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Software vs Crapware - What's the difference?

software | crapware |

As nouns the difference between software and crapware

is that software is software while crapware is unwanted software that comes pre-installed with personal computers.

software

English

Noun

(-)
  • (computing) Encoded computer instructions, usually modifiable (unless stored in some form of unalterable memory such as ROM). Compare hardware.
  • * 1958 , John W. Tukey, "The Teaching of Concrete Mathematics" in The American Mathematical Monthly , vol. 65, no. 1 (Jan. 1958), pp 1-9:
    • The "software " comprising the carefully planned interpretive routines, compilers, and other aspects of automative programming are at least as important to the modern electronic calculator as its "hardware" of tubes, transistors, wires, tapes and the like.
  • * 1995 , Paul Niquette, Softword: Provenance for the Word ‘Software’ :
    • As originally conceived, the word "software " was merely an obvious way to distinguish a program from the computer itself. A program comprised sequences of changeable instructions each having the power to command the behavior of the permanently crafted machinery, the "hardware."

    Usage notes

    Software'' is a mass noun (''some software'', ''a piece of software''). By non-native speakers it is sometimes erroneously treated as a countable noun (''a software'', ''some softwares ).

    Hyponyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * *

    Related terms

    * adware * bloatware * firmware * freeware * hardware * malware * schlockware * shareware * spyware * vaporware * wetware

    See also

    * application * assembly * assembler * bug * code * coding * compilation * compiler * debugging * interpreter * linking * linker * open source * patch * programming * script * utilities * warez

    References

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    crapware

    English

    Noun

    (-)
  • Unwanted software that comes pre-installed with personal computers.
  • * 2008 , "Can Apple's Best Topple the PC Competition?", Maximum PC , Future US, Inc. (ISSN 1522-4279), No. 96, page 26
    • We suspect that its extra pound of heft is made up entirely of crapware'—the Vaio ships with a ludicrous number of useless preinstalled applications. We understand the economic necessities of subsidizing inexpensive PCs with third-party ' crapware , but there's no excuse for whoring out a notebook of this price.
  • * 2009 , Eric Griffith, "Make the Most of Your New PC", PC Mag , Ziff Davis Inc. (ISSN 0888-8507), Volume 28, No. 1, page 68
    • Big-name system vendors typically install software on their consumer PCs at the factory. These "extras" go by many names: bundleware, begware, bloatware, and my favorite, crapware. That's because a lot of it is just that: useless crap. A few vendors, like Sony and Dell, offer some options to avoid crapware , but usually just for small businesses. Boutique manufacturers, like Velocity Micro, do a better job of providing a clean system.
  • * 2011 , Guy Hart-Davis, The Healthy PC: Preventive Care, Home Remedies, and Green Computing, 2nd Edition , McGraw Hill Professional (ISBN 9780071752916)
    • All crapware' programs can be useful—but each program is likely to be useful to only a few of the people the PC manufacturer inflicts it on. The PC manufacturers claim they install ' crapware to provide useful software, but the real reason is that the software companies pay them to include it.
  • * 2012 , Woody Leonhard, Windows 8 All-in-One For Dummies , John Wiley & Sons (ISBN 9781118237991)
    • I hate it when the computer I want comes loaded with all that nice, “free” crapware . I'd seriously consider paying more to get a clean computer. You don't need an antivirus and Internet security program preinstalled on your new PC. lt'll just open and beg for money next month. Windows 8 comes with Windows Defender, and it works great — for free. Browser toolbars? Puh-lease.