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Actually, I'm purchasing a Sony computer with all the crap on it. Then I'm going to invoice them monthly for storage fees.

I don't care about the crapware or the removal fee. Give me an OEM operating system cd so I can reinstall the computer when I purchase it. Then I know what I'm getting and you don't have to have 2 images.

Just another reason to built your own from NewEgg and install the OS yourself from a MSDN ISO.

How long have they had this 50$ thing going on for and how many people paid for it?

Who purchases Sony computers?

It's sad to believe what corporations do for money.

I mean, people DO buy these things.

Digg: "$50 bucks for removal?! ***** you Sony!" ...one day passes... "No option for $50 clean OS?! ***** you Sony!""

Oh, but you all missed the part where they require you to get Windows Vista Business Edition, at $100 extra to be crapware free. Sony does as Sony usually does...

Cool, hope all the rest of the manufacturs follow suit

Honestly, when you buy a computer in general, there shouldn't be any "demo" software...especially in the case of a few manufacturers *ahem* who tout the "demo" as an included piece of software....HP Compaq, and even my Toshiba.....

The restore CD/DVD should have an option for "clean" install...or otherwise "Bloatfree" install. With options to install applications which came with the computer, rather than a ghost image with the bloated crapware which I always remove within 5 minutes of it ejecting the restore disk.

++respect for Sony. I was pretty upset they'd have the audacity to charge for something like this, but now i've gone from completely avoiding a Vaio like the plague to remotely considering picking one up the next time I need a refresh.

I don't see the problem. I would imagine that allowing third parties to have their software pre-installed brings down the cost of the system, and the $50 charge is just to recover that price drop for those who don't know how or don't want to go through the hassle themselves.

Bloatware is the axiom of anti-consumer practices, software makes like Symantic, Norton, AOL, etc pay the computer makers to have them pre-installed, Sony probably got paid $50 to have them installed, which was probably where the stupid fee was from. Charging for bloatware removal is silly, but bloatware removal should be a required option for EVERY computer sold (not all companies have it as an option). It is after-all your own computer you paid for with your own money.

"People aren't going to pay the $50 fee.."
"Well Bill, some people will, and then once the consumers flip out, we'll take it away and keep what money we got from the initial suckers..."

This goes to show nothing beats rolling your own PC because you get to choose what's on it and not some suit in a conference room.

Other manufacturers should follow.

"Dell last year offered the removal of bloatware from its Vostro line of PCs."

Really? Where is that option? I just looked at a Vostro online yesterday and I didn't see that...

I no longer buy any Sony items after a movie cd crapped up two of my computers.
Does anyone remember? Oh the root kit bull SH*T Two hard drives reformatted.
ENOUGH SAID........

"Customers opting for Sony's Fresh Start could miss out on software including Microsoft Works"
I can not say that I would be missing that "feature"

If someone really wanted any of that crap, couldn't they just download those trial versions from their respective sites? If you really need something, you'll attempt to get it.

"Customers opting for Sony's Fresh Start could miss out on software including Microsoft Works, bundled with a trial version of Microsoft Office; Sony's Vaio Creation Suite Photo Software with a Corel Paint Shop Pro trial version; the Click to Disc video editor WinDVD; and an edition of QuickBooks Simple Start that tracked only 20 customers."

wow... wouldn't wanna miss that glorious load of *****.

doesnt dell charge for for no crapware too?

Another reason not to buy Sony products.

(Also another reason not to buy PC's.) *ducks*

The online community is a force to be reckoned with.

Why be mad at Sony? If people are that stupid or lazy than why not have them pay to have no software installed? The time saved from having to reformat a computer for just $50 is probably better spent.

The consumer has the ultimate power. "You take this ***** of this computer or I'm not buying it". end of story. If you pay it they will keep finding new ways of fcuking you.

Console fanboys are a never-ending source of hilarity.

News flash: your console sucks.

So they're removing Vista too then?

That´s why i don't buy computers with pre - installed OS in them. I want to install by myself and usually a clean XP install followed by Ubuntu.

If you don't format the hard drive and re-install the OS every time you buy a computer then maybe you're too ***** up to get a "fresh-start" option in the first place.

Has anyone checked if they didn't just add 50 or so to the base price and say they got rid of the fee?

this is just sony as they will try to get away with anthing they can till someone starts to by loud about it

We are SONY - we can do what we like!

Now we don't need to pay $50 to remove sony's bloat from their crappy laptops. Now we need to pay $100 to get Vista Business to not get bloat! What an improvement! Great job sony! /sarcasm
sony will always be sony.

WOW!!! Aren't you people capable of removing programs from your computers????????????????????

Acer laptops have no crapware installed when you buy them. I was suprised.

I don't see what the big deal was... it isn't a secret that these companies get paid to put trials on these computers. In reality they probably get more than $50 a computer to put that software on you. Yes, to the un-educated it may seem odd to have to pay extra to not have the other software installed ( should be less work right? ) but most people don't realize that the price of the laptop is subsidized by the software. I am surprised that Sony gave in.

btw - i hate sony products and i would never buy one of their machines, I am speaking from pure common sense, not love for this or any other company.

The whole problem here is the Windows PC Multi-National Corporation culture. Personally I think it should be illegal for companies to pre-install (paid or not) leveraging software that the purchasers didn't seek to purchase. The basis should always be the customer getting what they paid for, and the purchase should be solely for the consumers benefit. Compulsory leverage is a very criminal like action in my mind.
Fine if they want to offer 'subsidy packs' or 'extras disc' that the consumer can choice to take advantage off. The same applies particularly with the Windows OS where software that isn't even remotely related to the functionality of an OS is forced down people throat for the purpose of leverage. It is nothing short of the abuse of monopoly power to gain an unfair advantage in an unrelated parallel market.

You people bitch and whine too ***** much. The computers are more expensive if they don't put this crap on it, so they give you the option to just buy the more expensive computer. Instead, you all want it for free. What's with the sense of entitlement? Whiny little *****.

I fully understand a price difference in bloatware/non-bloatware PCs... the extra garbage is obviously a moneymaker for the OEM. HOWEVER, instead of asking $50 to remove bloatware, they should be offering a $50 (or higher... because they make a frikken fortune on all the software that's installed) rebate for allowing them to install garbage on my machine.
It would be very interesting to see a lawsuit that would force OEMs to open up their books so we can see if ANY profit from bloatware is passed on as savings to the customer (likely not). All it will take is a widely distributed piece of software with a huge security hole on multiple OEM machines to open up a lawsuit like that.