News IBM, Sun and Adobe join Microsoft antitrust case

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2009/04/17/ecis-joins-microsoft-antitrust-case/1

The argument about IE's inclusion in Windows continues, as ECIS shows its support for the AC's antitrust case against Microsoft.

 

please correct me if I am being stupid or something. But if IE was not included in windows, how would anyone connect to the web to download another browser in the first place?

 

Whats the difference between MS bundling IE and Ubuntu bundling firefox or apple bundling safari? It's more MS bashing for the sake of it! If they're going to go after MS surely they should go after apple for the same reason. I think most people would complain if they had to install a browser before they could even get on the net, that in itself would be pretty difficult in a house with no existing computer unless we're going back to the days of browsers on a disc like when AOL dialup discs were everywhere!

 

haha, that's what I was thinking the entire time. You would have to go get firefox on cd to go with the new computer before going online. Most of us would get it with another computer or something, but I could see confusion with the average user having to access to the web.

 

this just smacks of bandwagon jumping

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't Window's file browser built on the same technology as the internet browser? Until IE7, it used to be that if IE6 crashed, it took Windows Explorer with it...

How are MS supposed to not bundle the internet browser? Also, as DriftCarl says, if a browser isn't included then how do you get others? You can't include ALL browsers in the installation 'cos then people will scream at the bloated install size!

 

this is bs, next thing i know, ill have to start burning cds for people to install browsers with, great. If this happens thanks alot ms bashers...

 

More interesting for me was Firefox 3.0 is the browser of choice in antarctica

 

Yeah, really. How the **** do you get online if IE isn't included in windows? Otherwise, they may just make it a shortcut on the desktop "Install Internet Explorer".

Now; in recent years SOME headway has been made. With proper configuration, IE can be replaced as the default browser, and it's presence in the system nearly unknown. You do need it for some sites, though.

 

I have to agree with the comments above.

1. If Windows shipped without a browser, how would you download one?
2. If Windows shipped without IE, which browser should it ship with?
3. How come it's OK for Apple to ship OSX with Safari only?
4. Microsoft are very fair about browsers on windows. IE is less aggressive about making itself the default browser than FF and Safari are. If you type a URL into windows explorer, it opens it in your default browser, not IE. It's not like Microsoft are going out of their way to make it hard for other browsers to succeed.

The only reasonable objection that I can think of is that you can't uninstall IE, but that is explained by my first point. It makes sense to have a browser so that you can download things.

 

This is all kind of pointless, as windows 7 will give you the option of not installing IE, rendering thier arguement of "you have to install IE, so we have no chance, it's not fair" utterly pointless.

 

I must be crazy. I have a train of thought going "Microsoft makes an OS. It's theirs and they can put whatever the hell they want with it, so long as it's not illegal software. No one is forcing anyone to buy it, so quit complaining"
Next you'll have other software companies complaining that MS has a monopoly on image viewing software and file browsers.

...oh and that trees have a monopoly on being made into paper. SUE THE TREES!!11!1one

 

I have to agree with the majority, needless MS Bashing...

Also as Tulatin states, you tend to need IE running as there are too many developers who are not intelligent enough to make sites/apps which work on all platforms... This isn't refined to amateur sites either. One of the major British banks is also guilty of this.

 

As an ex-Sun guy who made a living competing against M$, and who continues to believe that Windows is crap; that M$ over-promised, over-charges, and under-delivers; I will surprise many by saying this case is BS. Here's why:

- Where's the damage? When was the last time someone bought a browser?

- Let the market decide, not the courts. This case supports Socialism and not Capitalism

- M$, although they make sucky products, isn't preventing anyone from innovating. Maybe the innovations just aren't that valuable?

- Maybe there IS NO BROWSER MARKET! Can you imagine if the tire companies tried to do this to the automobile companies? Continuing the analogy, the "aftermarket" is almost always better than stock. However, for most, stock is "good enough"

- Everyone has to start making money the old fashioned way again, by earning it. Stop the redistribution of market share.

- As an engineer, Bill Gates makes me cringe. As an American Capitalist, Bill Gates makes me PROUD.

+1 to Arkanrais. Trees suck too! lol.

 

If the tyre companies did this to automobile companies, wouldn't it be like buying your car without tyres and then having to drive it to the tyre shop so they could be fitted?

 

Starting with Vista, IE is out of the Shell of Windows. One of the "big" pluses of Longhorn in 2003, was that IE is gone from the file browser system (explorer). This was true until Vista was released, and still true to Win7. Microsoft, finally acknowledge this to be a serious problem when it saw XP being trashed out on a user system with so many exploited security whole (hence the release of SP2 to hold up XP a little bit more for the fresh new core and 80% of the OS redone, called Vista)

Ok, sorry to inform you, but I think you are on the wrong forum section. This is based on an article related to Microsoft Windows, not M$ line of products. I know they both starts with "M"'s, but in reality they are different companies. Don't feel bad, you are not alone doing this mistake.

 

As some posters have already noted, Windows 7 will give users an option not to install IE. This means that OEMs can choose not to install IE and install a different browser instead. Not including IE on the Windows DVD is equivalent to killing MS OS business outright. What modern OS can survive without a web browser. EU argument held up for WinXP and Vista, but now it's simply obsolete.

 

How about they sue Microsoft over the IDEA of releasing any bundled software with their OS.

Oh please, if Microsoft makes a product, they have every right to bundle it with THEIR operating system.

For the record, I hate Internet Explorer, but it's something that I'm not against being bundled with Windows.

 

^^^ what they said


come on, it worthless to ever talk about

 

Because OSX is a minority compared to Windows.


It's just people bitching about an OS because they can't steal some of the users on the OS to use their own products on said OS.. even though said "products" are free and Microsoft/Windows don't force you in any way to continue using their bundled stuff.

It's just like Windows Media Player.. It's not the best, but you bought an OS, you expect to be able to do something with it apart from seeing a file on your HD..

What's next, Windows Explorer is bad and needs to be removed from Windows?

Bet you 95% of their internal web applications are built to work with IE6/7/8 too.


Hypocritical assholes the lot of em IMO.