Friends,
In this sequel to my recent post on junkware, I explain how to get rid of unwanted software that comes preinstalled on new computers.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Blog Post With Sound!
Hi folks,
Well, it took some doing, but I figured out how to create an audio blog post. In this inital exciting installment, I complain about the fact that my wife kept me waiting at the metro. Enjoy!
Friday, August 1, 2008
"Junkware" Cometh
Recently I got a new computer, affording myself the opportunity to learn a new term: “junkware.”
Also called “bloatware” and “crapware,” among other derogatory epithets, junkware refers to unwanted programs that come preinstalled on new machines. Typically these are trial versions designed to entice people to purchase a complete application or to subscribe to some online service.
The negative characterizations are well deserved. Fundamentally, these programs are ads ― billboards that clutter one’s desktop and slow a machine’s processing speed. Almost universally, new computer owners regard them as a nuisance.
Shortly after I purchased my Hewlett Packard last month, I happened upon a New York Times article in the paper’s Circuits section that helped me to understand the downside to junkware and the economic model compelling its proliferation. An excellent read, the article was titled “Exorcise the Demons that Come Preinstalled.”
Some examples of junkware (think of these programs as frequent offenders) include security software from Norton and McAfee, graphics tools from Corel, Internet service from Earthlink, and online phone service from Vonage, according to the Times article. As for my own experience, Earthlink was loaded onto my machine. I also found Microsoft to be among the purveyors of junkware. My computer included a trial version of Microsoft Office Home 2007, which was programmed to expire after 60 days of use.
It should be noted that junkware is an issue specific to Windows and PC manufacturers. Macs have no such software. In fact, earlier this year, Apple created a television commercial mocking the junkware upsurge.
Even though most users despise junkware, analysts suspect that it’s not going away anytime soon. The reason? It helps make brand-name PCs more affordable. Software makers on average pay from $1 to $2 per machine for such placements, which can add up to as much as $20 in revenue for PC manufacturers, depending on how much they load on. The PC industry needs the money, analysts say. To induce people to buy, manufacturers generally pass the savings on to consumers by lowering the price of their machines.
Getting rid of junkware is definitely a good idea. For one thing, an unused program needlessly takes up disk space. But a more immediate issue may be the impact that it has on the performance of one's machine. The Times article quotes David Zipkin, senior product manager for Windows at Microsoft, saying the company's "internal tests show that just uninstalling the preinstalled software that you don’t want can improve a computer’s performance by 20 percent or more."
One PC manufacturer brave enough to speak openly about junkware is Sony, which claims consumers use up to 30 percent of the software preinstalled on its machines. But I find that claim dubious. As is the case with most market research, Sony's findings must be biased reflective of the willingness of any respondent to participate in the company's survey. If those polled are anything like me, they're probably too consumed with removing the junkware on their machines to bother answering a questionnaire.
Also called “bloatware” and “crapware,” among other derogatory epithets, junkware refers to unwanted programs that come preinstalled on new machines. Typically these are trial versions designed to entice people to purchase a complete application or to subscribe to some online service.
The negative characterizations are well deserved. Fundamentally, these programs are ads ― billboards that clutter one’s desktop and slow a machine’s processing speed. Almost universally, new computer owners regard them as a nuisance.
Shortly after I purchased my Hewlett Packard last month, I happened upon a New York Times article in the paper’s Circuits section that helped me to understand the downside to junkware and the economic model compelling its proliferation. An excellent read, the article was titled “Exorcise the Demons that Come Preinstalled.”
Some examples of junkware (think of these programs as frequent offenders) include security software from Norton and McAfee, graphics tools from Corel, Internet service from Earthlink, and online phone service from Vonage, according to the Times article. As for my own experience, Earthlink was loaded onto my machine. I also found Microsoft to be among the purveyors of junkware. My computer included a trial version of Microsoft Office Home 2007, which was programmed to expire after 60 days of use.
It should be noted that junkware is an issue specific to Windows and PC manufacturers. Macs have no such software. In fact, earlier this year, Apple created a television commercial mocking the junkware upsurge.
Even though most users despise junkware, analysts suspect that it’s not going away anytime soon. The reason? It helps make brand-name PCs more affordable. Software makers on average pay from $1 to $2 per machine for such placements, which can add up to as much as $20 in revenue for PC manufacturers, depending on how much they load on. The PC industry needs the money, analysts say. To induce people to buy, manufacturers generally pass the savings on to consumers by lowering the price of their machines.
Getting rid of junkware is definitely a good idea. For one thing, an unused program needlessly takes up disk space. But a more immediate issue may be the impact that it has on the performance of one's machine. The Times article quotes David Zipkin, senior product manager for Windows at Microsoft, saying the company's "internal tests show that just uninstalling the preinstalled software that you don’t want can improve a computer’s performance by 20 percent or more."
One PC manufacturer brave enough to speak openly about junkware is Sony, which claims consumers use up to 30 percent of the software preinstalled on its machines. But I find that claim dubious. As is the case with most market research, Sony's findings must be biased reflective of the willingness of any respondent to participate in the company's survey. If those polled are anything like me, they're probably too consumed with removing the junkware on their machines to bother answering a questionnaire.
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