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#1
What is bloatware
There is often a mention of so called "Bloatware" the comes with OEM installation. But what is bloatware as per your definition - I am sure we will get as many definitions as we get posting.
1. Let me first tell you what i consider as bloatware and what I delete immediately:
1.1. All games - I never use any
1.2. Adobe PDF reader - I use Foxit
1.3. MS Works - I use Office
1.4. MS Anytime Upgrade - I do never intend to upgrade
1.5. Anything Google or Yahoo - I really don't need that
1.6. Napster or any other music stuff - I have my own music
1.7. Anything .lnk - I can find my own links
2. Then there is a second category which may or may not be bloatware.
2.1. McAfee definitely - but not Norton Internet Security for which I have a key (for 3 systems) that is still valid for half a lifetime.
2.2. Some OEM tools that keep popping up all the time asking you to do this or that. But some other (quiet) tools can be quite useful.
2.3. MS Office for those who do not use it. For me it is handy because I only have to insert my product key.
I always put myself into the shoes of someone who buys his/her first PC. I think they are well served with a working AV program - even if it is only for 3 months, a PDF reader because they would not know what that is and where to find one or an Office 3 months trial - at least they can get an idea what that is all about.
And finally, all those programs only take some disk space which is not a big deal these days. It gets a bit more touchy when those programs nest in the startups of a PC with small RAM - but most new systems today come with 4GBs anyhow.
So where is the problem?