Have you recently purchased a new laptop or PC?

Keeping your laptop or PC running in tip-top shape so it doesn't keep crashing can be an even bigger challenge if you have just purchased new Hardware - a Computer that is. Let me explain to you why.

There are programs pre-loaded on to your Computer that you don't need or want!

For those who have recently purchased PC's or intend to...*

These days, if you have purchased a Dell, HP, Compaq, Sony or even a clone (no-name) PC from Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Depot, PC Anywhere, etc.), chances are it comes with a lot of pre-installed software that you don't need and don't want.

The reason this software is on you PC is that the Hardware (HW) Manufactures partner with the Software (SW) Manufactures and get residuals (money) for pre-installing their SW.

It's a great idea if you are part of the partnership, but I believe that the consumer is done a bit of disservice right from the get-go as no one has lowered the price of your new PC in order to load it down with all this, mostly… Unwanted Stuff.

It is unwanted because in many cases the extra software is misleading and may not allow portions of the MSWindows XP Operating System (OS) to function properly. It's misleading in that it implies that you MUST install that extra software in order to get that functionality.

Example: One time a guy called me to fix his PC. He just wanted to view photos and graphics he was sent from a friend by email. The 30-day free trial had expired on a third-party, "image-viewing" software that was pre-loaded on his computer and now he couldn't view jpeg's, gif's (graphic files) that he could before - unless he purchased the software.

So I deleted the software and he was able to view photos better than ever without spending a dime. He was ecstatic! Creating music CD's and Backup CD's is another example. I had Roxio CD Creator installed for years until I figured out that it was just stopping me from using the Software already included in the OS to do the same thing faster and easier.

When you turn on a brand-spanking new PC or Laptop, countless services will be competing for real-estate. Every company wants to put their little icon on your desktop, on the toolbar, in the start and quick launch menu, and even pop-ups and "display-alerts" that casually make there way to the lower right of your window. Software companies also want you to have automatic updates and an icon which seamlessly connects you to their website.

Makes you wonder, "Why did I buy a computer again..?"

You must regain control!!! And make your computer work for you.

Software is getting more and more intrusive these days. Microsoft is surely no exception, nor are most antivirus programs. So you need to know which SW you need and which ones you don't. Hence, step 1.

Many times they use intimidating language to get you to install them and/or not delete them.

Words like,

"ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DELETE MICROSOFT WINDOWS AND ALL OF ITS SUBCOMPONENTS? (Doing so may cause one or more programs not to run properly.)"

You need to have a little hutsba (guts) to overcome these attempts at intimidation by software's last stand.

The truth is that the default OS has all the image-viewing software and generally all the functionality that you need when you are just starting out.

If you have a new computer with a whole bunch of junk software on it, and you want it to run efficiently, get rid of it!

End of that lecture.