Dell prices out of whack, security company fights back

Thanks to the many readers who offered cures for the Geek Flu that’s been kicking my behind for the past few weeks. Most of the cures seem to operate by drowning the flu virus in alcohol. You don’t necessarily get better; you just don’t mind being so sick. But I feel much better now.

Selling the Dell Way: Reader Mark C. was shopping for a memory upgrade for a Dell OptiPlex when he discovered something curious: Dell.com was charging different prices for identical products. Depending on the link he followed, the 256MB SIMM cost either $88 (Small Business), $99 (Home & Home Office), or $110 (Medium & Large Business). A Dell spokesmaven says that’s just the way they do things: Each segment sets its own pricing, and consumers are free to pick the one that’s cheapest. I’m still waiting for them to offer a $99 Linux laptop.

From Romania With Love: Poor BitDefender can’t get no respect. In October, a McAfee affiliate bought a Google ad claiming to “remove the BitDefender virus.” In January, Microsoft’s AntiSpyware beta flagged the Bucharest-based security company’s virus scanner as spyware. Then a virus claiming to be a security alert from BitDefender’s support department circulated on the Net. In a security alert released to the media, BitDefender said that it does not issue security alerts -- at least not from its support department, says spokeshuman Ioana Spirodonica. And no, BitDefender was not responsible for that bogus story about the Romanian baby named Yahoo.

Support Your Local Zombie: An anonymous Cringester shared a résumé from a job seeker who claimed fluency in Dilhok, a fictional language used by ghouls in an unpublished novel. Appropriately enough, he was applying for a help desk position, where being one of the undead might actually prove an advantage.

Love Notes: Before swallowing Ma Bell, SBC hid a message in its home page’s HTML reassuring AT&T customers, “We’re here to stay.” Also found: a note from SBC’s Ed Whitacre to AT&T Chief Dave Dorman saying, “Thanks for last night, I never merged like that before.”

Got hot tips or inside dope? Deliver them unto cringe@infoworld.com, and ye may receive a nifty new bag.