Sony Charges $50 To Remove Crapware: Users Revolt, Sony Relents [Archive]

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Ed Hansberry

03-22-2008, 06:00 PM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.betanews.com/article/Sony_Pay_us_50_and_we_wont_install_bloatware_on_your_laptop/1206115315' target='_blank'>http://www.betanews.com/article/Son...ptop/1206115315</a> </div>"For $50, Sony is offering not to include the standard Vaio applications, trial software and games that it normally pre-installs onto its systems. This software usually has the effect of slowing a computer down, and has even led to reports of out-of-the-box crashes for Sony's Vaio laptops. The option, called "Fresh Start," is available on Sony's Vaio TZ2000 and Vaio TZ2500 laptops, but only appears if a customer also pays $100 to upgrade the operating system to Windows Vista Business from Vista Home Premium. Ostensibly, Sony believes only business users won't want the bloatware and will be willing pay to extra to have a clean system."It wasn't long after this news broke that there was an uprising from their consumers and Sony backed off. In reading the various accounts of this, it is unclear if users can still ask for this option for free or if they are simply removing the so-called "Fresh Start" option from some models. I've personally always been partial to Dell PC's in this regard. Yes, they have crapware too, but they also come with a bare Windows installation CD and a system resources CD with all necessary drivers and third party apps required to get full functionality, like WinDVD, so as soon as I boot the machine and confirm that the hardware works well, I then format the hard drive and start clean. Too many other manufacturers, Sony included based on my last experience with a Vaio, simply include a system restore CD, which puts the crapware back on. While this would show an unbelievable amount of chutzpah for other computer manufacturers, this didn't even surprise me coming from Sony. In fact, if I had read this story and no company names were mentioned, Sony is the first one that would have come to mind. I don't care how good some of their technology is, we simply don't own any of their products in our house, unless there is some alarm clock or old handheld radio still in use.

JKingGrim

03-22-2008, 09:59 PM

I think the best option is a recovery partition on the HDD for less advanced users, and a fresh install windows cd + driver cd for those who know what they are doing. Do dells that come with OS install CDs also have recovery partitions?

I don't think it is unfair for SONY to charge for the fresh start (though it should be available for everyone). Other companies pay SONY to put their software on your computer. It is advertising. If you want the computer without the ads, it will cost more. Now, of course, consumers will speak with their wallet and if they don't want to pay for the fresh start they will take their money elsewhere. I think it is important to note however, that what people are essentially demanding is that SONY lower the price of every PC by $50.

I think the typical bundled bloatware is a big disadvantage in the windows vs mac argument though. Mac makes the software and the hardware and the final product. They wouldnt sell a mac loaded with so much crapware that it runs pitifully slow. MS however makes (IMO) a great OS, but leaves the final product up to the computer manufacturers. Those manufacturers make a poor product by loading it with crapware. Users buy that product and think that it is crappy because of windows, when it is really crappy because of the manufacturers.

Chris Gohlke

03-22-2008, 10:31 PM

Problem is most people don't realize that their PC is being subsidized by all the crap that gets put on it.

Perhaps a better business model would be to price the computer without the crap and then have an option to SAVE $50 by letting them install the stuff. It amounts to the same thing, but I think it would be more well received by both your average consumer as well as those of us in the know.

Brad Adrian

03-22-2008, 10:43 PM

I don't think it is unfair for SONY to charge for the fresh start...
Well, even if there IS a good argument, based on bundling, etc., it's still so counterintuitive that I think it's wrong.

It's like buying a car and then paying extra to keep the horn from honking non-stop.

Jerome Carney

03-23-2008, 03:21 AM

It's like buying a car and then paying extra to keep the horn from honking non-stop.

Now there's a thought ... honk your horn, and folks outside the car get to hear a honk. Folks on the inside, though, hear a snazzy commercial jingle that everyone's secretly tempted to sing along with. Brilliant!

Ed Hansberry

03-23-2008, 03:56 AM

Sony. http://www.netflix.com/FAQ?p_faqid=2462

They are just ridiculious.

DaleReeck

03-23-2008, 03:35 PM

===Perhaps a better business model would be to price the computer without the crap and then have an option to SAVE $50 by letting them install the stuff.===

I agree with this. But I actually think it's a lot more than $50. Its something like 10% - $100 per $1000 on the cost of a typical PC or notebook. I wouldn't mind paying $50. But if I was buying a $2000 notebook and could save $200, that's a lot more significant savings.

Janak Parekh

03-23-2008, 04:16 PM

Sony. http://www.netflix.com/FAQ?p_faqid=2462

They are just ridiculious. Part of the problem, as you know, is that Sony's no longer just an electronics company. Their media arms are money-grubbing idiots, and for some inexplicable reason, they let them dictate way too much of company policy. I imagine it must be frustrating for a Sony engineer -- they design some really nice products, only to see them handicapped by management.

Still, I fear I'll be getting a PS3 eventually. It's the best Blu-Ray player out there, and Microsoft doesn't seem to be planning a Blu-Ray-enabled Xbox anytime soon. :(

--janak

Russ Smith

03-24-2008, 03:43 AM

I own a Sony UX (handtop) and one thing I did fairly quickly was download all the drivers and support software and redo the system installation without any of the slagware. The hardest part is figuring what you can rip out without eliminating some functionality you want. Thanks to a very active user-community that wasn't as hard as it could be. Then the issue was just taking the time. Since then, one user has created a streamlined install disk to do the same thing and another has discovered just when to interrupt the recovery CD to eliminate all the Sony value-subtracted stuff.

Like most of you, I'm annoyed that I have to do this. Cell-phones are offered at an additional charge, free from service contracts. I'd be willing to pay extra (considering, as Mr Golke pointed out, that the cost of the system is subsidized by all that junk) to get a clean system if they'd give me the option.

Janak Parekh

03-24-2008, 02:34 PM

whydidnt

03-24-2008, 10:46 PM

You know, I'm not sure why Microsoft doesn't take an active stance on this issue. I'm sure a nontrivial percentage of Windows instabilities are attributable to crapware, and Microsoft probably gets blamed for a large share of that. They've got OEM licenses, they should negotiate that all OEMs must have a "clean" option.

--janak

You make a very good point. Another is how much do these companies spend in support $$ dealing with calls from people that are dealing with issues probably caused by the crapware. I'd be surprised if the companies ever really thought that thru all the way.

Ed Hansberry

03-25-2008, 11:49 AM

You make a very good point. Another is how much do these companies spend in support $$ dealing with calls from people that are dealing with issues probably caused by the crapware. I'd be surprised if the companies ever really thought that thru all the way.

I think that is why they are so quick to say "Well, hrmmm.. that is a problem. Back up your personal data and stick in the restore CD and that will return it to the way you purchased it, which we can confirm works. You'll have to reinstall any software you've added. Sorry about your luck. Have a nice day."