Dell: Opteron Listing on Web Site a Mistake

Officials at Dell Computer Corp. pulled an ad for an AMD Opteron processor that appeared on the companys Web site Wednesday, saying the posting intended for a select set of customers mistakenly reached the general customer base.

Dell offered an Opteron 148 processor from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. in its public “Software and Peripherals” store, apparently for more than 24 hours. Dell officials said the posting was a genuine listing designed for specific customers but that the processor was never intended to be sold to Dells general customer base.

A company spokesman said the listing was part of Dells Premier Pages, designed as customer-specific Internet portals that offer products including ones Dell does not ordinarily carry. The Premier Pages are billed as secure, unique portals where customers can buy a variety of products in a sort of one-stop shop.

Although Dell does not offer AMD processors, the PC and server giant offered to serve as a middleman, reselling the Opteron processor to the customer, Dell spokesman Bruce Anderson said.

Dell of Round Rock, Texas, has remained a steadfast Intel-only customer that has never offered a server or PC with an AMD processor. Dell officials have said they test AMD processors—strictly on an evaluation basis—inside their labs. The spokesman said Dells plans remain unchanged.

“There is no change to our strategy; were still offering Intel-only systems,” Anderson said Wednesday afternoon.

The listing offered the Opteron 148 for sale at $869.47. The processor was listed as manufacturer part #OSA148BOX and Dell part #A0297790.

“We inadvertently got it posted to the (public) software and peripherals site as well,” Anderson said. The public listing was “deactivated” Wednesday afternoon, he added.

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