PC Pitstop Newsletter – May 2012 #3
PC Pitstop Newsletter – May 2012 #3 Read More »
Search Results for: crapware
PC Pitstop Newsletter – February 2012 #2
PC Pitstop Newsletter – February 2012 #2 Read More »
Bob Rankin: Bob’s Favorite Free Software
I’m happy to talk about freeware. There are thousands of free programs available online. But there are only a handful that I consider essential, and I download them to every new computer. From security to web browsing, to graphics, productivity, and troubleshooting, here are seven of the most popular and useful free downloads.
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PC Pitstop Newsletter – August 2009
Introducing Driver Alert 2.0
Guide to Better Passwords
Fake AntiVirus Alert
Ask the Pros – PC Upgrades
Most Popular Freeware
When Your Motherboard Dies
The 500 Worst Passwords
Firefox Ready to Be #1
10 Super Firefox Extensions
Tech’s Most Magnificent Failures
Clean up messy uninstalls
Office Compatibility
Spotify Music Player
Free Fax Service
Process Library
Most Loved Desktops Library
Most Loved Notebooks Library
Drivers Library
PC Pitstop Newsletter – August 2009 Read More »
Fake AntiVirus At Epidemic Proportions
Strangled by trojans, each week I see systems brought to a standstill. Sometimes it’s a neighbor and sometimes it’s a friend, but the story is always the same. “A popup said I was infected so I tried to remeove it. Now I can’t download anything. The program said it would help, but it didn’t.” They look real, mimicking Microsoft or well known AntiVirus products. The names sound ligitimate, calling themselves AntiVirus 2009 and such.
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From Bloat To Craplet
From bloatware to craplets seems like a logical progression for unwanted waste. Are computer manufacturers finally taking this logical approach to removing the crap-lets they’ve been dumping on us?
Yesterday I was setting up a new laptop for a friend. I wanted to get it out of the box and make sure there were no problems accessing the Internet. After testing and timing the laptops used for our last look at bloatware, I was worried that my friend would end up with a mess. Surprisingly the first boot went smoother than I expected. There was no flood of pop-ups or junk. Humph!
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Trashed From The Factory Straight To Your Doorstep
Recently my focus has been on how the computer manufacturers are clogging our machines with boatware and craplets. My most recent look at this problem was disheartening to say the least. Instead of continuing to whine, I decided to see what I could do about the problem.
I started with a Sony VAIO VGN-NR185 laptop. The same one used in the �From Bloat To Craplet� article. This first laptop uses an Intel Core2 Duo 1.6 GHz processor and 1024 MB of memory. I’ve always liked the VAIO from Sony but the recent problem with craplets and Sony’s position on DRM has led me to safer alternatives. I wanted to see how much time it took to clear this machine of the headaches installed by Sony.
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I Hate this Keyboard!
The word “performance” usually means CPU, memory, disk, or video performance to most people. That’s usually what I mean by it too. But after several months of experience with one particular notebook, I’ve found a component that has destroyed performance more than any other: the keyboard.
When PC Pitstop did a bloatware survey last year, we had several notebook PCs that we couldn’t return. I took one of them, the Toshiba Satellite A135, to use as a Windows Vista test system. Initially, I tried leaving all the preinstalled crapware on the system to see how it would perform. After a few weeks of that, I couldn’t stand it anymore. At least the crapware situation can be fixed, though, unlike the keyboard.
I hate this keyboard.
Take a look
I Hate this Keyboard! Read More »
What is spyware?
Over the past few years, a new class of software has emerged that’s up to no good. It goes by many names: spyware, adware, foistware, malware, eulaware, or even crapware. For simplicity we’ll just call them all spyware. Here are some of the “features” you get from spyware. Some spyware may only use one or two of these tactics, while others do quite a bit more.