Microsoft has been seeking to land new OEM search deals with various PC makers (like Lenovo) as a way to grow more quickly its lagging search market share. Not to forget their web search deal with Linspire too.Mary Jo Foley reports that Microsoft and Dell have signed a deal via which Dell will be shipping new PCs with the Live Search toolbar preinstalled, according to sources familiar with the arrangement between the two companies. Microsoft officials declined to comment on the alleged deal, as did Dell officials. Officials with both companies said they would not comment on "rumors and speculation."
Foley also added that her sources say Microsoft has offered Dell sweet enough terms to entice the PC maker to replace its search-preload deal with Google with a comparable offering from Microsoft. OEM deals are just one way Microsoft is looking to grow its search share.
Stop pre-installing crapware.
To crapware makers (MS, Yahoo, Google, Mcafee, etc):
Stop offering crapware. It does nothing but annoy us and provides an incentive NOT to use your product.
So you end up with a situation where customers complain to the OEM, but since they all do it the customer continues to buy from them (no OEM incentive to stop as they still get Advertiser dollars and the same user dollars). The advertiser ends up with a nice deal because the majority of those users won't know how to remove the software from the system completely (most people either don't have access to a clean Windows/OS disk or know how to go about formatting in the first place).
Well of course i was kidding.......................................
I agree fully. And the new Wave 3 Live stuff is looking very good.
It's like trying to decide which turd smells better. I don't want to smell any poo.
You'd prefer to have a Google monopoly, or just two players in the market?
I prefer Live search most of the time...there results are pretty good...
You also have to remember that googles got a bigger lead in their DB over MS, so they get more sites indexed. Just give it more time.
Firstly, they would be sued to oblivion if they built in this stuff to Windows these days. Apple gets away with it because it's not the big player - MS cannot.
Of course users will find a way to use Google, however the aim is to expose more users to Live Search, as it may take their fancy. That doesn't stop users being able to quickly and easily uninstall the software.
OH NO WAIT! It's exactly the same. Good job on that comment.
Don't assume that "everyone" is a slave to Google. Some people actually care about their privacy. They choose better than Google.
Looks like Live search being the IE 7/8 default isn't working
It's only the default on new PCs, not upgrades. Upgrades keep whatever the old setting was.
(And that is nothing new)
Actually, I prefer to have a Google monopoly.
Any monopoly is generally bad.
Agreed. Google is considered this cool hip lil kid by everyone so it seems fashionable to jump on their side and be willing to let Google deflower your new wife, but the reality is a Google monopoly would be very bad for society.
Imagine if Google lost any major competition (MS and Yahoo have the cash resources to keep Google on their toes)... What would stop Google from removing content they didn't care to show (for example a YouTube competitor). They would be able to effectively decide what is online and what isn't since a lot of people take search engines as the gospel of what is online.
If you have a problem of "well I shouldn't have to do this in the first place", there isnt much more to discuss. Its not like it is embedded in the BIOS.
Google Sidebar does.
Just install windows, then pop in the drivers and applications cd/dvd, and mark all drivers, no applications.
Then you have windows without crapware:p
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.