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Definition: shovelware


The many "extra" programs pre-installed on some PCs that offer little value (they are "shoveled" in without regard to quality). Shovelware first appeared in the late 1980s when tons of shareware programs were copied onto CD-ROMs and advertised in magazines or sold at computer flea markets. The term also applies to collections of video games that have little value as well as multiple software titles sold as a bundle. Also called "crapware," shovelware is geared to first-time buyers, who think they are getting more for their money. See wares.