Linked by Thom Holwerda on Sun 11th Nov 2012 15:49 UTC
"Yesterday my desktop died, and so I went ahead and got a brand new Windows 8 laptop. It's always been my feeling that as years go on, user experience has been going down for people who use a computer and the Internet, because of decisions all companies make that are clearly anti-user, either because they think they know best, or in many cases, for financial gains. But from spending all night reinstalling everything and customizing the laptop, I realized just how bad it has become." Probably the biggest reason to go Mac or Linux. Such a shame Microsoft found it more important to pressure OEMs into silly Secure Boot nonsense instead of doing something about the anti-user crapware disaster. Goes to show who Microsoft cares about. Hint: it ain't you.
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Member since:2006-01-10
Funny thing is, Lenovo (at least at one point in time) sold Linux based laptops (using SuSE Linux). They didn't have any crapware on them.
But let's take a closer look at the few OEMs that have ventured into Linux Land.
A person would think "They're using a free operating system, so the overall purchase price should be less than one that comes with Windows, right? Wrong, the Linux equivalent have actually cost the same if not more, historically.
This is because there weren't any random advertisement laden crap on there. That crap gives money to the OEMs for putting their crap on there. No crap, no discount.
The first x86 based PC that I had access to was my mother's that was a Pentium 75 Packard Bell. Yes, it had crap installed on it (well besides Windows 95) and Packard Bell 'recovery' CDs was a custom Windows disk that would reinstall all that same garbage.
Of course it also had that garbage Soundcard / Modem ISA card... but that's another story entirely.
Member since:2005-07-06
In the end, the responsibility really goes down to Microsoft.
Would they step out and tell OEMs to stop their dirty business, they'd have no choice but comply.
But of course they're also getting their share out of it.
Somehow, in this highly competitive market, crapware is a direct consequence of the MS tax.
Microsoft has asked OEMs to not install crapware with each major OS release since it became a problem. With Windows 2000 and XP, they tried to enforce a clean desktop, restricting what preinstalled apps could do, and the areas they could be displayed within the OS. The OEMs complained to the DOJ and MS was subsequently limited in the level of control they could exert, which is the main reason crapware flourished after a short lull.
Since they were limited in control that could be exerted via licensing/contracts, they've instead resorted limiting the integration points for new user interfaces and not allowing programatic access for actions that they feel should require user consent. The intent is most evident in their newer designs.
Features
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/21/13 21:38 UTC
At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/20/13 11:29 UTC
The day has finally come! Jolla has finally announced the launch device for its Sailfish operating system - and by god this is a looker. It's decidedly different from other phones out there, but it has good specifications and carries a relatively reasonably price tag - EUR 399, and it's up for pre-order today, shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/18/13 21:33 UTC
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.
Linked by David Adams on 05/16/13 4:23 UTC
OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/11/13 21:41 UTC
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/08/13 14:22 UTC
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/02/13 15:28 UTC
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/29/13 21:06 UTC
Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/24/13 22:24 UTC
They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/18/13 11:21 UTC
Nokia has posted its quarterly results for the first quarter of 2013, and just like the quarters that came before, there's not a whole lot of good news in there. The rise in Lumia sales still can't even dream of making up for the sales drop in Symbian phones, and when broken down in versions, the sales figures for Windows Phone 8 Lumias in particular are very disappointing. In North America, Nokia is getting slaughtered.More Features »
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Member since:
2006-12-18
I'm surprised that Lenovo's name has not been pulled yet.
For me, they're hands down Kings of Crapware.
(Still, Google has more hits for hp+crapware than lenovo+crapware. I've been exposed to more Lenovo crapware than HP crapware, so my views may be biased.)
Anyway, the whole practice is totally sickening.
OEMs have long past the point where getting rid of their crap costs A WHOLE LOT more to the customer than what they're making from their "partnerships".
In the end, the responsibility really goes down to Microsoft.
Would they step out and tell OEMs to stop their dirty business, they'd have no choice but comply.
But of course they're also getting their share out of it.
Somehow, in this highly competitive market, crapware is a direct consequence of the MS tax.