Sony Offers Bloatware Removal Service — For a Fee [Updated]

linuxwrangler writes "First Sony packed its laptops with Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office trial version, Corel Paint Shop Pro trial version, WinDVD and more. Now it is offering to remove the bloatware. Of course marketing changed the name from 'removing the crap we stuck you with' to 'Fresh Start' software optimization. And they want you to pay $149.99 to clean up their mess — $49.99 for 'Fresh Start' on top of the required $100.00 Vista Business upgrade. You can get about $25.00 of that cost back if you select all available 'no-software' options which are only available after selecting the $149.99 'upgrade'. Wonder what they would charge to remove Windows completely." Update 11:57 GMT by SM: It seems that massive outrage at Sony's "Fresh Start" program has encouraged them to drop the fee for scrubbing your laptop of bloatware before shipping it your way.

It should be

[Tuoqui]

From the charging-you-for-our-mistakes dept.

Re:It should be

[OrangeTide]

How much does the option of not killing the family dog cost? I don't think I can afford the please-don't-rape-me option bundled with these products. I'm waiting for the version of a product with viruses loaded onto it to be $50 cheaper, that way you can undercut competitors in advertisements and with customers that buy purely on pricetag. Even though I suspect most customers try to roughly compare pricetag with features to come up with some squish concept of value when they make a purchase decision.

One of life's little axioms

[Man On Pink Corner]

"If the answer involves giving money to Sony, you must have asked a really silly question."

Re:Geez. forget it.

[nogginthenog]

Yes, but it's not much use if you don't have a driver for your network card!

Re:It went over your head, but ...

[Anonymous Coward]

Your inability to grasp that jokes can falter is pretty damn funny.