Comments on: Sony “Sort Of” Removes “No Bloatware” Fee http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/5533 Independent Tech News and Product Reviews from former VP and head of CNET.com and Longtime Computer Shopper Columnist, Alice Hill author of the popular "Hard Edge" column. Originally named AliceandBill.com. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:15:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Kevin K. http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/5533#comment-617570 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:10:42 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/5533#comment-617570 This is why, when you receive one of these computers, you save off the drivers (usually conveniently placed in a folder somewhere on the C:\ drive or on a drivers disc) and reload Windows yourself. As long as you have the hardware drivers, you can do anything you want. Of course, if you ever need to send the thing in for service, you simply use the restore disc to bring it back to factory fresh condition and off you go! Since most manufacturers' PCs come with no real software loaded, it's easy to start fresh without losing anything in the process. Save the $150 and just reload the machine when you get it. If you don't have an installation disc, well, Add/Remove Programs usually is a good place to start. This is why, when you receive one of these computers, you save off the drivers (usually conveniently placed in a folder somewhere on the C:\ drive or on a drivers disc) and reload Windows yourself.

As long as you have the hardware drivers, you can do anything you want.

Of course, if you ever need to send the thing in for service, you simply use the restore disc to bring it back to factory fresh condition and off you go!

Since most manufacturers’ PCs come with no real software loaded, it’s easy to start fresh without losing anything in the process.

Save the $150 and just reload the machine when you get it. If you don’t have an installation disc, well, Add/Remove Programs usually is a good place to start.

]]> by: LZW http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/5533#comment-617206 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:07:00 +0000 http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/5533#comment-617206 I think I'm starting to understand how this works... Anyone can go to a company like sony and pay to have any thing they like installed on all new PC's. Then the customer could pay to have it removed, which is now counted as an upgrade.... So stuff can be removed from computers if the price is right? Therefore, a company like yahoo could pay sony to make sure MSN mesenger did not get installed... They don't even have to pay for their own product to be installed, (customers can find it on their own) but merely paying to have the competitors product removed would give them a more level field. I wonder how much it all costs??? Suppose you wanted realtechnews.com added to the favorites menu of all vaio computers, how much would you have to pay sony? How much would another web site pay to have them all removed? Beyond hyprlinks, what would the same scenario cost for something like an instant messaging program? Or does the content not matter? Is the charge just item by item no matter what? I think I’m starting to understand how this works… Anyone can go to a company like sony and pay to have any thing they like installed on all new PC’s.

Then the customer could pay to have it removed, which is now counted as an upgrade…. So stuff can be removed from computers if the price is right?

Therefore, a company like yahoo could pay sony to make sure MSN mesenger did not get installed… They don’t even have to pay for their own product to be installed, (customers can find it on their own) but merely paying to have the competitors product removed would give them a more level field.

I wonder how much it all costs???

Suppose you wanted realtechnews.com added to the favorites menu of all vaio computers, how much would you have to pay sony?

How much would another web site pay to have them all removed?

Beyond hyprlinks, what would the same scenario cost for something like an instant messaging program? Or does the content not matter? Is the charge just item by item no matter what?

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