5 ms·
"software required to make hardware work well (for example, when we include unique hardware in our devices, like a 3D camera), security software and Lenovo appl
by scrumper 12y ago
"software required to make hardware work well (for example, when we include unique hardware in our devices, like a 3D camera), security software and Lenovo applications. This should eliminate what our industry calls “adware” and “bloatware.”"
Which sounds awfully like bloatware. Maybe that's a bit snide; they are at least addressing the problem and committing not to install stuff which is really bad.
- Yhippa 12y agoIn practice whenever I hook up a scanner or a printer those apps typically are bloatware. Hopefully they are installing the minimal functionality to get this stuff working.
- btian 12y agoPrecisely. If they're really committed to selling people clean computers, they should only include OS and device drivers.
- DanBC 12y agoSadly many people see the anti-malware boatware as useful. Perhaps this could be a seperate disc, so the machine comes with a clean OS and you can chose to install the extras.
- andzt 12y agoI would love for any manufacturer to offer a "Just Windows" version. On my last Windows desktop, I freshly installed Windows 7 when it came out and it was a much better experience than the brand new Windows 7 laptop I had purchased, but with the additional manufacturer bloat. Immediately re-installed a fresh version of Windows and the performance and experience drastically improved.
- unwiredben 12y agoWindows PCs sold through Microsoft Stores are imaged with a clean version of Windows with no ad-ons. Often, the MS store prices are competitive with other channels.
- pekk 12y agoWindows itself phones home, so the difference is arguable.
- theklub 12y agoThe HP business class desktops are pretty clean. Although for some reason they include HP Games sometimes which I never understood. The laptops on the other hand have a ton of shit.
- Buttons840 12y agoWhy doesn't Microsoft do something about this? It can't help the Windows reputation that most of the problems Windows users have are not caused by Windows, but by the crapware-suite that came with their PC.
- Moto7451 12y agoThey do on a limited basis. They sell "Signature Edition" computers without the bloatware/spyware installed. http://www.microsoftstore.com/store?SiteID=msusa&Locale=en_US&Action=ContentTheme&pbPage=MicrosoftSignature&ThemeID=33363200 http://www.microsoftstore.com/store?SiteID=msusa&Locale=en_U...
- plorkyeran 12y agoOne of the downsides of being a convicted monopolist. They abused their power to exert pressure on vendors to bundle or not bundle certain applications, so now they're not allowed to do it at all.
- pekk 12y agoAbout "Lenovo applications," the first thing I think of is the apps for things like running diagnostics, installing new firmware and notifying users of updates from the manufacturer. These are a Thinkpad tradition going back many years. I think we should grant that these are reasonable and normal things for Lenovo to preinstall. On the other hand, (and I'm not sure whether Lenovo does this nowadays) almost every PC manufacturer typically ships Windows systems pre-installed with third-party crap like Norton Antivirus under the rubric of "security software," which really are crapware; these tend to harass clueless users with scary ads and solicit expensive subscriptions, they're hard to remove, they leave crap lying around after uninstallation. That's all indefensible when Microsoft itself is providing good free-of-charge alternatives like Windows Defender. It makes plenty of sense to complain about Superfish and on that basis to use Lenovo as an example to discourage the other manufacturers, but let's not pretend that there is no crapware on most other mainstream laptops (Dell, etc.) That is an industry problem.