OEMs pay Microsoft about $50 for each copy of Windows

Snuffy said:

That is whe OEM from manufactures is. Want it w/o all the CRAP, buy the OEM from Suppliers, etc: Tigerdirect, Egghead, CDW, NewEgg.

I think you are missing my point. I think the OEMs should provide the media, as well as restore CDs (which are good for people who don't want a clean install, such as non-techy people).

I'm fully aware that I can buy an OEM license from a vendor like Newegg, although I wouldn't ever do so for my own systems, since I upgrade and reshuffle parts often. If I were to buy an off-the-shelf OS, I'd by retail.

Besides, the point you are missing is that some OEMs, like Dell, often give you a plain vanilla OS disc (usually with BIOS check) to do a clean install from. However, it seems this is usually the case on a business purchase, where you might not even be using the included OS.

Antman said:

Not totally related, but since we are addressing bad practices -

I will not work on a machine with AOL software installed. Period.

If the victim convinces me to uninstall AOL for him/her, I will only do a wipe and clean install. I don't care. I will not diagnose anything after AOL is detected. Period.

Period.

I totaly agree back in the day with a modem my first system and my Moms were locked into AOL it took me years to get to dsl or cable yet my Mom still uses AOL. I just spent 4 hours uninstalling it and teaching her how to use IE8, in 8 years she has never used anything but AOL. I did manage to get her to stop paying for it and use the free email address what a piece of junk and you can through MacAfee in their with it what a hassell to uninstall that . Came with her new laptop. I still can't seem to get rid of all of it, even in the regestry.

If I ever buy a computer, I straight away remove OEM Software and install a clean OS. Computers come installed with so much useless rubbish nowadays It slows the computers down.Also most Laptops/PCs running vista are underpowered they come with 1gb RAM! I just went out and bought another 2gb stick straight away.A Friend bought a computer with Windows XP Media Center Edition and it came with 512mb RAM and it had a sticker on it saying Vista Compatible or Vista Ready. Of cousre you could run vista on that ,but you have to wait half an hour for something to open.