I’m feeling a bit iffy about Dell’s relationship with Microsoft—which is admittedly a normal one considering that the Texas-based company is a Windows PC manufacturer and retailer. The point is, two developments show how much badness the software and hardware giant can create together.
For starters, Dell now charges $150 for a Windows downgrade. Apparently, it’s trying to determine how much people are willing to pay to get rid of Microsoft’s cumbersome “next-generation” operating system. Better hope you’ve held on to your old XP installer if you’re getting a new Dell, and let’s not forget the trouble of locating the right XP drivers for your new hardware.
Then you have an agreement between Microsoft and Dell. Under the deal, Dell will ship new PCs with Microsoft’s Live Search Toolbar preinstalled. Great news regarding a company with a reputation for craplets that really slow a system down. So far, I’ve bought two laptops from Dell, and the first thing I did with both of them was format the system and install a clean copy of the OS.
I love your systems Dell (or at least, your Inspiron E1505 and XPS M1330). It’s just those irritating Dell quirks haven’t been resolved.
