Dell kicks off user conference, touts Net as "weapon".

Dell Computer Corp_s DirectConnect user conference may be the first of its kind, but the keynote that kicked it off Wednesday was not. Instead, Dell CEO Michael Dell hammered home the tried but true message that the Internet is fundamentally changing the industry. Speaking before an audience of more that 1,200 customers here at the Austin Convention Center, Dell said the Internet will be used by them or against them as it grows. Dell said his company plans to grow by using the Internet to increase customers_ efficiency in running their own businesses as well as to improve the way it works with customers. For instance, Dell is launching a service called valuechain.com, which will enable suppliers to log on to a Dell network to see how fast their products are moving through production lines. Another upcoming service, to be installed on hardware this fall, will enable servers to communicate with an online help desk at Dell. IT managers will send troubleshooting messages to Dell, and Dell_s help desk will run diagnostic tests online. Dell also discussed a service called Direct Commerce Integration, which will link customers_ ERP software with their Dell Premier Pages. In addition, he demonstrated voice-data integration, showing how he could call into his Microsoft Exchange mail and receive a synthesized voice rendition of his e-mail messages.