Everything that is to come is a perfect example of why I never have and never will buy a pre-built PC from a system builder if I can help it.

Michael Amor Righi is just a regular guy running a computer training/consulting company out of Pittsburgh. Like any regular person could be expected to do, Mr. Righi -- finding the need to purchase a Windows-based PC due to work-related complications -- went to Dell. Upon using the new Dell for some time, he discovered that it came with "My Way Search Assistant" conveniently pre-installed, courtesy of Dell.

As any gullible Windows user is probably aware, My Way is a neat little piece of spyware that spies on your surfing habits so that it can annoy you with targeted advertising. Obviously Dell gets some kick-backs from this unscrupulous company for bundling My Way's garbage with every Dell computer, but what I don't understand is why -- you've paid Dell for the computer, why the hell should you endure advertisements on your own computer from that point on?

Anyway, obviously Mr. Righi wasn't too pleased about this, so he attempted to un-install the filth with the Add/Remove Programs control panel. No go -- upon rebooting, the thing was still there. Being a paying customer, Mr. Righi then did the reasonable thing, and called Dell. The following (from Michael's blog post) ensued:

After a 30 minute wait on hold, a man with an Indian accent who asked to be called Stewart answered the phone. Our (abbreviated) conversation went something like this:

Stewart: What seems to be the problem?
Me: I’d like to remove My Way Search Assistant from my computer. I tried to remove it through the Control Panel, but it still appears in “Add or Remove Programs.”
Stewart: What do you know about this program?
Me: I know that this is Spyware and I know that I want it off my machine.
Stewart: How did My Way get onto your computer in the first place?
Me: What do you mean? It came pre-installed when I bought my computer from Dell.
Stewart: I have trouble believing that this was on your computer when you purchased it.
Me: So do I Stewart, so do I.

Obviously Stewart is not very up to date with the sotware Dell pre-installs on their computers. If anybody doubts that Dell has a relationships with My Way, one only need visit http://www.dell4me.com/myway/.

Stewart then explained that he would no longer be able to assist me with my problem. He indicated that I would need to contact software support services for help removing the spyware that Dell installed on my machine. Oh yeah, and he indicated that they would charge my credit card for the call. $49, specifically.

What Dell is doing should be illegal. They are being paid to install spyware on new computers. They are making it difficult for customers to remove the spyware on their own. Then, they charge $49 to teach you how to remove it. This would be like a doctor being paid to infect you with a disease and then charging you for the antidote.

What more needs to be said?

That, my friends, is why I make an active effort to avoid using pre-built Windows PCs -- let alone buy them. Unfortunately, in the notebook PC world, you have little choice, so my course of action changes track:

• Buy computer, unpack
• Turn on, wait an excruciantingly long amount of time while Windows and boat-loads of spyware/memory-consuming filth load
• Take note of hardware in the machine
• Format the hard drive and re-install Windows from an original retail disc

Sadly, not even my iBook G4 from Apple was immune to bloat -- the stock 40 GB hard drive already came with 12 - 15 GB consumed by garbage I didn't need. That underwent a format and fresh re-install almost instantly as well.

It's a sad state of affairs indeed.