Thinkpads and Windows 7

Pie · 10-31-2009, 05:38 PM

I did love my Thinkpad (back in 2003, before the Great Layoffs). However, the more recent Lenovo variants are a little ridiculous in the bloatware/addon software department. I suppose if you reload the OS clean, you get the best of both worlds. But those of us not in IT can rarely afford to do so.

mbpark · 10-31-2009, 05:54 PM

What Lenovo puts on their business laptops is not that bad. Seriously. They only put on Norton AV and Office trial on some versions (and you have to ask for the latter!), and I've worked on T60's and T61's out of the box. They do put on the utility software, but that's about it.

I would not be surprised if their consumer laptop had Idiocracy-level advertisements, however. The only way that the manufacturers make money on hardware these days is by turning consumer-level equipment into an advertising platform.

Now take Acer, Toshiba, Sony, HP, or Dell's consumer lineups and see what they put on there. It's really horrible. They put on the trial version of Office 2007, and a ton of other little programs you will never use, and a lot of pop-up ads for services. HP is especially guilty of this. I just bought an HP laptop for my mother because it was cheap, and it had more pop-ups than websites with questionable content asking me to buy a ton of services. Dell's corporate laptops even come with the ads.

I admit I reloaded the OS, and downloaded System Update and the drivers from their site and Windows Update (which actually worked!), and I ended up with almost exactly what my T43 had when I unpacked it 3.5 years ago sans Norton AV. System Update does have some ads in it, but they are non-obtrusive.

10-31-2009, 05:38 PM	#1
Pie Gone and done Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 4,808	I did love my Thinkpad (back in 2003, before the Great Layoffs). However, the more recent Lenovo variants are a little ridiculous in the bloatware/addon software department. I suppose if you reload the OS clean, you get the best of both worlds. But those of us not in IT can rarely afford to do so. __________________ per·son \ˈpər-sən\ (noun) - an ephemeral collection of small, irrational decisions The fun thing about evolution (and science in general) is that it happens whether you believe in it or not.

10-31-2009, 05:54 PM	#2
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Bloatware? What Lenovo puts on their business laptops is not that bad. Seriously. They only put on Norton AV and Office trial on some versions (and you have to ask for the latter!), and I've worked on T60's and T61's out of the box. They do put on the utility software, but that's about it. I would not be surprised if their consumer laptop had Idiocracy-level advertisements, however. The only way that the manufacturers make money on hardware these days is by turning consumer-level equipment into an advertising platform. Now take Acer, Toshiba, Sony, HP, or Dell's consumer lineups and see what they put on there. It's really horrible. They put on the trial version of Office 2007, and a ton of other little programs you will never use, and a lot of pop-up ads for services. HP is especially guilty of this. I just bought an HP laptop for my mother because it was cheap, and it had more pop-ups than websites with questionable content asking me to buy a ton of services. Dell's corporate laptops even come with the ads. I admit I reloaded the OS, and downloaded System Update and the drivers from their site and Windows Update (which actually worked!), and I ended up with almost exactly what my T43 had when I unpacked it 3.5 years ago sans Norton AV. System Update does have some ads in it, but they are non-obtrusive.

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