They should include a Restoration Disk,like they used to. How is a user going to restore their laptop, if the system restore files are saved on their harddrive, and the graphics drivers are corrupt? Most users, don't heed the subtle warning of making a restore disk, when they turn the laptop on for the first time.
Think any OS has got to be Windows but it should be optional. Don't think there's much chance of moving the laptop mob off Vista - whatever they may say it's in their $$$$ interests.
Took me ages to get rid of Symantec which came on the wife's Acer - almost had to sleep in a separate room as the constant nag screen was driving everyone nuts. Good idea about a separate directory (not installed) though if it really must go onto the laptops.
I think all computers should come with Linux by default, and an option to pay for Windows.
But since I recognize the impracticality of such a statement for most people (not to mention the fuss it causes M$), I'll answer with the programs I install whenever I have to fix my friend's computers.
AVG, Adaware
Firefox, Adblock, Flash, Acrobat Reader
VLC Media Player
IBM Symphony (if they don't want to ...cough... pay for Office)
Pidgin
iTunes (switching over to Amarok as soon as 2.1 gets released.. 2.0 isn't polished enough IMO)
WinRAR
uTorrent
Daemon Tools (if they game)
For me the operating system must be Micosoft maybe a base system of XP with an option to go to Vista; but I am not technical so I am not interested in buying something non mainstream such as Linux.
I would think that a base system should have the basic MS Office with options to go to higher levels. Then it should have Explorer and the rest are many of the others mentioned in comments and your article free anyway? so let the user choose what to install; I like Williams comments about the user deciding.
I think someone put it best in another comments section. Put the programs in a directory, and let the user decide what they want to install. Give them a guided tour the first time the machine runs, or something. Must have applications is purely subjective. Just as an example, I do not run anti virus programs naively on any of my personal systems, and this is not because I am stupid, or unaware. Photoshop for me is a must have, because I am a hobbyist photographer/image retoucher.
As for the choice of Operating system, I agree. However, Microsoft partners which I am assuming ASUS *is* are not given much choice by Microsoft. Microsoft is going to try and push their latest greatest, and I can understand why. There are however other options such as Linux, *or* no OS at all. The problems here vary, but technical support from Microsoft is a big one( concerning why OEMs put which OS on what, and when ). There are other reasons that may or may not be obvious . . . Put simply, companies only make money when they sell items, and lots of them.
-Mozilla Firefox
-Google Chrome
-Google Earth
-SnagIT and Camtasia Studio (screencapture and screen recording software from techsmith.com)
-Azureus Vuze (bittorrent client)
-Skype (VOIP Client)
-Windows Live Messenger
-Irfanview (free photo viewer and editor)
-KLite Mega Codec Pack with 321 Media Player
-CCleaner (system/registry cleaner)
-Yoics (free remote access program)
-The full MS Sysinternals suite (Process Explorer in particular)
They should include a Restoration Disk,like they used to. How is a user going to restore their laptop, if the system restore files are saved on their harddrive, and the graphics drivers are corrupt? Most users, don't heed the subtle warning of making a restore disk, when they turn the laptop on for the first time.
Think any OS has got to be Windows but it should be optional. Don't think there's much chance of moving the laptop mob off Vista - whatever they may say it's in their $$$$ interests.
Took me ages to get rid of Symantec which came on the wife's Acer - almost had to sleep in a separate room as the constant nag screen was driving everyone nuts. Good idea about a separate directory (not installed) though if it really must go onto the laptops.
I think all computers should come with Linux by default, and an option to pay for Windows.
But since I recognize the impracticality of such a statement for most people (not to mention the fuss it causes M$), I'll answer with the programs I install whenever I have to fix my friend's computers.
AVG, Adaware
Firefox, Adblock, Flash, Acrobat Reader
VLC Media Player
IBM Symphony (if they don't want to ...cough... pay for Office)
Pidgin
iTunes (switching over to Amarok as soon as 2.1 gets released.. 2.0 isn't polished enough IMO)
WinRAR
uTorrent
Daemon Tools (if they game)
Cool
But how could you go forward without a all-round multimedia solution to convert all the popular media formats?
I vote Aimersoft Media Converter
http://www.all-media-converter.com/media-converter.html#136
My laptop & iPod cant tune well without it.
For me the operating system must be Micosoft maybe a base system of XP with an option to go to Vista; but I am not technical so I am not interested in buying something non mainstream such as Linux.
I would think that a base system should have the basic MS Office with options to go to higher levels. Then it should have Explorer and the rest are many of the others mentioned in comments and your article free anyway? so let the user choose what to install; I like Williams comments about the user deciding.
I think someone put it best in another comments section. Put the programs in a directory, and let the user decide what they want to install. Give them a guided tour the first time the machine runs, or something. Must have applications is purely subjective. Just as an example, I do not run anti virus programs naively on any of my personal systems, and this is not because I am stupid, or unaware. Photoshop for me is a must have, because I am a hobbyist photographer/image retoucher.
As for the choice of Operating system, I agree. However, Microsoft partners which I am assuming ASUS *is* are not given much choice by Microsoft. Microsoft is going to try and push their latest greatest, and I can understand why. There are however other options such as Linux, *or* no OS at all. The problems here vary, but technical support from Microsoft is a big one( concerning why OEMs put which OS on what, and when ). There are other reasons that may or may not be obvious . . . Put simply, companies only make money when they sell items, and lots of them.
Here are my must-haves on any new laptop I get:
-Mozilla Firefox
-Google Chrome
-Google Earth
-SnagIT and Camtasia Studio (screencapture and screen recording software from techsmith.com)
-Azureus Vuze (bittorrent client)
-Skype (VOIP Client)
-Windows Live Messenger
-Irfanview (free photo viewer and editor)
-KLite Mega Codec Pack with 321 Media Player
-CCleaner (system/registry cleaner)
-Yoics (free remote access program)
-The full MS Sysinternals suite (Process Explorer in particular)