News MS to ship Windows 7 in EU without IE

All those anti-EU reactions, that's exactly what MS is aiming for. Instead of constructively adding choice, they go for the "crippling" route and a bunch of EU FUD...

 

CopperCAT, why would you expect a company to include COMPETITOR products in THEIR product distribution. EU commission was asking for something that no sane business person would agree to. They are actively trying to cripple a product that for better or worse the vast majority of computer users and 99% of businesses completely rely on. This is not helping competition, this is hurting consumers. Windows 7 already has a choice to completely exclude IE, so that OEM's can do whatever they want. A retail box is a retail box--why not say that IE is an "Extra Feature" for the retail box alone. Furthermore, they are not making Apple ship OSX with no Safari, iLife, iTunes, etc...

 

Ahh, so they illegally bundle and FTP utility with their operating system? Looks like anti-competitive behavior to me!

 

Now that's getting petty... oh, wait a minute.

 

If somebody was to purchase a valid Win7E licence, then download and install a standard Win7 ISO (US version or whatever), does anyone know if you could then update Windows instead of a fresh install?

Effectively, will a EU CD-key work on a US version of windows?

 

This is silly. It's THEIR operating system so let them put their own software on it. Most people are tech-savvy enough to know how to install an alternative browser anyway.

 

lol I dont see what the big deal was anyways... sure the younger generation is smart enough to know they have to go install a browser or heck not use IE and use a different browser but what about the older generation, I can see it now, huge increase in calls and tech visits of old people saying I cant get on the internet, where is my internet browser, why doesnt this work, what I have to some how get online to download a browser but how can I do that when I dont have a way to get online already and so on and so on lol.... personally I think it was a waste of time and money forcing M$ to not include IE, I mean really who cares, you dont want to use IE fine, then go install some other browser like you normally would anyways. ~_~

 

It would have to. The EU would come down on them like a tonne of bricks if you have to buy an IE version to get security patches.

 

Nice! Now if I move to Windows 7 I won't even have Internet Explorer installed, I couldn't think of a better thing to do

 

So how do I download Firefox then?

 

What many people seem to be forgetting (including Tim S) is the lengths to which Microsoft went to push Netscape Navigator into oblivion including:

• embedding Internet Explorer into Windows to the extent that it could not be removed without third party tools. Combined with IE's sloppy security, this gave rise to the spyware/malware epidemic that Windows users have had to tolerate ever since.
• "investing" $150 million in Apple in 1997 provided it made IE the default browser on new Macs.
• threatening OEMs who shipped Netscape on their PCs with withdrawal of their Windows licence (see Netscape: A History for more on this).
• providing incentives to ISPs to ship IE instead of Netscape (most notably AOL, who received an icon on the Windows 95 desktop in exchange).

Microsoft did not have to do what it has done because of the EU ruling - it has instead tried to provide as awkward an option as possible for users in an attempt to sidestep the EU's objections and to avoid providing any leeway to companies or groups it regards as competitors. Anyone seeking to blame the EU for this is simply falling for MS' PR.

The EUs Statement of Objection raises similar points that the US District Court of Columbia did in its Findings of Fact: Microsoft's Response to the Browser Threat. Microsoft's behaviour, past and present, should be clearly unethical even to those totally new to the computer and software industry and if anything, regulators on both sides of the Atlantic have been too slow in responding effectively.

Those who try to compare Linux distributions (which do include far more applications) to Windows are also missing the point. It is possible to remove any application you don't like and install something else, and no distribution has a monopoly in the Linux world. On Windows, Microsoft is the only (legal) game in town and they have made it is difficult as possible to remove their applications (Outlook Express, MSN Messenger, etc). IE itself cannot be removed without separate software (e.g. IEradicator or XPLite).

As for "how do you download a browser" - well aside from the options above, you can just install one from CD. Microsoft have stated their intention to provide one for IE and it wasn't all that long ago that ISP's posted CDs containing all the software you needed to connect (which included all the correct phone settings for dialup access).

 

Separate issue i know but "people like our gfs, mums and sisters" ?
What's up with this? Oh our silly womenfolk wont be able to cope? I think bursar is right but it's gonna be awkward for everyone, men and women.

We're gonna se I.E discs in the box but not installed and we might even start seeing 5 Euro copies of firefox on the shelves if the public consciousness gets the idea that you need a separate browser.

 

Indeed, especially considering browsers are free.. how is it really uncompetitive if the products are all free...? If it was price jacking and stuff, then OK, I can understand, but the damn things are free, easy to download, and it's not like Windows goes "OMG DON'T INSTALL FIREFOX!"

Apple does hold a large monopoly over OSX, they bundle all their crap with it, including iLife when you buy a new Mac, not counting Quicktime Pro, Safari, XCode, etc etc etc.

Why? So you want Windows, without Windows components..? Just go on a Linux distro then

Windows Vista/7 have their own Update utility.





I like MS's decision, maybe it'll make the EU realize how retarded they're being, or maybe MS should have just revised it's launch plans and decided Win7 wasn't coming to the European market and see how the EU like that.


What's the point of an OS if all you get is an empty shell with a simple file browser? Doesn't that effectively totally defeat the point of an OS? You buy an OS, you're sposed to be able to do simple/moderate productivity work right out of the box..

Meh.. F the European Union gov

 

Why does IE8 need to be removed all together?

Why not just offer a pick list on installation with the other browsers to be installed in addition to IE8 with a very clear warning that they are not MS supported?

This is either MS being bloody-minded or trying to play it ultra safe and goofing up big time.

 

you do know there is literally hundreds of browsers out there, sure there a few top ones but still to be fair they would ALL need to be listed lol, I guess if it was some kind of RSS list and then you select which one and it goes online and downloads it but people would need to be able to have access first.

 

True, but at least this way IE8 is still there for those that dont care (ie, most) and the upgrade path is still intact.

I'd immagine though that only the main players are being given any consideration here.

They could even have a 'remove IE8 after 3rd party install' checkbox to further appease the EU.

 

Ha speaking of choice, I'm not sure if it's still the case but for a very long time the iTunes installer (for windows) has ignored whether or not you check "install quicktime" and installed it anyway!

 

Just see what would happen to there share price if they failed to launch in the only other market which BUYs its software. The EU is at least as big as the US so any large company wanting to make any money has to play ball. Tough at the top.

Most versions of windows provide virtually no functionality out the box you need to add software to make it do any thing.

 

This is just stupid.

I just hope it doesn't lead on from here. What constitutes a core part of an OS and what's a seperate program? Strip out Windows firewall next? How about notepad/wordpad, image viewer, CD/DVD burning or, God forbid, solitaire?

bah

 

Not true, you have Windows Media Player, Wordpad, Movie Maker, Sound recorder, etc etc. It's enough to do basic tasks.

I think Windows Explorer needs to go..