#3: "One of the many “we make your computer faster than ever and behave like brand new”. Some call it snake oil – and a lot of serious people swear that snake oil helps."
I think if this sort of software helps, or how much it can help, depends on the state of the PC or laptop.
Many years ago I used to manage auto shops -- to some people as long as they could get their car or truck started everything was fine. We might see them when they could no longer start their vehicle, and by then it was a terrible mess. Sometimes it seemed the only thing still working properly was the cigarette lighter, because they didn't smoke. Sometimes we'd get yelled at for breaking the air conditioning -- the mechanic had turned it off & forgotten to push the button in on the dash, turning it back on. If we had disconnected the battery, sometimes we had to tune their radio for them -- hard when they had no idea what station they had had it tuned to. Many people are that way with PCs.
It's not that they're stupid -- there are just things that they don't know about, or maybe don't care too much about, &/or maybe can't grasp intellectually. Many people's lives are so busy they don't, have never had the time. At least that's my guess, since I've found it hard to think the same way when I try to understand. They may not ever do any maintenance with Windows or their PC. Microsoft &/or their MVPs often suggest re-installing Windows -- it's easier for them to say that rather than to try diagnosing a problem, and it may be safer, or at least more practical, than advising things Windows users should do for maintenance.
If someone isn't going to clean out at least some of the accumulated garbage in Windows, they're probably not going to heed that advise & reinstall everything, but they might run a program like BoostSpeed. And maybe doing that is better than not doing anything at all?
Now some people don't like apps like BoostSpeed because they don't, can't do anything you couldn't already do yourself. In that respect I look at it as the same thing as paying some kid to cut your lawn or shovel the snow in your driveway. Some people don't like this sort of software because the companies selling it can never resist the temptation to make dubious claims & generally pump up the volume of pure hype. Who knows, maybe some of their customers aren't satisfied unless a company constantly tells them how smart they are to choose that product?
There is no denying that there are companies selling similar software &/or services, often with an anti-malware component, that many think should not just be shut down, but the people running it should be put in jail. But it's like that with any sort of product -- there are many who'd like to see some GM execs do serious prison time over past ignition switch problems. Auslogics so far has a solid reputation.
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#21: "It’s generally not a good idea to let some program go tooling around in the Windows registry unless you know how to fix it if the program breaks it. Some program(s), or even Windows itself, could be severely crippled by an incorrect or ill-advised registry setting."
You're very correct, but it's not just tune-up software you need to be wary of. Over the years I've had all sorts of software, much of it from big brands, muck up Windows. I've had drivers that once installed broke Windows so it wouldn't even run. Microsoft software, including Windows itself, was sometimes the culprit. IMHO it's critical to have a reasonably current image backup of the Windows partition that you can easy restore. It also can help, sometimes quite a lot, to use virtualization software whenever you install or update anything like Karl does.
I got lazy the other day & didn't fire up my virtualization app, Time Freeze, before updating VirtualBox to the newer version -- I'd never had a problem before so I [stupidly] felt safe. On the bright side I've now got experience with Paragon's new backup format.
"In general, you’re not going to speed up your computer noticeably without either (1)installing newer, better programs that use system resources more efficiently, or (2) upgrading your RAM, CPU, Motherboard or switching from a spinning hard drive to an solid state hard drive. This is true no matter what claims to the contrary these programs’ publisher’s make... it’s nothing that’s going to make you slap your face and say, “Wow! My computer is SO much faster now!” That’s just not going to happen."
But that's making the assumption that all is well, which in your case is probably true. There's also a placebo effect -- no one likes to waste time &/or money or to have regrets, so we hope for results, & are inclined not just to see them, but to exaggerate their importance. That's not to say placebo effects are bad necessarily -- a positive experience is a positive experience, whether someone else feels it's well justified or not.
" if you genuinely believe a program like this is going to extend your time for barbecues and gaming, then you have been sold a bill of goods, simple as that. "
I'm sure that from your perspective that's probably very true. I could also see someone with no knowledge or experience beyond starting Windows & playing a game or browsing the web facing the consequences of neglecting Windows housekeeping entirely. Plus software's gotten more demanding & their PC isn't getting any newer, so any inefficiency might have out-sized effects. *IF* [and I'm stressing IF] BoostSpeed makes an improvement, maybe it's saved that person from 1st learning how, & then performing that Window's housekeeping, or maybe it's saved them from re-installing Windows & their software.
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30: "Guys, seriously, there’s no sense to write long paragraphs about the fact that no software will speed up your pc. If it’s 5-year old granny’s laptop then yes, the only thing that can help it is a trash bin. But taking care of the system is a must do for any user."
What I’m trying to suggest today is looking at it from another person’s perspective — someone who fits BoostSpeed’s targeted audience. Maybe that person has an older PC or laptop — many don’t have the resources to buy the latest top rated hardware, & for many others it’s just not a priority. Sometimes every little bit of added or restored speed helps, especially when upgrading can’t or won’t be considered.
Maintenance can be a tricky issue. If you talk to or read the recommendations of an expert in almost any area there’s usually maintenance that they’ll advise. We should ideally do better towards or for our bodies, our cars, our carpeting, our furniture, our plants, our lawns… the list of [often so-called] expert advice goes on & on. Sometimes it seems a lifetime isn’t enough.
Some people aren’t going to maintain their PCs or the copy of Windows that’s installed on it, whatever their reasons. You can tell them they should, that they need to, but they haven’t so far & it still works, so you’re gonna be ignored. Maybe they’ll install & run BoostSpeed because of the *Speed* part, & as long as they have a backup so you don’t have to play at tech support, maybe it’ll help.