Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

gorath — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:26:26 GMT

Sadly, I look like a villain as well, apparently. I remember when I got my first photo-licence about 12 or so years ago (there weren't any photographs on them before around then) my friends all took the pi**, saying I looked like a bond villain in the photo. They even gave me a bond villain-esque name, "the Scorpion"

lol

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

DRWAM — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:44:43 GMT

Most of the trialware on this new laptop is notinstalled, but the installer is in the start menu. So I guess it's really not affecting performance. I just need to figure out how to delete it so that the kids don't install accidentally. Again, add 10 GBs of crap if it will save me a few hundred dollars. BTW, my Mac Pro Tower had a trial version of MS Office and iWork on it. It sorta gives you the idea that MS and Apple are working together, perhaps together to improve our lives and/or computing needs.

BTW, I was just kidding about the ads since I can't act to save my life, and sorta look like a villain too. We can't all look like Paul Newman!

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

gorath — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:51:54 GMT

When I bought my current Dell laptop at the start of last year, it had Roxio's CD burning app installed. The trouble was, that app didn't work AT ALL in Vista, and actually screwed some other windows functions up, as well as constantly spawning warnings!

If they've stopped doing crap like that, then good.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

cgdams — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:29:45 GMT

From my personal experience (having my 8th Dell Notebook at the moment), the time that Dell loaded it's machines with lots of crapware are long over.

My last two purchaes with them, in the last year, were a pleasant surprise, crapwarewise. As a consequence, for the first time i did not reinstall a fresh OS immediately, but simply removed the software i didn't want, and the machines run smoothly since.

Actually, Dell was one of the first vendors who did listen and reduce the amount of Crapware to a reasonable amount, and they also made sure that by simply uninstalling the unwanted stuff it really went away.

So, sure, that Iron Man Offering is a bad joke at best, but it's not crapware in the sense that it impacts the system you buy in any way. It's just a sad try to generate combined revenue, which can't really surprise, givens Dells actual financial numbers.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

whiplash55 — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:10:02 GMT

I always get Dell laptops from their Outlet Store.

Pretty much all current models and some no longer available but quite nice (XPS M1210) are available. The last one I got was almost crapware free. No AV or AOL trials. Just Works, which is ridiculous. Bit I saved a bit of cash and got one configured with a discreet graphics card and the fast hard drive just like I would have ordered.

Same warranty as new, as well.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

DRWAM — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:47:07 GMT

Wae, I think I may have gotten it the other way around. Besides, I know some people that don't find that posterior sensation too unpleasant, and rather like it actually:o

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

DRWAM — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:31:00 GMT

I disagree. The 'default program' utility can be used and I think it's pretty easy, even on my cheapo ACER, which includes Media Center I might add. Start, Default Program, Set your default programs, then click what you wan to use. DO I GET THE JOB REPLACING SEINFELD YET? I'm handsome, well built and photogenic too! :)

" I play a doctor on TV, but I'm actually a real doctor too....", "I have sold my soul for money to push products, but hey, if it doesn't bother you, then it doesn't bother me either. Oh yeh, about Windows..."

How's the audition?

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

Waethorn — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:32:30 GMT

"MS should compete with iLife suite"

I think they are already in a position to claim the title there. They already have the multimedia products in Vista Home Premium (honestly, have you SEEN Windows Media Center?), and how can you possibly compare Apple's online offerings to the superior (and did I mention, FREE) Windows Live platform?

Apple: *crickets*

"one man's trash is another's treasure"

I would also say that the "bloatware" argument as applied to accessory software apps is already being addressed by decoupling many of the programs in favour of Windows Live versions in Windows 7.

I really like that idea. Mostly because current customers don't understand why Windows Photo Gallery and Windows Mail have to remain on the computer even though the superior Windows Live versions of each are also there. To date, there still isn't even an easy option to set those programs as defaults in Audit Mode as part of the preinstallation process. What I have to do is just tell users to use the Windows Live versions after first-time boot, which is a "unpleasant physical sensation in the posterior".

Doc knows what that means.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

DRWAM — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:54:18 GMT

Seven, they often say that one man's trash is another's treasure:)

It sort of applies.

Gorath, the new Works is very nice and fairly clean UI. I like it, but I'm easy to please. However, my kids just love the clip art through the web in Office. They are constantly printing a collage of pics.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

gorath — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:47:38 GMT

I've never known Works to be bundled by microsoft, it's generally the PC manufacturer that bundles it.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

Sevenmack — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:26:21 GMT

You are right, DRWAM; that's why I said one person's crapware is another's useful software tools. For me, Windows DVD Player alone is worth the price of the laptop; although I know some people have networked homes in which they watch movies on their laptop, I have two 50-plus inch TVs in my home and my computer serves both as my work and play toy. When I'm putting together a new white paper for a client, I'm going to watch a movie while doing it. I'm not going to watch "Iron Man" on a 15-inch screen when a 62-inch HDTV will work even better.

Windows DVD Maker is awesome. It's easy to put together a fairly sophisticated (though basic) menu, customize it with some music of your choice, and unlike Nero or Sony's DVD software, you don't need a manual to use it. And it isn't really chintzy like ULead's offering (which is loaded up on Toshiba laptops alongside DVD Maker).

But not everybody wants all that mess. My Little Lady only uses her laptop for Web surfing, loading up her MP3 player and occasional word processing. She prefers a thin-client with just the basics; Windows Media Center intrigues her, but since she doesn't watch videos or movies on her laptop, it seems to her a waste of space. My sister is the same way; she barely uses the three-year-old Sony Vaio my mother gave her last year except to go on Myspace and download music and videos.

But ultimately, one person's useful items is someone else's crapware. And if you don't use DVD Maker, Media Center, Works, etc., all that software is just crap.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

mathue — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:34:19 GMT

Hmm, interesting marketing gimmick. Does anyone know why this was done? Is it an attempt to create a market differentiator? At least they picked a decent flick I guess. Now, if they had a real selection then it might be useful - if one was building a _media_ machine . . .

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

subzerohitman721 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:30:04 GMT

What the heck is Dell smoking? Why the heck do you want to buy Ironman, when you're buying a PC? When I got my copy of Vista on my machines, I had absolutely zero trial software and no crapware. To say Microsoft Works is crapware, we could argue that the way Apple leeches MobileMe, iTunes, Bonjour, Quicktime, and the Apple Mobile Device Driver could also be considered to be crapware. What the heck does a Media Player really need a kernel level driver anyway? Just like the antivirus companies don't really need that kind of access either. Thats why people are shifting away from anti-virus and moving to security suites with stronger firewall.

Yet like Ed Bott said in a recent article, " It takes a supersize helping of chutzpah to create an ad that criticizes Windows for its “bloat” and then deliver an upgrade with as much unnecessary junk as this one.

I am hoping in Windows Seven, that we get greater opportunity for intial customization within Windows. I hope Microsoft will allow us to remove anything thats isn't part of the core operating system. So for example if you want to remove Internet Explorer, that is an option during install or within the Control Panel. I know Microsoft is taking a few of the items duplicated in the Live Brand and taking them out of Windows Seven. That is a great idea. If the applications can be removed or made optional, I think that will please a lot of folks. If you need it, go download it. Plain and simple.

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

meason — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:10:10 GMT

So I can get a digital movie "Pre Loaded" but I still can't get a Dell machine pre-loaded with Windows Home Server?

go figure......

re: Why people hate buying PCs, part 37

DRWAM — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:55:01 GMT

Seven, if some of the included MS software was not added, people would be complaining about it's lacking. Also, MS should compete with iLife suite.

My cheaper ACER laptop has plenty-o-junk, but it was ACER that installed it. You know, if it saved me $200, and all I need to do is uninstall it, then I'm OK with it. This cute 15.6 in WS cheapo cost $400 bucks!!! BTW it plays DVD with Win Media 11 fine, and it only has 2GB with Vista Home Premium.