Ars Technica reports that PC manufacturer Lenovo will pre-load their computers with a Live.com search bar. This is of course a result of a deal between the Chinese company and Microsoft, just like Google and Dell are doing.
While this is not a craplet (a piece of unnecessary software forced onto the user by the manufacturer) it might be annoying enough to have to change your default search engine and perhaps start page on your brand new computer. It’s easy enough, but the idea is that users won’t bother with it, or just be as happy with Live.com search as they were with Google or whatever they previously used.
Expect more embedded online services in your computer. Vista gadgets and OSX widgets, stuff like that will be pushed on us with our OEM operating systems. The way out of it, of course, is to buy a stand-alone system, format your brand new pre-installed computer and install a clean system without all this crap. I’ve been doing that for years and won’t change the tactics.
Still, the majority of users won’t bother, or even consider, reinstalling. They accept the craplets and pre-loads because they don’t know they can remove them.
Originally posted on March 16, 2007 @ 4:15 am