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The company founded by Michael Dell had been synonymous with building computers in Austin. Though Dell farmed out a lot of its operations to Asia, where cheap labor abounds, they managed to keep putting some of their hardware together in the US.

There will be less Made In The USA at Dell, as the company announced plans on Monday to close its Austin manufacturing plant. Dell previously said they would eliminate at least 8,800 employees as they try to control expenses.

Dell also wants to send off its Financial Services division to a willing buyer. The company wants to shift low-profit consumer and small and medium sized business credit accounts to anyone who can take the business off Dell's hands.

Michael Dell famously suggested to Steve Jobs in October 1997 that Apple should be shut down and money returned to shareholders. With Apple surging globally and Dell's operations languishing in the razor-thin margins of PC building, the April Fools joke is, unfortunately, on everyone receiving pink slips in Austin.