I don't know when you bought your PC, Chris, but I bought a couple of Dells (and Gateways) over the years and the first Dell came with CD's for everything, just as you describe. It was after that, that PC vendors got the bright idea to "defray their costs" (as HP put it to me) by selling our hard drive space.
I started screaming about crapware when I bought my second Dell, screamed through my second Gateway (my first Gateway came with CD's too, but the second one didn't), all the way down to my last pre-built machine - my infamous HP with NOT a SINGLE case fan and simply crammed with "crapware" (as far as I know, I coined that term years ago (the first time to HP) - I posted it on forums from here to Timbuktu, trying to get users to complain about it).
Eventually, I heard the chorus of complaints pick up on forums & newsletters. I wrote Dell, Gateway, and HP about it and started building my own PCs. If the complaints have been heard, then I'm delighted to hear it.
I believe it was Dell, but it may have been Gateway, whose ad I saw offering a "clean machine" with software CDs, but only if you paid them extra (but this has been awhile too, over a year at least). Maybe they got some complaints about that too, and decided to build the "extra" cost into the machine, rather than continue to risk the wrath of their customers. In any case, if they have seen the light and responded to us, and given us clean machines with software on CDs (my HP didn't even have a CD with hardware drivers) then I'm delighted about that! Yea US! --AnnaSummers
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Ryan
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 8:21 AM
Subject: Re: [PCSOFT] PCSOFT Digest - 18 Feb 2008 to 19 Feb 2008 (#2008-44)
----- Original Message -----
From: "g.Computer9f" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 12:10 PM
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jagpal S Tiwana" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 2:55 AM
Subject: Re: [PCSOFT] PCSOFT Digest - 17 Feb 2008 to 18 Feb 2008
(#2008-44)
<Another possibility is to reload your operating system from the save
<disks or whatever your computer came with. If you have not changed it
<since you bought it and don't mind going back to a fresh install, that
<is one way to solve the problem.
A real fresh install would be great EXCEPT with Dell and HP, that means
a fresh install WITH Norton and whatever other crap Dell or HP were paid
to load up your hard drive with. They SELL your hard disk space to
vendors and advertisers and if you try a "fresh" reinstall or restore -
back it comes! In the future, I would not buy a computer with stuff
like this pre-loaded. I saw recently where Dell & someone else was
selling "clean" installs - FOR A HIGHER PRICE than if you let them sell
part of your hard drive space (which to me is fraud - saying they are
selling you an xGB hard drive and then half filling it with garbage you
can't get off, leaving you with less HDD space than
romised). --AnnaSummers
<snip> http://freepctech.com/staff.shtml
------------------------------
I can't speak for other members of the forum, but my experience with my
first "purchased" Dell product is not as you describe. (I have refurbished
other older Dell products donated to me) The Dell 8400 I purchased from
E-Bay (through a third party supplier who bought, from Dell, their
returned/rejected PC's en masse) was delivered "stock" with the usual trial
offers, and bloat ware that you and other members of the forum describe.
However, I've reformatted it several times since using the supplied cd's
that came with it and haven't had a issue with the trial ware. The cd's
supplied were; the OS (WinXPPro (SP1), a cd containing the various drivers
for chipset, modem, etc., a cd for MS Money 2004 and a cd containing various
trial programs and other utilities.
I simply chose not to install them. The system can be restored clean and
without the bloat ware. I'm not sure of the accuracy of the statement that
Dell charges "extra" for computers not loaded with trial ware but it is
offered ( http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,133297/article.html) It is
interesting to note that after the release of the popular freeware program
"de-crapifier (http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/download) and an article in
PCWorld (http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,137285/article.html) that there
seems to be a movement among some companies to offer PC's that aren't pre
loaded with clutter.
I do agree, that if you are so inclined and/or have the skill, building your
own PC (or at least ordering a custom built with non-proprietary components)
can eliminate a lot of the hassles of setting up and enjoying your computer.
Just my pair of pennies. ;-)
Chris Ryan
PCSOFT's List Owner's:
Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>
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