There is no need for this stuff, of course. It's added because marketing want to improve the company's image in the eye of Joe/Jane Consumer, and probably some

There is no need for this stuff, of course. It's added because marketing want to improve the company's image in the eye of Joe/Jane Consumer, and probably someone in a support organization was honestly trying to make a customer's life easier. It was just implemented poorly. The day that hardware vendors get over the idea that they need to "add value" to software that they resell will be a very good day for everyone.