Question about Preloaded Software

[shadowfayre]

I am a convert waiting for my Macbook Pro to arrive. I do have a question. My experience with name-brand laptops and desktops is that they install a butt load of useless applications, some freeware and some shareware. Generally the first thing I have to do is wipe the drive and manually install a fresh install of Windows.

Is this a problem with Apple products as well?

I found the list of what is pre-installed on the MacBook's. Is this the limit of that list, or will I find myself dealing with Google Toolbars and Yahoo junk on the initial startup? I am going on a limb here and assuming that even these applications can be uninstalled, right? I realize that many think these applications are worth money and love them, since I will be new to these, I have to decide on my own; however I do want to have the option to either remove or at least do a clean install of the OS. What would be nice, is if the Apple 'recovery cd' has an option to do a clean install of just the OS or at least have the option to deselect applications prior to there installation.

iTunes
iPhoto
iMovie HD
iDVD
iWeb
Photo Booth
Front Row
^--- All of these appear to be of value
\/--- These are questionable
GarageBand
QuickBooks
Comic Life
Omni Outliner

Thanks!

 

[Eidorian]

Everything that's listed on the specifications page under the software section is what you're going to get. If you want you can do a custom installation off of your recovery DVD's and just uncheck what you don't want. That's what I did. I have iLife 06 and told my recovery discs not to install iLife 05. I just checked the OS and help files. I didn't install anything else. After that was done I installed iLife 06 on a nice and clean machine.

 

[kiwi-in-uk]

If you see value in iPhoto you will probably also see value in Comiclife. It is more than it appears. The others you mention ... well, if you plan on getting Office you probably have no use for Ominoutliner. Quickbooks is up to you. Garageband - wait until you see it - the new version integrates with iMovie so you can work on movie soundtracks from within Garageband.

I don't recall getting much junk - maybe the trial version of MS Office. Certainly not the Google & Yahoo stuff.

Uninstalling this stuff is easy. In most cases just drag the application to the trash. Find its preference file and do the same. In some cases (Garageband for example) you will also want to get rid of the sound loops, which can be found under Library>Application Support.

BTW if you haven't found it already there is a whole bunch of good stuff in the Guides here, including the Mac Beginners Guide that lists extra bits of software you should consider.

Cheers

 

[prostuff1]

All of those are much more usefull then what comes installed on a windows machine.

Grageband is cool and fun to mess with but kinda usless if you are not going to use it. But i still suggest keeping it.

As for QuickBooks, Comic Life, Omni Outliner. I dont use them much but they are cool. I really nevered used QuickBooks so i did remove it.

Besides that most everything that comes on the mac is much better then what comes on the PC. And you dont get the yahoo and all that crap

 

[shadowfayre]

Only time will tell, I just wanted to see if there was a 'clean' or 'fresh' installation available. Even on the recovery CDs that are included on some named PC units, they install all the junk back as it was from day one and with no option to uncheck them. I do not know how well applications uninstall on Mac OSX, but under Windows, seldom does an uninstaller actually uninstall everything associated with that application. (leaving registry entries, files, etc)

Thanks for all the replies. I do look forward to using my MacBook.

 

[tsvb]

Only time will tell, I just wanted to see if there was a 'clean' or 'fresh' installation available. Even on the recovery CDs that are included on some named PC units, they install all the junk back as it was from day one and with no option to uncheck them. I do not know how well applications uninstall on Mac OSX, but under Windows, seldom does an uninstaller actually uninstall everything associated with that application. (leaving registry entries, files, etc)

Thanks for all the replies. I do look forward to using my MacBook.

Well within mac's operating system there is no "registry". Simply drag any app that you don't want to the trash with the preferences file. It seems you work with PC's alot huh?

 

[shadowfayre]

Yes. I have been working and using PC hardware for about 13 years now. Prior to that I used a Commodore (there is a word some of you may not have hear of)

As much as I have used Windows, I have never liked it. I fault not to use Windows 95 as long as possible, and it was not until Windows 2000, that I finally did everything in the GUI (DOS mode). I tried working on Macs a couple of times, but never put much into the OS. Now that OSX is based off of what FreeBSD or some version of Linux (if I understand correctly) and using Intel hardware that I am familar with, I decided to give it a shot.

If worst be, I will dump OSX and go to Red Hat (since they are determined to make the hardware work). I personally do not want to use Windows, but since what 90% of the world uses it and my office will never use anything other than Windows...well I am pretty much stuck with it.

At least at home, I plan on making an attempt to jump ship.

I no way state that I am a know all of computers; not in short, I can pretty much make Windows do what I want within restrictions. Hopefully I can do the same with OSX.

Oh yeah, let me add, the funny thing of all this, My first computer I used back the 80's was the Apple IIe. The world does full circle, doesn't it.

 

[ChrisA]

Don't worry about "clean install". That's an MS Windows term. If you
find that you don't like (say) "quickbooks" and no one that is likey to share your computer likes it either you simply drag it to the trash. That's it. It's gone. There are not 1,000 little parts of it all over 200 different folders.

Actually _most_ of OSX is "freeware". The whole thing is based on "Darwin" which is Apple's version of BSD UNIX and you get the whole suite of UNIX utiliies thrown in as well as a suite of server software all of which is just "standard UNIX stuff" that people who work with UNIX/Linux/Solars see every day. The neat thing is that the enginerring effort is multiplied. The code is fixed or updated on one of the UNIX systems finds it's way onto OSX I would even say that the majority of those who contribute to Darwin are not on Apple's payroll. Do not compare "GNU/Open Source" to "Windows freeware" the latter is typical the best in it's class while the later is typically junk. Price does not imply quality.

As for which programs are usfull? It depends on you. There are plenty of people who bought a Mac just so they could run Garage Band on it while you mark it as "questionable." I have little use for Front Row, can't remember the last time I watched a DVD ot TV. and I kind of like Garage Band because even I can use it to make "background noise" for my videos.

I am a convert waiting for my Macbook Pro to arrive. I do have a question. My experience with name-brand laptops and desktops is that they install a butt load of useless applications, some freeware and some shareware. Generally the first thing I have to do is wipe the drive and manually install a fresh install of Windows.

Is this a problem with Apple products as well?

I found the list of what is pre-installed on the MacBook's. Is this the limit of that list, or will I find myself dealing with Google Toolbars and Yahoo junk on the initial startup? I am going on a limb here and assuming that even these applications can be uninstalled, right? I realize that many think these applications are worth money and love them, since I will be new to these, I have to decide on my own; however I do want to have the option to either remove or at least do a clean install of the OS. What would be nice, is if the Apple 'recovery cd' has an option to do a clean install of just the OS or at least have the option to deselect applications prior to there installation.

iTunes
iPhoto
iMovie HD
iDVD
iWeb
Photo Booth
Front Row
^--- All of these appear to be of value
\/--- These are questionable
GarageBand
QuickBooks
Comic Life
Omni Outliner

Thanks!

 

[asherman13]

Garageband is DEFINATELY of value. If you like music, you'll enjoy it. When you get your MacBook Pro, play with it; it's awesome.

As far as I know, the only "shareware" that comes with the MacBook Pro is the 30-day trial version of iWork. Don't like it? Drop it in the Trash and do a Secure (or not, if you don't want to) Empty Trash, and you're all set.

 

[annk]

Please post again when you've got the Mac and have tried it out a bit (and have uninstalled something). I can't wait to hear how you like it (I have the feeling you're going to LOVE it ).

 

[Mr. Mister]

The only useless things preinstalled on Macs are the trial versions of Microsoft Office if those are still being preinstalled nowadays.

 

[shadowfayre]

Wow! No registry... No 1000 folders for a program. I dont know if I can handle that.

The simpliness of deleting an application using the trash bin, that is most interesting. With the years of having to uninstall, then clean out the registry and after all that, delete the folder; most intriguing.

Since this is based off of BSD, does that imply that I can download other linux or BSD applications and run them within OSX? I have some experience using Linux distros (Red Hat and Mandrake mostly) and the more recent experience using AIX (clearing my throat). Is there a terminal session for those that still like heading to the command prompt for some activities?

I am guessing a lot of this is in the How To guides or Beginner's guide. So if you want to put me to that, I will read (if I have too )