Dell Incorporated has unveiled six Vostro PCs (four laptop and two desktop models) for the small business market that will ship without bundled "trialware", if buyers so choose. These preinstalled applications, search settings, trial editions of commercial software and icons to various technology services clutter a new Windows PC"s hard drive and, users argue, only benefit the computer maker, which is paid a commission when customers upgrade to the software"s full version. "Customers really hated trialware. It was the most frustrating thing for customers in setting up a new computer. Our new Vostro line comes with no trialware, none at all," said CEO Michael Dell.
The move isn"t totally new for Dell, however. Last month, it gave customers the option to refuse trialware on some systems after thousands had lobbied for a no-trialware option on the vendor"s IdeaStorm site. But the June decision left some bloatware on new Dells: trial versions of antivirus software, Acrobat Reader and Google Toolbar. Customers configuring Vostro systems can decline everything on the sales site, except, there doesn"t appear to be an option to bar the Google Toolbar"s factory installation.