Last week, we mentioned that our techs were helping a lot of folks connect their new gadgets to the Internet.
 
But maybe you were one of the really lucky ones that got a brand new computer over the holidays. If so, you might be dealing with trial software (also known as demoware).
 
These third-party software applications help subsidize costs for manufacturers, resulting in a lower price for your computer. Common trial-version programs on new PCs include Microsoft Office, McAfee Antivirus and Norton Internet Security.
 
Some of these programs can be helpful, but others are rarely or never used. They consume memory and slow down your machine. And sometimes, anti-virus programs can conflict with one another and cause all sorts of problems.
 
One good way to clean up unwanted software on your new machine is to use a tool called PC Decrapifier (www.pcdecrapifier.com). While the name may sound a bit crude, many experts find it to be effective and simple to use. You can select exactly which programs to keep and which to remove, then delete PC Decrapifier from your computer so it is good as new. 
 
You can also manually uninstall programs through the Control Panel. Just be careful, though - some unfamiliar programs can actually be vital to your computer and deleting them will cause problems. Research programs and what they do before removing them from your machine.
 
Once you clean up your new computer, you'll likely find it will run much more smoothly.
 
Your desktop will be all nice and clean, too. And who doesn't like that?