I'm never buying a Windows laptop, so it doesn't affect me, but I'm still the resident "family IT specialist". And I know, I just know I'm going to be asked lots of questions I don't have the patience for, as these poor bastards wonder why their computers are slow, all because the shitty OEM wanted to make a few cents off pre-installed shitware.

It doesn't affect me directly, I don't touch Windows laptops unless I'm wearing gloves, but the principle of the thing pisses me off. You're being treated without respect, basically.

It's like a car manufacturer selling you a car with a "feature" that takes away 50 HP to play a jingle every time you turn on your headlights, all because the got paid $7.34 by the jingle manufacturer.

Not that bad, but my car does come with what amounts for an advertisement for Sirius Radio built in.

:(

I was also offered a TON of extra add-ons when I bought my car. I'd say it was roughly equivalent to the process of setting up a new low-end PC in regards to the number of ad requests I got.

On the PC side, this is all typically mitigated by not buying the cheapest PC possible. In my experience (and this is not universally true!) the higher end SKUs are more customer centric, since at that point the customer is the one paying the entire cost of the device!

(See also, Nexus devices versus carrier branded phone models!)

I know what I am doing, and I still budget a good couple hours worst case to get all the drivers up and running again.