Ownership

[timmera]

I am used to tune my pc the way I want: delete or install programs etc. After all it is my pc, isn't it. But it seems that I don't have full ownership of my new pc - with Vista. There is a lot of programs I cannot de-install, eg works, windows mail, calendar, photo galery etc. I wonder what law is saying about this issue. Does someone know more?

[Dencandy]

Hello Timmera & a happy Christmas to you. Assuming you bought the computer (or someone bought it for you) you do own the physical computer, but not the software (programs) on it. Must of that is lent to you on a licence, sometimes for a fee, sometimes it's loaned to you free of charge.

With software we're in the murky world of intellectual copyright I'm afraid. With your copy of Vista, you will have an End User Licence Agreement (EULA) somewhere on the computer. Try searching for it if you haven't read it yet. It makes it very clear that Microsoft have only hired the use of Vista to you on certain conditions. All those conditions are spelt out in the EULA. If you are not bored enough by Christmas, you can bore yourself even more by reading through it.

So far as I know most software is like this & no one has successfully challenged this approach in a court of law. :)

[catgate]

I am used to tune my pc the way I want: delete or install programs etc. After all it is my pc, isn't it. But it seems that I don't have full ownership of my new pc - with Vista. There is a lot of programs I cannot de-install, eg works, windows mail, calendar, photo galery etc. I wonder what law is saying about this issue. Does someone know more?

There is a whole load of tunable OS software out there and most of it is free. Many people are turning away from M$ for the sort of thing you are finding. Hence the reason for M$ trying to tie people into their systems more tightly and control them.

[D4\/!d]

With XP I use pcdecrapifier dunno if it works with Vista.

Ah just found this "Windows XP and Vista Compatible" so it is.

Take a backup and/or image first.