For the enterprise, a Red Hat sub might make sense for your corporate back end. For the guy at home, writing a few memos, or using Excel to track expenses? Why would I want a subscription to Word? When I owned a typewriter I kept it until it broke. I never considered buying (upgrading--what a bogus term) to a new typewriter just because Smith Corona came out with an newer model, that did the same thing as the old one.

In any case I'd definitely buy from the software maker than a third party selling you a download key. I think that probably makes better sense.
 

ThatM1key

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Before Christmas of 2015 or 2016 or 2017 (I cant remember good), my father let me choose: Buy a "real computer" Asus desktop with a i5 6500 and a GTX 950 or a Dell "Desktop" that had a i7 6700 and a AMD R9 360 (Same performance as a GTX 950). I choose the Dell because of the i7 6700. It ironically came with Windows 7 Pro, but I later upgraded to Windows 10 Pro. Dell gladly me offered me a ISO copy of Windows 7 & 10 but eventually they "delisted" it and said I had to contact Dell Support to get the W7 ISO now. That Dell had a very restrictive upgrade path and eventually, I scooped out the good parts and build a "real computer" with my father. What I liked about my Dell was that it was actually cheaper to buy that then to build your own, just like the old Dell's. Nowadays you pay more with Dell and get less, I don't know why people still buy from that company.

Eventually my brother got a Dell "Gaming" desktop for Christmas but Dell fucked us over. Instead of giving us Water-cooling and a speedy NVME drive, they give us a stock fan cooler with a slow 1TB? hard drive, not even a damn SSD, classic switch and bait. Mind you the water-cooling version sold for the same money. It wasn't like it was slow computer, it had a AMD R7 1700 and a AMD RX 480. Water-cooling is a stupid idea for a non-overclockable CPU but I am salty that they gave us that slow hard drive instead of an NVME drive. At least his Dell has a better upgrade path but he wants to "rebuild it" like I did. I don't blame him, Dell motherboards are garbage.
 

mhardy6647

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When I owned a typewriter I kept it until it broke. I never considered buying (upgrading--what a bogus term) to a new typewriter just because Smith Corona came out with an newer model, that did the same thing as the old one.
So... I guess you missed out on the ink cartridge Coronamatic, then? ;)

I do feel moved to mention, based on recent activity in this thread, that the very last computer I had in my RFT employee days was a business class Dell lappie (Platinum or Titanium or something like that) which was nice looking, had a good 'feel', and seemed very ruggedly built compared to the ornery Dells of the era. That was almost nine years ago now, so I don't know what a 2022 business-class Dell lappie's like.
 

anmpr1

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Before Christmas of 2015 or 2016 or 2017 (I cant remember good), my father let me choose: Buy a "real computer" Asus desktop with a i5 6500 and a GTX 950 or a Dell "Desktop" that had a i7 6700 and a AMD R9 360 (Same performance as a GTX 950).
One thing to consider: a Dell PC (or any major brand such as HP) may have the same component part designation as what you would get from an independent licensed retail maker, but it might not benchmark as high as what you could possibly buy on the open market. For instance, a Dell GTX 950 might not sport the same overall performance as a GTX 950 from MSI, or Zotec, or Gigabyte etc. Whether any variance will make a practical difference for the home user...

On the other hand, Dell (or HP) is certainly able to offer the same model number graphics card for a whole lot less than an individual out on his own can buy, from Best Buy, or any of the other big box stores (if you can find one to buy). So even if your card 'underperforms' in this or that benchmark, in today's inflated and scarce marketplace, going with Dell (or other major maker) might be the best (or only practical) way.

With the market as it is, and as quickly as tech changes, upgrading discrete components is probably not an important consideration as it used to be. I think the best advice is to buy the most you can afford, use it until you can't use it anymore, and then look for something entirely new.
 

ThatM1key

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One thing to consider: a Dell PC (or any major brand such as HP) may have the same component part designation as what you would get from an independent licensed retail maker, but it might not benchmark as high as what you could possibly buy on the open market. For instance, a Dell GTX 950 might not sport the same overall performance as a GTX 950 from MSI, or Zotec, or Gigabyte etc. Whether any variance will make a practical difference for the home user...

On the other hand, Dell (or HP) is certainly able to offer the same model number graphics card for a whole lot less than an individual out on his own can buy, from Best Buy, or any of the other big box stores (if you can find one to buy). So even if your card 'underperforms' in this or that benchmark, in today's inflated and scarce marketplace, going with Dell (or other major maker) might be the best (or only practical) way.

With the market as it is, and as quickly as tech changes, upgrading discrete components is probably not an important consideration as it used to be. I think the best advice is to buy the most you can afford, use it until you can't use it anymore, and then look for something entirely new.
I know those different versions of those cards perform basically the same. I wouldn't buy anything new ASUS, there whole RMA system is shit there. If get anything new that's broken from ASUS they'll offer you a "refurbished" product in return. If I'm paying new, I would pay higher to avoid ASUS.
 

anmpr1

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So... I guess you missed out on the ink cartridge Coronamatic, then? ;)
Yeah... I lied. You caught me. I actually did upgrade typewriters. My first SC portable used a ribbon spool. When Smith came out with the cartridge, that was great. Very modern. I actually bought a new typewriter. The way it worked: you slid in a correction tape, or a different color ink ribbon cartridge. I had a red, black, and I think a blue one. There was a film ribbon you could use once, for 'professional' looking type. And the regular cloth type you used for drafts. My machine had a memory-- I could go back a few characters and 'retype' them with the push of a button after using the erase tape. I forgot about all that.

But then word processing happened, and with a dot matrix printer, it was all over for my trusty Smith Corona.

On a lark, I recently looked into dot matrix printers. In the day, you could pick one up for next to nothing. Panasonic, Okidata, and others. Mine used a carton of fan fold paper, and you could run off pages and pages of print on the cheap. When I checked, there are only a few made, they are expensive as hell, and everyone complains about the printer to PC interface, and lack of functional Windows drivers. LOL
 

anmpr1

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I've been thinkin' of goin' full-scale retro & hooking up a TTY with current-loop interface ;)
Off topic, but maybe of historical interest. Folks often complain about high inkjet cost. And it is a good complaint. Laser is cheaper, but the upfront cost is higher. Then there was dot matrix. For the most part a forgotten technology.

Dot matrix was great because 1) printers, paper, and ribbons were relatively cheap and 2) the machines printed fast (dependent upon pin resolution). Why it was important was because Internet service (really, on-line BB or bulletin board access--Internet per se came later) was charged per minute of access, and everyone was using a telephone modem--often 48K. In fact, my IBM PS/1 (not the business oriented PS/2) had a 2400 baud telephone line modem, and sometimes you had to connect at 12K.

I used the GEnie on line service, at night, because the charge was less. Upstream, using 'inactive' GE mainframes, offering the service as a way to give the company some x-tra income during off peak hours, as the computers ran 24/7.

Most users ran a script (called Aladdin) that would go into the various 'forums' and download selected comments. Then, it would automatically log out (to save $). You could print them all out using whatever printer you had. There was no inkjet, and laser was not consumer tier. Popular models were the Epson, Okidata or Panasonic. It was the only way to do it without breaking the bank. LOL

I don't even think Dell was a thing, at that time.
 
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