How to Keep the Setup Wizard from Ruining Your Computer

Do you find your computer filled with junkware and other types of software you don’t remember installing on your device? Even if you haven’t done anything wrong, you’ve probably made one mistake that has allowed junkware to accumulate. Today, we’re going to get into this mistake and the best way to avoid it: reading the fine print during any software installation.

The Wizard Can Be Deceiving

Before we get into the solution, we need to address the problem, which is in the setup wizard.

Aside from being an opportunity to make funny jokes, the setup wizard guides you through the process of installing new pieces of software on your device. You’ll navigate various dialog boxes that explain a bunch of stuff to you, then at the end of it, you have the piece of software installed on your computer. Typically, the wizard will ask where you want to install the program on your device, as well as what configurations you would like for the software, but the wizard can be deceiving.

The start point and the end point make sense, but it’s the messy middle that complicates things for the end user.

Understanding the Fine Print

We doubt you actually read all the dialog boxes when you install a new piece of software, and that’s precisely the problem on display here.

No one actually wants to dig through the fine print before clicking Next, especially when you want to get your new software installed. Setup wizards will use these dialog boxes to get users to agree to specific licensing terms, specifically how you will use the product, but they can include stipulations such as downloading additional pieces of software, signing up for email lists, or opting into data sharing. Free software is notorious for this; after all, nothing is ever truly “free.”

So the solution is actually quite simple: know what you’re signing up for.

Don’t Blindly Accept Any License Agreement

More likely than not, these dialog boxes will have your licensing agreements in them, and they also exist for free software.

All we’re saying is that you need to be careful about what you sign up for. Software tools might ask for permission to monitor certain types of data, and if your business operates with sensitive information, this could put you in an awkward and potentially noncompliant situation. Research the tools you use to ensure they’re not interacting with your data in unforeseen ways, especially if your business is in a heavily regulated industry.

If all of this sounds like too much, that’s why we’re here—and we’re happy to help.

Direct Technology Group can install software tools for your business so you don’t have to worry about downloading the wrong ones. Your team won’t have to agree to software licensing agreements and can instead focus on using the software to be productive. In short, we’ll worry about all the compliance and data monitoring implications so you won’t have to. Get started today by calling us at (954) 739-4700.