That Dell Quote

Carl Franzen, writing for TPM:

Back in 1997, when Dell was still reporting major growth (despite not selling PCs through retail channels at the time), Dell’s CEO was asked about what a then-struggling Apple, Inc. should do to right itself. As Dell told an audience at the Gartner Symposium in Orlando, Florida (in words immortalized by CNET):

“What would I do? I’d shut it [Apple] down and give the money back to the shareholders.”

Asked about Dell’s comments 16 years later in the context of Dell’s privatization effort, a Dell spokesperson gave TPM the following statement:

“That comment has been taken out of context and is not relevant.”

By which they mean, “We need a drink.”

★ Tuesday, 5 February 2013