Dell knew that IBM required its dealers to take a monthly quota of PCs, in most cases more than they could sell. He also knew that holding excess inventory was costly. So he bought dealers' surplus stock at cost(他以成本价买下经销商的积压产品). Back in his dorm room, he added features to improve performance. The souped-up models found eager buyers(经过改装后的机型十分热销). Seeing the hungry market, Dell placed local advertisements offering his customized computers at 15 percent off retail price. Soon he was selling to businesses, doctors' offices and law firms. The trunk of his car was his store; his room took on the appearance of a small factory.

 During Thanksgiving break, Dell's parents told him they were concerned about his grades. "If you want to start a business, do it after you get your degree," his father pleaded.

 Dell agreed, but back in Austin he felt the opportunity of a lifetime was passing him by. "I couldn't bear to miss this chance," he says. After one month he started selling computers again--- with a vengeance.

 The quarters he shared with two roommates looked like a combat zone- boxes piled high, computer boards and tools scattered around. One day his roommates heaped all his equipment into a pile, preventing Dell from entering his room. It was time to come to grips with the magnitude of what he had created.(他必须认真考虑如何应对他创建的庞然大物<喻指他的红火的生意>) The business was now grossing more than $ 50 000 a month.

 Over spring recess, Dell confessed to his parents that he was still in the computer business. They wanted to know how classes were going. "I have to quit school," he replied. "I want to start my own company. "

 What exactly is it that you want to do?" asked his father.

 "Compete with IBM," he answered simply.

 Compete with IBM? Now his parents were really worried. But no matter what they said, Dell stuck fast(顽固坚持). So they made a deal; over summer vacation he would try to launch a computer company. If he didn't succeed, he would have to go back to school in September.

 Returning to Austin, Dell risked all his savings and incorporated Dell Computer Corp. on May 3, 1484.

 He was 19. Under a deadline, his pace was frantic. He rented a one-roam office on a month-to-month lease and hired his first employee, a 28- year-old manager to handle finance and administration. For advertising, he grabbed an empty pizza box and on the back sketched the first ad for Dell Computer. A friend copied it onto paper and took it to the newspaper.

 Dell still specialized in direct marketing of stripped-down IBM PCs to which he added custom features(定制时确定的特点、功能;专门要求). As orders came in, Dell rushed around gathering up the right parts to assemble each order. First-month sales topped $180 000; the second, $ 265 000. Dell barely noticed when the new school year arrived. joozone.com