Even as Microsoft readies a host of new ad-supported online services to battle rivals, the software maker has been mulling a plan to offer free, ad-supported versions of some of its desktop products, CNET News.com has learned.
Although no specific plans have been made, executives within Microsoft are examining whether it makes sense to release ad-supported versions of products such as Works, Money, or even the Windows operating system itself, according to internal documents seen by CNET News.com.
November 16, 2005
That thing about Microsoft Windows being an elaborate computer virus was supposed to be a joke
Microsoft isn't quite ready to go into the virus business, but it does look like they're considering having your new PC come preinstalled with spyware:
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This is already the case, in effect. Dell and other OEMs partner with various companies and pre-load computers with various promotional deals and ads for services. Sure, it's not "part of Windows", but it's the same thing to nearly all consumers.
Microsoft has supplied this sort of thing, abeit in an unobtrusive manner, since at least the Win 9X days, when it tried to get you to sign up with one of several ISPs when first trying to run, say, Outlook.
Maybe, but all of those things that Microsoft, Dell, et al. preload on your computer can be made to go away (or can be permanently disabled). That wouldn't be true under the proposed model.
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