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Bloatware Removal Threatens PC Industry Profits
Anti-Globalism sends along a piece on how a consumer-friendly service is not so good for PC manufacturers. "Before they ship PCs to retailers like Best Buy, computer makers load them up with lots of free software. For $30, Best Buy will get rid of it for you. That simple cleanup service is threatening the precarious economics of the personal computer industry. Software companies pay hundreds of millions of dollars to PC makers like Hewlett-Packard to install their photo tools, financial programs, and other products, usually with some tie-in to a paid service or upgrade. With margins growing thinner than most laptops, this critical revenue can make the difference between profit and loss for the computer makers, industry analysts say."
I won't fly at all unless I'm flying to somewhere that I cannot reach by driving for 10 hours. This isn't because of the airlines; it's because of the federal government's insistence on security theatre. I'm tired of being treated like a potential criminal just because I want to get on an airplane.
I write sci-fi for metalheads
People who know why probably aren't buying PC's from box retailers. Really this is just an example of retailers capitalizing on the lack of consumer computing knowledge.
That is only true for really high-end machines. For a commodity desktop you can often save hundreds by going with an older model HP, Dell, or whatever. Just make sure you wipe it first.
Wait a minute, that's what this entire article is about!
I have had enough trouble getting warranty support for DOA mobos, processors, power supplies, etc. that I generally don't bother building machines anymore.
For most people, it works best and costs least to buy a $300 closeout special from microcenter and if it doesn't work you can walk it back to the store.
Man, you really need that seminar!
Like most nerds I build my own PC's, but I also help teach non-techie friends and family to order parts and assemble their own pc's.
They're all surprised when they find out it's not rocket science, and they end up with a better pc than they'd get at Best Buy for a fraction of the cost, custom built to their needs and sans bloatware. Many have gone on to build their next generation pc without my help.
I think that's a bigger threat to retail PC sales than removing bloatware, the current generation who are growing up with gadgets and computers will be even more likely to take on building their own computers. It really makes no sense to buy a retail pc, they cost more, they come with stuff you don't need, they're missing stuff you do need, they're little more than marketing in a box. I think the only reason people buy them is because they are intimidated by the prospect of building their own, or don't realize they're being gamed.
Like Ryanair where you have to pay extra for everything, even the permission to bring luggage - and then they dump you at some rural airport with limited connections which means that you will pay the price anyway, but on the ground.
Air France is a "no go" on my list. Rude behavior, bad timing, sleepover at hotel rooms that looks like they are rented per hour etc.
Iceland Air and Virgin Atlantic are currently on my positive list.
SAS is somewhere in between right now.
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
Unfortunately, we don't have anything like that in the US. Our budget airlines are about half the price of the major ones. It's unheard of to buy tickets here for a couple bucks like you can on Ryanair.
It's always a long day... 86400 doesn't fit into a short.
I find Macs more expensive, hell, just look at my current laptop:
My HP DV6000 widescreen laptop which came with 2GB RAM, built in webcam, nvidia graphics card with 512MB dedicated RAM with all the essentials including wireless, bluetooth. Has HDMI, a built in SD card reader, remote control. It came with Vista, but I installed Kubuntu (A OS I currently prefer to Vista and OS X for workstation purposes at the moment) on it (which worked out of the box with it).
I bought this from Comet store for £399, and guess what... That is the cheapest price I can pay for a Mac, and a Mac Mini (I would provide a direct link, but Apple's store links expire) costs £399.
The only 'advantage' the Mac Mini has over this laptop is that it has a 1.83GHz processor, while this laptop has a 1.66GHz processor. But - this machine has been the best gaming and work machine I've ever had, I doubt the Mac mini would live up to that with just a tiny bit faster processor, it doesn't even have a decent graphic card with dedicated RAM.
Macs are certainly affordable now, but you seriously cannot tell me Macs are cheaper.
Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
Singapore Air is the best airline in my experience
... to people still stuck with dialup speed access (to the internet or a BBS) or who need to have media mailed to them. Of course the reality today is that those with broadband access no longer need to have everything preloaded. The vendors adopted that model back when it was helpful to consumers. But like most big corporations, they are now stuck on something that no longer makes any sense.
now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
Actually a big part of the problem is that Windows is to expensive.
The reason that a Linux PC costs about the same as a Windows PC is that the manufactures make enough money of the caplets to pay for Windows.
Maybe all PCs should be sold naked and then you have to buy what ever OS you want.
BTW most serves I see are sold that way.
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.