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Dodging the Junk

Ditching the big names in favor of a boutique brand, such as Polywell or the Dell-owned Alienware, can considerably reduce the amount of trialware and adware you'll have to contend with. In the Poly P3503, for instance, all of the software installs were full versions, not trialware. And the pricey, performance-oriented Alienware Area-51 7500 was pristine--the company even removed the adware links that Microsoft itself puts in the Vista Welcome Center.

If you need the comfort factor of a market-leading brand, you still have ways to dodge the marketing deluge. The first is to opt for business-targeted PCs. Both Dell and HP freely admit to preloading less junk in their business and corporate lines, such as Dell's Vostro and HP's Compaq systems.

The downside to this approach: These products cost more than their consumer-targeted equivalents. Multimedia PCs like Sony's VAIO VGC-LS30E are particularly prone to junk software, so avoid these unless you really need TV recording features; alternatively, consider adding multimedia options to a more mainstream model.

Even if you buy a consumer-targeted PC, you may be able to minimize the software pollution. On request and for free, technicians at a Sony Style store will remove all trial- and adware from any Sony computer you purchase at the store, or that you bring in after buying online. And Dell has recently altered its online purchasing process to allow users to opt out of several types of software.

Unfortunately, though, we've yet to encounter a way to avoid the not-always-helpful utilities that most companies are prone to putting on their PCs.

Creative Complaining

So far we've described the polite strategies for avoiding crapware. But if you're willing to go the squeaky-wheel route, anything's possible--even a perfectly clean desktop. Complain to the vendor about the crap on a system you're contemplating buying, or ask salespeople for the machine with the least junk on it. Better yet, tell them you'll take your business elsewhere if you don't get a clean install of Vista--for free.

Vendors will get the message if enough buyers squawk. If you're unsuccessful in your bargaining, don't needlessly pay for a retailer's "setup" or "optimizing" service; instead, read "20 Tools to Get the Junk Off Your PC," and (this article's last page) "How to Clean Your New PC."

Keeping your PC free of gunk once you start using it is difficult enough; the less of it you get with a new system, the less you will have to sweep out yourself.