Preinstalled Software

Consumer grade computer often come so loaded with unneeded and use trial software it has developed it's own moniker - crapware. One of the reasons I steer people towards business class machine is they have far less preinstalls; with the exception of trial versions of MS office. But why would you buy that when you can get Open Office for free?

All aside this article explains that some manufacturers are rethinking the whole concept. They should.
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/
news/2008/08/28/pc-makers-rethink-preloaded

PC BOX BUILDERS are thinking of getting rid of the tradition of stuffing your new PC or laptop with trial software that you don’t really want anyway.

The reason is that some retailers, such as Best Buy, are making a small fortune removing the software and charging punters for the privilege.

According to the New York Times software companies pay hundreds of millions of dollars to PC makers like Hewlett-Packard to install their photo tools, financial programs, virus killers and other products, usually with some tie-in to a paid service or upgrade.

PC makers have come to lean on this cash as profit margins become thinner than a French catwalk model who has skipped eating for a month, fainted and fallen under a steam roller.

Circuit City and other US chains also report that users are miffed at the amount digital infomercials which are being packed onto the PC.

Always the end user advocate, my advice still stands. Look for business models to buy. You'll probably have to go on-line to do so.