Home users...
From a quick glance at this thread, most of these retards are buying from Dell HOME division. First mistake. NEVER EVER buy from home, always order from the business side of the operation, then you get treated like a human being. The machine build quality is better and the support is better.
And also, I completely agree with Ian @ 21:10! It's simply suicide to keep large inventories stocked in the computing business. Technology can change in the blink of an eye, leaving you with stock that isn't worth half what it was when you bought it 12 hours ago. Can anyone think of any companies that enjoy screwing people over in this way... whats that you say? You can't? How about Apple, that bunch of useless wankers that bring out new machines or MASSIVE price reductions with no warning to the end user before they order!
Bottom line is, if you want RECENT hardware at reasonable prices, use your fucking brains and don't expect people like Dell to keep it on ice, it isn't feasible. Simple as. Perhaps also do SOME of your xmas shopping more than two weeks in advance when you KNOW that theres going to be competition for certain things. Like computers. It's pants-on-head retarded to do anything else.
(and yes I know the Apple-bash was a little off topic, but it is a valid point)