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An Open Letter To PC Makers: Ditch Bloatware, Now!
MojoKid writes "This is the final straw, the last stand. This is the year that companies have to wise up and realize that they're destroying the experience of the very machines they are marketing so vigorously against their competitors. We're talking about bloatware, and it's an issue that we simply cannot remain silent on any longer. The term 'bloatware' generally refers to any additional software installed on a machine that is not a native part of the operating system. 'Bloatware' is usually provided by third-party software companies, and can range from security suites to unwanted Web browser toolbars. It's most problematic, as these programs generally attempt to boot up first thing, right as the OS is booting up, before the end-user ever has a chance to launch the program on their own accord. It's time for manufacturers to take note: consumers do not want bloatware. It's a royal pain from top to bottom, and moreover, it ruins your brand. When people think of HP and Dell, they immediately think of just how infuriating it is that their last 'new' PC took over one minute to boot up and become usable. To these companies: why are you saddling your machines with software that makes it less enjoyable to use? The solution seems pretty simple. If you still wish to include loads upon loads of third-party software, stick it all on a thumb drive and include it with every new machine. Problem solved."
To these companies: why are you saddling your machines with software that makes it less enjoyable to use?
Because they get paid a fortune to do so
Bloatware is generally on a computer to help subsidize the cost down to "commodity item" prices. Removing the bloatware will increase the price of a computer. As the majority of people would prefer a cheap computer (with bloatware) over one with no bloatware, this is something unlikely to change.
That aside, and possibly also related to this, bloatware of certain categories helps fund the support marketplace. Most notably are things like trial antivirus software, that numerous computer purchasers let the trial expire and no longer receive definition updates, putting them at risk of malware infections. I've had a lot of customers come in with infected machines and tell me "but I had CrappyTrial 2011 installed" - at which point I find that the trialware subscription service expired 3 months ago. As sad as it is, I know it helps our business gain tech work. And I am sure it helps the big box places as well.
Other options include having a machine custom built - which of course will mean paying more, since there are generally no bloatware subsidies. At least on a PC, it's pretty easy to remove the bloatware.
StarTrekPhase2 - The Five Year Mission Continues!
We get paid by the vendor to put it there, so that's money to us regardless of the price you pay for the machine. You'll buy the machine regardless of what we put on the desktop, so there is no economic reason to remove it.
You can remove it yourself using the normal software uninstallation process. You can remove the entire operating system if you like. People with opinions like yours have been doing that for decades, now, to put alternative operating systems on the machines. How did that affect our sales? It didn't. So don't expect it to now.
The only thing that could make us change our ways is if it actually starts costing us money, and since boot time is your time, not ours, it doesn't cost us a thing.
is PC Decrapifier. It's free, lightweight, requires no install, and just works. http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/ It's not perfect, but it removes a good hunk of the stuff.
mov ah, 4ch
int 21h
Try PC Decrapifier. http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/
Rather then cracking open that Add/Remove program list, just run this program and it will run through the process for you.
Life is not for the lazy.
It's crapware, not bloatware. Bloatware is shit like Microsoft's apps which are huge and slow but are at least 'functional' in some sense of the word.
Crapware is all the toolbars and trial virus checkers and other rubbish which is responsible for your machine taking 20 minutes to boot up and the drive light to never quite go out.
Just shop at a Microsoft store (online or at retail). The PCs they sell are part of their "Signature" program whereby they remove all crap/bloatware and optimize the Windows install to run its best on that hardware.
Of course it's a bit more expensive, but it looks like it's worth it for the performance improvements and lack of hassle that you get.
No, i don't work for MS. I just think it's a good option.
http://signature.microsoft.com/
I suspect that the one really pissed is Microsoft.
The vendor, at least, gets paid, and all their competitors are doing the same thing; but Microsoft doesn't see the cash, and the bloatware makes them look pathetic next to OSX, even in areas where they don't deserve it.
Slave for months getting Windows N+1 to boot really fast? Hahah, suckers, HP just signed a deal with 3 AV companies at once... Kiss your positive consumer perception goodbye.
Most people I've talked to about computers are well aware that you can build your own PCs from scratch. The problem is that the "whopping majority" doesn't know how to do it. There are other options as well, such as having a knowledgeable friend help you to build one, buy a custom-made one from a local PC shop, buy a used computer from someone nearby that didn't come with bloatware or doesn't currently have it, or just uninstall the bloat when you buy the new computer that you want. It doesn't exactly require a degree in computer science to uninstall a program from a Windows machine, and if there are any difficulties, anyone can type "How to remove [software] from Windows" or something similar into Google and find an answer.
Microsoft tried this over ten years ago... Do people have no sense of history when it comes to computers?
Go look up the monopoly case against Microsoft, a large portion of the case was Microsoft's restrictions on OEMs on what modifications could be made to the OS. Microsoft supported bootup customizations (logos, support info, etc.) but the line was drawn in the sand when Microsoft started requesting 3rd party applications to be something that the OEM did not load and instead the user could optionally install them.
OEMs didn't want to lose this gravy the installed application money they received, and is why there was no lawsuit against Corel/Wordperfect for having the same contract that required the OEM to put Wordpefect Office on all systems sold, yet there was a lawsuit against Microsoft for the same contracts for both Windows and Microsoft Office.
(OEMs only got a better deal of about $5 per copy off of Windows if they included Windows with every system sold, and the greedy OEMs that went along with this, were also the ones that later on were in court testifying against Microsoft for offering them 'cheaper' deal that they willingly took. Smart OEMs paid the extra $5 for OEM copies of Windows and didn't have to bundle Windows with each computer sold.)
Anyway, this won't happen soon, as the money the OEMs make far out weighs the poor image of the crap that gets loaded on their computers creates about their computers.
Microsoft is stilly trying to get OEMs to reduce or make the 'optional' software a user initiated installation, and has even created an installation platform for OEMs and 3rd party software to use so that people get a true Windows experience on first boot, and can add all the crap they want that the OEM gets a kick back for by installing or using the software which initiates the install. (Microsoft's own software even uses this with Office and even Live Essentials which was formerly OS applications are optional installs for users.)
However, getting OEMs to stop taking 'bribe' money for loading crap, dream on... And with the Monopoly ruling against Microsoft, Microsoft no longer has any authority or say in how Windows is deployed. (Go read up on the lawsuit, why it really was a scam, and even people like the former CEO of Netscape later admitted it was a bad ruling, that he had previously testified and supported until he got to see the money and intent behind the ruling that came from the USA and the EU out of it.)
Linux was to me, the smart bomb for all that bloatware. It serves more than one purpose, however. Eliminating Microsoft software also reduces the chance that web developers will be enticed to program their site just for Windows. By using Chrome or Firefox on Linux, I'm "voting" for software freedom - freedom to use the software I want, and freedom from bloatware.
This in turn will make Windows server software seem less appealing to those same programmers and their supervisors and the investors in the company. That could mean one less hideously expensive sale for Microsoft.
Before I blew away the partitions on the drive, I made the install DVDs in the event that I would ever need them again for someone who really wants to use Windows if I ever give the machine away or sell it. But in my hands, this machine isn't going to run Windows. See? I believe in freedom of choice.
I'm being a bit idealist here, I know. But I can dream a little, can't I?
The diversity and expression of human opinion is essential to human survival.
You didn't ask the first time. For simple web browsing, email applications, etc. it does have a minimal learning curve until something goes wrong. Then you have to wade through forums, sometimes obscure ones, to figure out what went wrong. Im used to doing that on Windows machines mostly by myself but it always seemed like more of a pain in my ass to fix Linux problems. Sometimes you run into a brick wall where it just says "Sorry, it just wont work until they release a new distribution". Specifically, one problem I had was with a Matlab installation and another was with getting audio drivers to work through JACK and Ardour. I can use a Unix command prompt as I have to for work, and I understand basic Linux (I have read several books on the subject) but I am not a Linux enthusiast nor am I a hardcore CS dude that can code my way out of a problem. I just tried to switch on two occasions to Ubuntu and CentOS and found both severely lacking in ease of use for what I needed my machine to do. Linux (specifically Ubuntu) needs some growth yet for it to be user friendly enough for the people inbetween CS gurus and basic users to be able to do what they want without spending hours handling problems that should be trivial. Granted, its free so I shouldn't be bitching, however it supports my hypothesis that the market is not a free market because you either go with Linux and waste valuable time or go with the Windows/MacOS oligopoly and waste dollars.
That brings me to an interesting point, / . is just "the ramblings of socially-inept, technology-literate news-mongers".