Your Blog was inspired by customers who share ideas and solutions every day in IdeaStorm, Direct2Dell and our Community Forums. Our goal here is to provide an enjoyable spot to share, converse, learn, inspire and nurture creativity enabled by personal technology.

You can be a casual reader, an avid participant or anything in between. If your leanings are to participate, check out the right-hand corner of the main page and submit post ideas based on what you love to do — and how you do it – whether it’s gaming, photography, music, film, fashion, social media or some other tech-enabled passion. We’ll prime the creative pipeline with conversations gleaned from the Web and from subject-matter experts at Dell, but our top priority is to post your best ideas, and we may ask whether you’d be interested in contributing a bylined post or two.

The most important point is that Your Blog is just that, yours. We look forward to providing a place worthy of hanging out from time to time, and together proving that helpful ideas and good conversations are boundless.

The Your Blog Doctrine

First of all, we promise to not use words like “doctrine” often, if ever. Still, you have to admit that it gives this section a hint of class. Anyway, our doctrine is very similar to the operating principles you’ll find behind many of the best tech blogs. So basically, if you’ve ever been active on a blog, or even held a conversation with someone and didn’t get punched in the nose, you’ll be fine here with us at Your Blog.

Rules of Engagement for Your Blog Readers

1. Your Blog is all about conversations. Just because you are sitting at a computer keyboard doesn’t mean that the basic rules of conversation no longer apply. Be honest. Be polite and respectful. For goodness sake, be interesting. And most importantly, be yourself. If we all keep that in mind then we’ll be free to engage in informal, productive and candid dialogues that we can all learn from. We’ll listen to what you have to say, as well as let you know what is up with us. What we want is something much more interesting and fun to do than the formal, one-way channels of communication of the past. Let’s face it, the days of Mr. Big Boy Corporate telling you how to think about his products are so 2005, and we are as eager for a change as you are.

2. Your Blog is for and about people who use technology to pursue their passions. We’ll discuss the things you care about on this blog: gaming, photography, music, film, fashion, social media, on and on. If you care about it and if it has anything to do with technology, chances are it’ll be discussed here. We want to share what we know about the tech toys on the market and hear what you think are the best products, tips and ideas to help each other do more with technology. That being said, if we think a topic or comment falls outside these broad topic areas, we may direct you to another Dell community.

3. You should always be respectful and ethical, no matter what the situation. We CAN all just get along. Just keep the dialogue civil when you’re involved in a blog conversation and we’re good. We are NOT going to post comments that are spam, inappropriate, inaccurate, profane or defamatory in any way. Nope. No how – no way – can’t make us do it. And don’t even try to slip something illegal by us like infringing on any patents, trademarks or copyrights or sharing confidential information. And for Pete’s sake, don’t try and pitch our readers on any commercial interests.

Our Commitments

1. Your Blog will be open to a wide range of contributors, including a range of Dell employees, partners, customers, bloggers and readers like you. If you have a tip or idea that helps people do more with technology, give it up. Just submit it directly to Your Blog in the ”Idea Submission” section of the main page. We will look them over and post as many as possible, giving full credit to the contributor. And while you’re submitting things, if you see a way that we could improve the functionality of this blog, tell us. This community is yours to create.

2. Your Blog is an extension of Dell’s direct model where we learn and improve by listening to customers. Our parents always told us we were smart, but we really don’t know what you are thinking unless you tell us. Comments are a great way for us to know what’s on the minds of others. Of course, we may not always agree with the comments and we’ll undoubtedly have to check our egos at the door from time to time. But we will listen. We will listen closely to see what we can learn and improve. Comments will go live on the site and we will moderate in reverse so the conversation can go full speed….we will do our best to respond, where appropriate, within 24 hours.

3. Think straight, talk straight. We will think before we post and strive to have good judgment in all blog interactions. We trust you’ll call us on it if we fall short, but just remember that it works both ways.

4. Our corporate values and policies will guide what we say. Each and every Dell employee commits themselves to acting in a professional and ethical manner in every situation. This is described in the Dell Code of Conduct, a document that we stringently adhere to. All postings on Your Blog will follow these same guidelines.

5. We are committed to your privacy. Your privacy will be respected. Big Brother we are not. Any customer information collected on Your Blog will be used only to provide the service(s) or carry out the transaction(s) you have requested or authorized. We don’t accept spam, we don’t dish spam. Your Blog will operate in compliance with Dell’s Online Policies.

Now then, Dell reserves the right to amend or change this doctrine – there’s that word again – at any time. In fact, even when we aren’t doing any amendments, we’ll be changing the presentation of the policies from time to time. Consider it our little creative outlet. You are invited to check back periodically to ensure you are in compliance, but encouraged to come back and see what little nugget of fun we’ve added.

And now, the stuff we promised the lawyers we would include without adding any personality:

By submitting content, including your photo, you acknowledge Dell may use your name, pseudonym, or nickname or any other name you supply in connection with the content as well as all or part of the content itself at its sole discretion and without compensation. You acknowledge that all statements of fact made are true and all statements of opinion are solely your own and genuine to the best of your knowledge. You confirm that you have received no direct or indirect payment from Dell and that no other authority or permission other than your own is required to submit content to this site. You understand that there is no special relationship such as employee, agent or otherwise between you and Dell and that if your post is about Dell or Dell’s product and services, that you have no material connection to or interest in Dell that is not fully disclosed.

If you submit a photo, please make sure it is only a photograph of yourself. You agree to not post any content that infringes any third party’s copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy or that provides any non-public information about Dell or any other company or person without proper authorization to do so.

Some of the content posted to the Site is provided by third parties like you. Dell is not responsible or liable for, and disclaims all liability arising out of, any content posted by you or any third party. You release and hold harmless Dell and all its affiliated entities and personnel with respect to any claims, damages, costs, losses and expenses, including attorneys fees arising out of any content on this site. If any disputes arise, venue will be in Travis County, Texas and this agreement will be governed by Texas law.

Thanks for visiting Your Blog. Here’s hoping you have as much fun with it as we will. (April 2008)