Walt Mossberg

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Craplets on TV

Just nine days after my April 5 column condemning the practice of loading Windows PCs with “craplets” — useless, crippled, trial software and offers and ads that litter the desktop — Apple posted the ad below making fun of the practice.

Of course, it isn’t 100% accurate. While Macs come with a clean desktop and very little third-party bundled software, they all do include in the Applications folder a trial version of Microsoft Office, and the Pro models also include trial versions of two of Apple’s own products, iWork and FileMaker Pro. So, while Macs are much better than Windows machines on the craplet front (my new Sony came with 24 craplets,) they are not perfect.

But the ad is funny.


comments so far. Add yours.

  • http://blog.casacaudill.com Becky Caudill

    Prior to these Mac ads, the actor playing Mac was quite possibly one of the most annoying character actors to ever “grace” our TVs. Who would have thought going from TV shows and movies to commercial acting would have been such a boon to his career? And of course, you HAVE to love the guy from The Daily Show.

  • http://www.cyclelogicpress.com Neil Anderson

    Microsoft Office as a craplet. Too funny!

  • Sam Harrison

    every time i start itunes it wants to download safari and quicktime

    so apple has its share of craplets also

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