Dell Lightens Up on Crapware

"Dell.com customers buying an XPS system, Inspiron notebook or Dimension desktop can select a "no software preinstalled" option. This will eliminate productivity, ISP, photo and music software, but not everything."

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9733201-7.html?tag=head

 

IMHO...not good enough, but a start. Give me the option to have only a clean install of XP/Vista/Ubuntu with NO extra software except what is absolutely required for drivers, and then I'll consider opening my wallet.

Give us a SwSetup folder where we can choose to install what we want. What if that 'preinstalled trialware' anti-virus is something like Norton? Yup, you're looking at having to do a fresh install again...

 

The XPS i ordered yesterday gave the option not to install most everything including the 15 month trial Anti-Virus/Firewall software. I don't know what all else will be left on there but there was about four different sections where I choose not to have the preinstalled software.

 

From what I understand these “crap ware” helps keep the OS and the machine cost down. Therefore I don’t see it as a bad thing as long as they pass the benefit to the end customer.
I don’t care even if they fill up the whole HDD with trial ware, adware or whatever bloat they can come up with, if it lowers the cost. After all, its nothing a simple reinstallation can’t fix.

 

I don't like the extra software either. I wonder how much more people would pay to get an OS load only?

 

Our new m1210 came with hardly any of the usual junk. (I ordered "no anti-virus" and "no entertainment software" and "no ISP software.") It did have Google Desktop, though, which I uninstalled.

It was like night & day compared to the Dell desktop we got last summer.

 

even for $5 bucks, I'd rather do it myself. Reformatting takes 25 minutes and it's fun.

 

Does the Small Business notebooks like Dell Latitude comes preinstalled with Junkware?

Heck, for $5...Sure I'd take it. But if I feel cheap, I'd format it myself... it's easy.

 

I would. I'd probably pay $20 (max) for them to have 0 crapware.

I'm not thaat techie, and formatting is stressful. I'd rather it just come all set out of the box. Alright, so I'll go without iced coffee from Dunkins for a week; theres your $20.

 

The latitudes do not come with as much junk as the inspirons do. They do have Anti-virus and some other crud though.

Well atleast Dell has decided to offer this in some form. reformatting is simple enough. But for the people intimidated by it or to lazy its a good option to see.

 

I actually appreciate the antivirus thing... at least you have some AV protection until you get around to downloading Avast. Of course, I'd prefer if they preinstalled Avast instead...

 

I think it doesn't matter. When you get your laptop, you will (most likely) have to update the BIOS, update chipset, video card, sound, and network drivers.

Mike.