Ways You Can Avoid Getting Junk Programs On Your New Computer

Personal Technology ^ | 04/12/2007 | Walter S. Mossberg

[Swordmaker]

Last week, when I condemned the flood of crippled trial software, ads and offers that come loaded on new Windows Vista computers, readers reacted strongly. I received roughly 700 emails, all but a handful agreeing with me. The column was the most popular article that day on WSJ.com and was cited on numerous other Web sites.

Clearly, many people are furious about these unwanted programs and icons, which are sometimes called craplets. Many would like to smite them without going through the laborious process of uninstalling them manually, one at a time. Some readers suggested strategies. The following are some options.

One ray of hope is a free program called PC Decrapifier. It can be downloaded at pcdecrapifier.com. This software automates the process of uninstalling craplets. It was written originally to clean up Dell computers, but its author says it will work on other brands, too. Before PC Decrapifier runs, it allows you to remove from its proposed deletion list any programs it considers junk, but which you might prefer to retain.

[Sloth]

A word of advice: do not buy an HP computer until they stop pre-installing Vongo on them. It’s essentially impossible to remove.

[Silly]

$1000 more?

MiniMacs go for 599; MacBooks start at $1,099.

Macs are not “$1000 more” expensive than the alternatives.

Of course, if people like buying crap, that’s fine with me. I’ve been four or five or maybe 10 times more productive on my Mac than my old IBM ThinkPad.

[Swordmaker]

I looked at comparable Mac/PC deals; I’d be spending $1K more, at least, for a Mac....not counting software.

Everyone who has said that recently has not really looked at "comparable" Mac/PC deals. Trying to duplicate a MacPro's hardware, for instance, even as a do-it -yourself project using just off the shelf parts from discount retailers has exceeded the retail cost of an in-the-box, ready to go MacPro.

The Mac experience isn’t worth it, unless you constantly brag about it.

Since you obviously haven't had the Mac experience, you aren't qualified to determine whether it is worth it or not.

[Loud Mime]

Obviously? I prefer my fast PC over my neighbor’s mac, the macs I use at the library, my broinlaw’s mac...

See? We’re both making assumptions!

[Swordmaker]

I prefer my fast PC over my neighbor’s mac, the macs I use at the library, my broinlaw’s mac...

And I prefer my faster MacBook Pro than any of the PCs I work on every day, including some that are supposedly extremely fast PCs, solving my clients' problems for them...

[bigdcaldavis]

I’m planning on upgrading my Wintergreen 2.1 GHz PC to a Hackintosh. I need to get a new video card (can’t play DVDs because of my motherboard’s built-in video hardware) and a new PCI modem. OS X runs really good on there.

[DaGman]

[wallcrawlr]

nerd war ping

[postaldave]

check this guys stuff before buying a card
http://diabolik1605.com/DHF/index.html

the thing to remember is if you go with an nvidea card only buy the 256 ram model and not the 512 ram model.

insanelymac.com is a great place for info but seems to be down tonight.

[postaldave]

i read your post and thought” what a dumb@#$, how hard could it be.”
i did a search

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=remove+vongo+from+an+HP&btnG=Google+Search

that is one horrible removal problem. you are right, do not buy an HP until vongo has been removed.

[bigdcaldavis]

Actually, I read somewhere that InsanelyMac.com sold out and that they might be down permanently.

Correction: It’s back up.

[bigdcaldavis]

I was looking at this one the other day and considered getting it. It’s an nVidia 256MB card.

http://www.amazon.com/NVIDIA-GeForce-256MB-Express-Video/dp/B000EXWJRK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-4298180-1545439?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1181691875&sr=8-1

[sauropod]

review

[bigdcaldavis]

Forgot to say...I have OS X x86 10.4.6 patched by JaS.

[Wyatt's Torch]

“$1000 more for the computer or fifteen minutes of work to uninstall the trial software “craplets”. Gosh tough choice.”

Ignorance is curable though...I speced out a MacPro and a Dell with the EXACT SAME SPECS and the Dell was $99 more. Whoops.

[bigdcaldavis]

Well, since my USB works great with OS X, I’ll just get me an Apple USB modem.

[DesScorp]

"$1000 more for the computer or fifteen minutes of work to uninstall the trial software "craplets". Gosh tough choice."

Ummm, where are you getting your prices from? Except for the ultra-cheap computers, Macs have become very competitive in price, especially after the switch to Intel chips.

[The_Victor]

Ignorance is curable though...I speced out a MacPro and a Dell with the EXACT SAME SPECS and the Dell was $99 more. Whoops.

You can always drive up the cost of a computer by carefully selecting the specs.

Cheapest Mac available is the MiniMac for $599 without the monitor. Intel Core 2 with 512MB memory and a (I think) 80 GB harddrive. Call the final price $900.

I can get an HP, Dell, Compaq for almost half that with the monitor. Same processor, same memory, same harddrive. I can build my own for even less. But, you're right it isn't $1000 anymore. It was true two years ago when my parents bought their iMac.

If you have a specific need for for the specs of your computer and you like Apple, that's great. Buy the computer that best suits your needs. The article is whining about a non-issue and pretending that it somehow makes Macs superior. It's hogwash unless you're afraid of your machine.