Toshiba Computer "Broken" By Removing Pre-Installed Bloatware

A Toshiba representative told a customer that removing pre-installed trial crap from his computer amounted to "breaking" it, frustrating his attempts to get service when the notebook he'd bought started failing.

From the laptop owner, quoted by The Consumerist:

"I quote verbatim (because I asked him to repeat the line to me multiple times) accused me of "breaking my computer by attempting to uninstall bloatware." I said, "do you even know what bloatware is," and he said
"yes, and it may be your fault that your computer is broken because you tried to uninstall it."

I've never had trouble with Toshiba, myself, and I think the guy got unlucky with an incompetent tech. The real problem is the industry practice of installing all sorts of unwanted adver-software willy-nilly on their products. Usually, it just clutters the desktop and incurs a mild performance hit. Occasionally, however, these unrefined "craplets"
permanently muck up the operating system.

Responsible manufacturers make clean machines an available option: typically, you have to ask.

Toshiba: "Don't Delete Bloatware If You Know What's Good For You" [The Consumerist]