[gamble]

I don't see what advantages Dell hopes to gain by going private. Dell has always been a one-trick pony: reduce the cost of PCs and servers by eliminating retail operations and manufacturing to-order or overseas. Everyone caught up to Dell a decade ago. Their problem today is that they provide nothing distinctive and occupy a stagnant market niche. Are they planning some sort of outrageously-expensive pivot to Apple-style consumer electronics or a Nokia-style desperation move to pin all their hopes on Microsoft's mobile platforms?