I recently got a Del XPS 420 for my uncle, and BAM 1st thing was Google Desktop, Toolbar, Search... it was horrible, it took 20 mins to remove all that gunk!

No wonder apple has a better out of nox expereince, the amount of crap...they put on is shocking!

Shocking indeed - all that useless stuff, with phone-home resident components. The OEMs campaign for the right to customize the desktop experience, and they all decide to turn it into Las Vegas.

I hate all junk software bundled with Dell computers, should be a (one) desktop link to intall what, and if, you want. But who don't is a geek suffer with all thoose junk software.

Did I not get the joke? What's with all the "(PRODUCT)" and "(RED)" references in the article?

Google Toolbar does indeed suck. Everything else Google has ever done STAYS on my machines.

www.google.com is still readable in a text browser like links. Or even in Netscape Navigator 1.1. www.msn.com isn't even tolerable on the machine I bought last year.

I got a new XPS M1330 notebook last week - not a (RED) product tho - and it's equipped with the Google Desktop Sidebar as opposed to the Vista bar as well.

Microsoft Oversight Extended to 2009
http://news.smh.com.au/microsoft-oversight-extended-to-2009/20070314-23z.html
A U.S. judge ruled late Tuesday that the consent decree enforcing a landmark antitrust settlement reached among Microsoft, the federal government and 17 states would remain in effect until November 2009. A group of 10 states led by California and New York had requested the oversight be extended until November 2012.

Microsoft faces even tighter scrutiny in the European Union, where regulators have opened two antitrust probes _ one over the practice of giving away Internet Explorer with the Windows operating system and the other to determine if Microsoft withholds technical information from competing software makers.

Microsoft shares were down 48 cents, or about 1.5 percent, to $32.12 in midday trading Wednesday.

Microsoft Oversight Extended to 2009
http://news.smh.com.au/microsoft-oversight-extended-to-2009/20070314-23z.html
A U.S. judge ruled late Tuesday that the consent decree enforcing a landmark antitrust settlement reached among Microsoft, the federal government and 17 states would remain in effect until November 2009. A group of 10 states led by California and New York had requested the oversight be extended until November 2012.

Microsoft faces even tighter scrutiny in the European Union, where regulators have opened two antitrust probes _ one over the practice of giving away Internet Explorer with the Windows operating system and the other to determine if Microsoft withholds technical information from competing software makers.

As a result, Microsoft has been careful in its design of new products. For example, instead of bundling the suite of free Windows Live software with new computers, it requires users to download the programs.

(A taste of your own medicine?)

Microsoft shares were down 48 cents, or about 1.5 percent, to $32.12 in midday trading Wednesday.
---------------

I was shocked recently because one of their "budget" Dell PCs had absolutely no garbage installed on Vista - with the exception of Norton AV. What a nice surprise.

A typical PC of late from HP, Dell or others require 30-45 minutes of cleaning up. Almost faster to manually install the OS.

Gis Bun: "I was shocked recently because one of their "budget" Dell PCs had absolutely no garbage installed on Vista - with the exception of Norton AV. What a nice surprise.

A typical PC of late from HP, Dell or others require 30-45 minutes of cleaning up. Almost faster to manually install the OS."

Dell should advertise that!

These "typical" PC's you speak of; it would be faster to manually install the OS. IF THEY GAVE YOU A COPY OF IT!

I did not see any junkware on my Dell Vostro 1500 laptop when it was delivered. It was one of the reasons I chose that model (Dell marketed it that way).

Joe WilcoxNews Commentary: Microsoft finally found a way to get Google Desktop software off Dell PCs. What's that saying about a little charity going a long way—or starting at home?

Last week, Microsoft and Dell unveiled three (PRODUCT) RED, or (RED), computers. When people buy one of these computers, the companies donate money to The Global Fund.

Little problem for Microsoft: As part of a previous $1 billion bribe marketing agreement, Dell computers ship with Google Desktop software and other goodies. No problem. Microsoft representative Brandon LeBlanc has instructions for fixing up that (RED) PC, and in the process axing that dreaded Google software. He posted them yesterday on Microsoft's Windows Vista blog. Heck, there's even a video.

LeBlanc writes:

"In order to get started using your brand-new Dell (PRODUCT) RED PC right out of the box, you will need to enable a few things in order for the Windows Vista Ultimate (PRODUCT) RED bits such as the Sidebar Gadgets and Windows DreamScene to run. ... As shown in the video, in order to utilize Windows Sidebar I first needed to deactivate Google Sidebar."
Whoa, say what? I haven't gotten a test Dell system for a while. I hadn't realized that the Google Desktop Sidebar replaces the Vista Sidebar.

LeBlanc gives good instructions, but it sure is a lot of work to disable one sidebar (I would uninstall the thing) and enable the other so as to get the full (PRODUCT) RED experience. Funny, I spoke to representatives from Dell and Microsoft last week, and nobody mentioned hacking out Google junkware software to get the (RED) experience. Somehow, the Google software's presence wasn't mentioned by anyone. Now why is that?

But, wait. LeBlanc's video shows that Google's sidebar actually does offer (RED) gadgets. The screenshot provided to me last week by Microsoft shows the desktop with the Vista sidebar. Oh, that is so-o-o-o sneaky.

I'm sure the Google marketing relationship is a sticky issue between Microsoft and Dell—and stickier with (PRODUCT) RED. To get the full Microsoft experience, end users must disable one sidebar, enable another, and manually install two sidebar gadgets and DreamScene desktop background.

Tonight, I'm going to my local Best Buy and see how the PCs are displayed there. Will it be Google (RED) or Microsoft (RED)?

Well, it's not the most straightforward mechanism. But Microsoft has found a way to get that pesky Google sidebar off the Vista desktop.

WHAT an interesting find!
Thanks for the insight!
Dennis
www.dennisli.com

Funny how Google is pointed out for bribing Dell, what do you think Microsoft has been doing for the last 10 years. Do you HONESTLY believe Microsoft did not bribe vendors, governments etc.

Whats the (RED) mean

I hate all junk software bundled with Dell computers, should be a (one) desktop link to intall what, and if, you want. But who don't is a geek suffer with all thoose junk software.

For those who asked what product (RED) is, If you buy a item that says product (red) on it
like the red ipods or these dell product red computers, a portion of the money you pay goes to pay for HIV and aids vaccines in africa.