GIVEN A CHOICE...
Walter Mossberg is preaching to the choir here with his heartfelt column in this week's Wall Street journal, who title says it all "Using even new PCs is ruined by a tangle of Trial programs, Ads". He has a a full plate of issues:
"I'm talking about two main problems. One is the plethora of teaser software and advertisements for products that must be cleared and uninstalled to make way for your own stuff. The second is the confusing welter of security programs you have to master and update, even on a virgin machine.
I'm also referring to how slowly a new Windows Vista machine starts and restarts, even if you haven't yet loaded or launched any of your own software."
But the first issue irks the most, as he goes on to add:
"The problem is a lack of respect for the consumer. The manufacturers don't act as if the computer belongs to you. They act as if it is a billboard for restricted trial versions of software and ads for Web sites and services that they can sell to third-party companies who want you to buy these products.
I'm distinguishing these programs, sometimes called "craplets," from the full-featured, built-in Sony software meant to enhance the computer, or from entire, useful programs Microsoft builds into Windows, such as music and photo organizers."
And compare how long all this and the new Windows Vista slows down startup times, especially compared to a Mac:
"I also was shocked at how long this machine took to restart and to do a cold start after being completely shut down. Restarting took over three minutes, and a cold start took more than two minutes. That suggests the computer is loading a bunch of stuff I neither know about nor want.
By contrast, a brand new Apple MacBook laptop, under the same test conditions, restarted in 34 seconds and did a cold start in 29 seconds."
Anyone who's gotten a new Windows computer over the last decade can relate to Walt's pain.
Of course it's all about economics and business. PC vendors make more margin off selling these "prime slots" on a new computer than they make selling the hardware itself.
That's why an idea being considered by some PC vendors like Dell may not be far-fetched. Some customers may actually pay an extra $50 or a $100 per computer for a "craplet" or "crapware" free machine.
I know I would, if the option were offered.
Until then, Apple's Macs offer a pretty craplet-free experience. And they do Windows*.
* See related post on this here.
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