Text 17578, 82 rader
Skriven 2007-04-29 09:12:36 av mike (1:379/45)
Ärende: PC buyers aim to cut the 'crapware'
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From: mike <mike@barkto.com>


http://news.com.com/2100-1012_3-6179323.html

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When large businesses buy new PCs, they often wipe the hard drives clean and
install a fresh copy of Windows, along with the other software they want
workers to have.

Some consumers, frustrated with all of the trial software, desktop icons and
other stuff that comes loaded on their machines, are doing the same thing.

However, what works for businesses isn't always so easy for individuals. Many
computers don't actually come with a clean copy of the operating system.
Instead, many ship with a "recovery partition" or a recovery disc that restores
the system back to the way it shipped--with all that extra software.

Some PC makers, like Gateway and Dell, say they do offer consumers a disc with
just Windows, allowing them to do a clean install of the operating system,
should they choose to do so. [without the hardware-specific drivers needed for
the system - /m] Others, like Hewlett-Packard and Sony, use a "system restore"
option. HP said it does so to help facilitate product support.

"HP's support experience relies on many of the diagnostics and tools that are
specific to the software image provided," a company representative said in an
e-mail. "In order to provide this support experience, the system is restored to
factory specifications."

Apple also uses a system restore option on Macs, though its machines ship with
only two trial programs, iWork and Microsoft Office, along with the full
versions of iLife and a handful of other third-party titles. [and, unlike
Windows, those programs do not clutter up the original desktop with icons - /m]

Shanner said he favors some sort of consumer's bill of rights that would ensure
those who buy a PC with Windows can do what they want with it.

Offering a disc with just the operating system seems like a way for PC makers
to improve customer satisfaction, said IDC analyst Richard Shim.

"You pay for it, you may as well get it," Shim said. Doing so, Shim said, would
also allow companies to keep preinstalling software while giving customers who
want to remove the software an easier option.

Lenovo uses recovery partitions, but on more recent models it has started
offering a "custom restore" option that enables people to choose which of the
software programs to reinstall.

"This will allow users to selectively restore things like our ThinkVantage
Technologies or other preloaded software," a Lenovo representative said in a
statement.

Some analysts have said that they also expect PC makers to begin experimenting
with offering clean PCs--ones without any added trial software or other
preinstalled programs. Customers may have to pay extra, though, to offset the
fact that PC makers make money from many of the programs they add to a new PC's
hard drive.

Current Analysis research director Samir Bhavnani said he thought $25 would be
a reasonable price that would make the computer maker whole and be affordable
enough to appeal to consumers.

One reason that a "clean PC" is a better alternative than wiping the hard drive
is that PC makers also equip their machines with the needed drivers for their
specific hardware. Although many PC makers do have them for download on their
Web site, finding all of the needed bits can be quite a challenge.
===


I like this line: "Shanner said he favors some sort of consumer's bill of
rights that would ensure those who buy a PC with Windows can do what they want
with it."



Microsoft allowing the users to do what they want with their PCs?  With the
current paradigm coming out of Redmond, that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

  /m

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