Definition[]
Pre-installed software is software already installed and licensed on a computer bought from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
Benefits[]
Purchasing hardware and software together is cost-effective, and discounts are possible from OEMs on bulk orders. Pre-installation also provides the convenience of a turnkey solution, when the user does not have to worry about installation of various commonly-used software, such as an operating system or word processor.
Drawbacks[]
Pre-installed software commonly suffers from one of more of the following problems:
- Pre-installed software is commonly licensed for use only on the computer on it was pre-installed, and is not transferrable to other computers.
- Pre-installed software may be functionality- or time-limited, in an effort to get the user to purchase the "full" version.
- Pre-installed software may not include any media, which makes it impossible to reinstall.
- Pre-installed software may modify or replace the default browser or system settings, in an effort to target specific advertisements to the user; or may otherwise contain functionality the user might consider to be malware.
- Pre-installed software may consume system resources, even if not actively being run by the user.
- Pre-installed software may be difficult for users to remove, such as via the standard uninstall utility provided by the system.
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