“Last week, when I condemned the flood of crippled trial software, ads and offers that come loaded on new Windows Vista computers, readers reacted strongly. I received roughly 700 emails, all but a handful agreeing with me,” Walt Mossberg reports for The Wall Street Journal.
“Clearly, many people are furious about these unwanted programs and icons, which are sometimes called craplets,” Mossberg reports.
Mossberg reports, “An excellent way to avoid or minimize the craplet problem is to simply buy an Apple Macintosh computer. New Macs don’t have any craplets displayed on their desktops. On a new Mac, no third-party software is automatically launched when you start the computer, and you don’t need antivirus or antispyware programs because the Mac is essentially free from those menaces. So, even my year-old Mac laptop reboots roughly three times as fast as my three-week-old Sony.”
“Apple does include a few third-party programs on Macs, including one that, oddly, is for drawing comic-strip effects on photos. But these are tucked away in the applications folder and most are full working versions, not trials or offers. The main exception is a trial version of Microsoft Office. With some Mac models, you get trials of two Apple programs, iWork and FileMaker Pro. But these trials can be deleted simply by dragging the icons to the trash can,” Mossberg reports.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Island Girl” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Windows-centric tech reporter’s crystal ball shows stampede to Apple Mac – April 11, 2007
Apple’s secret ingredient? A large group of very satisfied customers – April 10, 2007
Apple’s Mac OS X is inherently more secure than Microsoft’s Windows – April 10, 2007
Longtime Windows sufferer switches to Apple Mac: ‘I’ll never buy another PC’ – April 09, 2007
Smart business owners migrate to Apple’s OS-unlimited Macs – April 09, 2007
Scoble: ‘Buy a Macintosh’ – April 06, 2007
Mossberg decries Windows Vista’s dog slow boot and restart times vs. Apple’s Mac OS X – April 06, 2007
Mossberg: ‘Apple’s Mac software and hardware are markedly superior to those of Windows PCs’ – March 22, 2007
Mossberg is da man. He tells it like it is. Some people just don’t want to hear it.
The differences are getting starker and better publicised by the minute.
Go Apple.
If those useless little apps are called “craplets” would Vista itself therefore be called “crap”?
I don’t like the role he has now. It seems that he only has good things to say about Apple products. This lowers his credibility significantly IMO…
Plus the fact that he writes for the WSJ doesn’t hurt one bit either. Hopefully enough people with money and influence will read these articles and stop buying and forcing Windows garbage down the throats of corporate workers everywhere.
“Oddly” ? My 13-year-old loves Comic Life! That and Photo Booth.
MW “anyone”, as in caricatures, anyone?
Windows writers have been doing this in heards for years for Microcrap products. At least the Walt won’t be lying and isn’t being paid off by Apple. He’s calling it like it is. People will listen.
People of the world are slowly coming to realize the mediocrity of M$, thanks in no small part to Walt Mossberg. It truly is amazing watching people that swore off Apple years ago, only to buy Macs now! I’m a creative director for a large company and the people I am referring to are software architects and engineers; typically die-hard M$ apologists who consistently and unendingly used to ridicule me and my cohorts for using a “toy” computer. Now, they have jumped the sinking ship that is M$ and are praising Apple left and right.
It is like some weird dream; it almost doesn’t seem possible, but here we are. Exciting times are indeed upon us!
MW: suddenly, as in “Suddenly” people are seeing the light!
iMat;
Does that mean he’s only credible if he praises Windows and denigrates Apple?
Sorry, your biases are showing, I’d tighten that belt…
The low margin business that PC hardware is dictates that Dell, HP, Lenovo, … inflict this awful crap on PC buyers in order to make enough money to stay in business. It is another reason to admire Apple for its choice of business model.
I just helped my parents yesterday to remove a craplet toolbar that had infested their Wintel machine. I’ve been talking to them about getting a Mac, how they can stop worrying about viruses, malware etc. and how stuff Just Works™. They have started showing interest recently…
Vista is the wellspring from which all craplets flow. Lovely image.
No Thanks, I had a craplet with vista this morning. Just coffee please.
MDN needs a new tag line when readers should click on the link.
Click-it something or other.
Hi all, you know l`ve seen alot of hate against microsoft and how it performs OK doesn`t perform. Well this time l have to agree. l ( STUPID ME ) bought a new PC with vista… l`m now slowly starting to see small problems and its now starting to piss me off. So many correction l`ve had to make because they simply lost it when it comes to making an operating system. IF and WHEN l can afford it l will be switching to a mac… l might for now just dream that l had a mac.
Regards
Paul
@ iMat who wrote: “I don’t like the role he has now. It seems that he only has good things to say about Apple products. This lowers his credibility significantly IMO…”
Err, yes. that’s why he had 700 emails from people agreeing with him and handful who disagreed.
If he doesn’t promote Mac over Windows his credibility will disappear comletely out the window… Why? Why do you think? Windows is being shown to be a load of crap and craplets.
At last.
rahrens;
No, it doesn’t. It’s just that.. when you say thumbs up for everything, then people will start doubting you. That’s what I’m fearing is happening to Mr. Mossberg.
Despite the fact, that he’s right as always
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@Des Gusting
Crap indeed, but you knew that.
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Mossberg has turned into just another Mac fanboy and his articles mean nothing anymore. I ordered a Dell PC with the no cost “no pre-installed software” option and it boots from a cold start to the desktop in 21 seconds.
Slamming the competition to promote the fanboy product erodes the writer’s credibility rather quickly. In fact, Apple can’t even do a Mac ad by promoting what OS X’s features – the only way they know how to do OS X ads is to bash Vista. There’s a word commonly used to describe such a tactic – “pathetic”.
That’s the other advantage of buying Mac, irrespective of the overall value of their hardware and how “expensive” they are, any premium you pay also goes towards the fact you are getting a clean system, he mentions that you can get them on high end pc’s but that’s the point, you’re paying for what you get (or don’t get in this case). A cheap PC is cheap for obvious and annoying reasons.
If more than a few of these erstwhile Windows-backing columnists and apologists switch their focus to the Mac, expect a greater number of articles pointing out or plain bitching about OS X’s shortcomingsor perceived shortcomings and just plain wrong-headed diatribes.
er, um.
Reality Check – you need one pretty bad. I mean really. Seriously. And with all expediency.
That means as quickly as possible. Like right now. That rot is eating into brain.
Soon, nothing but craplets will remain and delusions of Vista working will dance in your head.
Go. Now. Before it’s too late.
GOOO!
GOOOOOOO!
Mossberg: For one thing, many new PCs no longer come with disks for reinstalling a full, clean version of Windows.
Frickin’ amazing. These clowns should be hanged, drawn and quartered.
Mossberg: It is not advisable for nontechie consumers to wipe the hard drive and reinstall. … This is intended as an emergency backup or for the technically sophisticated.” Sony and Gateway sent me similar warnings.
What the hell does the OS consist of? Passwords to get into Fort Knox (that’s empty, by the way)? The Masons’ secret handshake? Why is it not advisable? All it is is copying a DVD, isn’t it? If it isn’t, why does M$ make it so difficult, or is this another lie out of Redmond?
Mossberg: For one thing, many new PCs no longer come with disks for reinstalling a full, clean version of Windows.
Frickin’ amazing. These clowns should be hanged, drawn and quartered.
Mossberg: It is not advisable for nontechie consumers to wipe the hard drive and reinstall. … This is intended as an emergency backup or for the technically sophisticated.” Sony and Gateway sent me similar warnings.
What the hell does the OS consist of? Passwords to get into Fort Knox (that’s empty, by the way)? The Masons’ secret handshake? Why is it not advisable? All it is is copying a DVD, isn’t it? If it isn’t, why does M$ make it so difficult, or is this another lie out of Redmond?
Mossberg: For one thing, many new PCs no longer come with disks for reinstalling a full, clean version of Windows.
Frickin’ amazing. These clowns should be hanged, drawn and quartered.
Mossberg: It is not advisable for nontechie consumers to wipe the hard drive and reinstall. … This is intended as an emergency backup or for the technically sophisticated.” Sony and Gateway sent me similar warnings.
What the hell does the OS consist of? Passwords to get into Fort Knox (that’s empty, by the way)? The Masons’ secret handshake? Why is it not advisable? All it is is copying a DVD, isn’t it? If it isn’t, why does M$ make it so difficult, or is this another lie out of Redmond?
Mossberg: For one thing, many new PCs no longer come with disks for reinstalling a full, clean version of Windows.
Frickin’ amazing. These clowns should be hanged, drawn and quartered.
Mossberg: It is not advisable for nontechie consumers to wipe the hard drive and reinstall. … This is intended as an emergency backup or for the technically sophisticated.” Sony and Gateway sent me similar warnings.
What the hell does the OS consist of? Passwords to get into Fort Knox (that’s empty, by the way)? The Masons’ secret handshake? Why is it not advisable? All it is is copying a DVD, isn’t it? If it isn’t, why does M$ make it so difficult, or is this another lie out of Redmond?
Reality Check,
I ordered a Dell PC with the no cost “no pre-installed software” option and it boots from a cold start to the desktop in 21 seconds.
Good for you. That option obviously works, However it should be what it the default option, not special or even an alternate request. You, however, I will assume, are not the typical PC user and know this, as you seem to have a bit more knowledge than most.
Mossberg has turned into just another Mac fanboy
Is Mossberg a Mac fanboy? Good question…I will counter with a recent article, and a feeling that I have had for years, that Mac fanboys are fanboys not because of some unbalanced fealty to Apple, but instead, due to the fact that Macs just (for the most part) seem to work. That people who use them, Mossberg included, really seem to appreciate all the effort Apple puts into their hardware and software design with the end goal of total user satisfaction. Most (not all) people who use Macs tend to be very satisfied and want to share their experience with others. (see eg. Dwight Silverman, Houston Chronicle, 4/11/2007: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/silverman/4700465.html )
Slamming the competition to promote the fanboy product erodes the writer’s credibility rather quickly. In fact, Apple can’t even do a Mac ad by promoting what OS X’s features – the only way they know how to do OS X ads is to bash Vista
As to Apple ads not promoting OS X, but instead bashing Vista, I will counter with with that they are in essence doing both. Historically, Apple has done very limited advertising. Of late and particularly since Steve Job’s return, Apple has been promoting what the Mac can do. All to often if fell on deaf ears. Those of us who use Macs day in and day, and in my case since 1984, understood this. I was always continuously amazed that my colleagues who would trumpet some new feature in Windows, only for me to say, I have been doing that for years (or some lesser extended length of time) on my Mac. True, the reverse also applied (features and useability that appeared on a win-box well before a Mac implemention, if ever), but I must say, at least to me, Apple and Macs, have always (ne the performa years) been on the cutting edge of pc technology.
The current slate of adds are appealing and effective because they point out this salient fact. They attempt to empathize with the typical (not necessarily you) windows user. They do a point-counterpoint arguement telling the pc that it doesn’t have to be a bad experience.
There’s a word commonly used to describe such a tactic – “pathetic”.
It IS advertising after all, and you are entitled to your opinion. Is Apple stretching things abit? Don’t they (corporate america) all? Are they untrue or misleading, I think not. Are they “pathetic?” Cute, funny: Yes; pathetic: No.
regards,
zac
Just correcting the link to the article I wanted, don’t know how I screwed that one up. Must be the Mac I am using
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Blackfriars of 4/10/2007 http://www.blackfriarsinc.com/blog/2007/04/behind-scenes-why-apples-customerbase
Also a spelling error, change “ne” to “nay”
zac
Is craplets a word?
Reality check-
I don’t believe that you just bought a PC from Dell without all the craplets. I believe that option exists, but I don’t believe you for some reason.
“I don’t like the role he has now. It seems that he only has good things to say about Apple products. This lowers his credibility significantly IMO…”
What do you mean, he had a ton of bad things to say about Windows.
Quad Core;
I’ve answered that once:
When you say thumbs up for everything, then people will start doubting you. That’s what I’m fearing is happening to Mr. Mossberg.
Despite the fact, that he’s right as always
Maczac – I just wanted to say you did a nice job with your response. Your response is well thought out and logical. Too many people respond with personal attacks instead of addressing the issues.
Peace.
Mossberg is 100% right on this one. No one likes all the ads, “free” software, and other junk that comes on a PC.
I was a PC user for years, and it was just standard procedure to open up the box, dig through the printer ads, AOL discs, and other propaganda, just to get to the computer. After booting up the computer, you spend at least an hour identifying and deleting all of the malware, trialware, and spyware that was preinstalled.
The Apple experience is utterly, absolutely, unequivocally superior.
As a first-time Mac buyer (MacBook, 6 months ago), I was dumbfounded at the ease and elegance of the unpacking and first boot of my new computer. I picked up a new HP printer also with the MacBook, and the stark contrast between unpacking and setting the two up was incredible. Flyers and ads were spilling out of the printer box, and even the printer driver disc was an endless offering of crapware just to install the drivers.
I thought that Microsoft had already registered the word ‘Craplet’.
They’re planning to use it for a forthcoming smaller, flash-based variant of Zune.
Craplets! ROTFLMAO!!!!!