No Internet Explorer 8 on Windows 7 in Europe

[Ben Stones]

BBC NEWS | Technology | No IE onboard Windows 7 in Europe

I was quite surprised when I saw this...not sure how it will go but I presume consumers will be given an option to either install or not install IE upon installation of Windows 7 or something? Nonetheless, the European Commission will review whether this decision by Microsoft is satisfiable I presume in the next upcoming antitrust case with Microsoft in the EU courts.

[DPS Computing]

Yep, its so that they arn't monopolising the browser market to give browsers such as Firefox and Safari a chance.

Just like with Vista and WLM I imagine they're will be download links, reminders, pop ups and other little goodies reminding you to download IE8 and how much better it is .

[Ben Stones]

Yep, its so that they arn't monopolising the browser market to give browsers such as Firefox and Safari a chance.

Just like with Vista and WLM I imagine they're will be download links, reminders, pop ups and other little goodies reminding you to download IE8 and how much better it is .

lol. WLM use to be very annoying as whenever you wanted to check your mail or click a link inside the program it would open in IE. I think they've fixed that in the latest versions though. Nah, I'm sure they'll only remind you on the MS website . "In order to view this piece of text, you need to download IE8."

[compserv]

BBC NEWS | Technology | No IE onboard Windows 7 in Europe

I was quite surprised when I saw this...not sure how it will go but I presume consumers will be given an option to either install or not install IE upon installation of Windows 7 or something? Nonetheless, the European Commission will review whether this decision by Microsoft is satisfiable I presume in the next upcoming antitrust case with Microsoft in the EU courts.

On the basis that MS haven't bundled IE, I can't see them bundling any other browser. So without a browser how is the average user going to get one of the others. Are the EU going to force the PC suppliers to bundle a copy of the competing browsers? Including IE? And every other available browser?

[Ben Stones]

On the basis that MS haven't bundled IE, I can't see them bundling any other browser. So without a browser how is the average user going to get one of the others. Are the EU going to force the PC suppliers to bundle a copy of the competing browsers? Including IE? And every other available browser?

Well, it seems Microsoft will definitely not bundle IE at all according to the BBC News article but Microsoft states they'll make it easy to download "the web browsing program". It'd be good if Microsoft made a program by default that showed a list of good browsers such as FireFox, Opera, Safari and IE and the user should be able to choose which browser they wish to install. Not sure how this will affect IE market share and what the end user of a new PC would choose, if this is the way Microsoft will go.

Quote from BBC News:

The company said it would make it easy for PC makers and users to get at and install the web browsing program.

[Brian]

Stupid IMHO.
Forcing Microsoft to not include their browser with their operating system is like forcing Ford to put Toyota engines in their cars to give competitors a chance.
A better idea would to be bundle Firefox or Safari or whatever in with the OS and / or make IE uninstallable without major problems and also make Windows Updates compatible with rival browsers too.

[flesso]

Now, just how to install a web browser without a web browser. Hmmmm.

[Ben Stones]

Tbh I think this whole antitrust case is completely misconstrued. Microsoft is a business and they should have the right, under their product to include their own software, and exclude others. I wouldn't want people to decide which computer I buy just because one manufacturer has a bigger market share than the other.

The EU are slowly becoming like the US legal system, just tangled and complicated.

[piniella]

There is a difference between being a monopoly and being the best and most popular at what you do. Microsoft has spent a lot of money, time, and energy into building their brand. So long as they are not using unfair practices to shut out other companies, I do not see a problem with Microsoft or their business practices.

[bytemaster]

Just because they're not shipping IE with windows 7, doesn't stop them from offering IE, as part of your regular system updates.

So you could activate your copy of Windows 7 and be prompted to download IE.

[Ben Stones]

Stupid IMHO.
Forcing Microsoft to not include their browser with their operating system is like forcing Ford to put Toyota engines in their cars to give competitors a chance.
A better idea would to be bundle Firefox or Safari or whatever in with the OS and / or make IE uninstallable without major problems and also make Windows Updates compatible with rival browsers too.

I agree. The next very useful step is making Windows Update work with other browsers. I'm not sure how not bundling IE in European versions of Windows 7 will affect IE market share, but I'm sure many Microsoft applications will "recommend" IE.

[compserv]

I agree. The next very useful step is making Windows Update work with other browsers. I'm not sure how not bundling IE in European versions of Windows 7 will affect IE market share, but I'm sure many Microsoft applications will "recommend" IE.

Only problem with that is Windows Update requires an ActiveX component installed in the browser. What do MS do now? Test it in every available browser? Ask the browser manufacturers to test it in every version they release? Place a note on the download to say it has been tested in IE, but cannot guarantee it will work in other browsers?

I would also imagine that opening it up like that would reduce the security of the system.

[madwayne]

lol

rather than not have one have microsoft include its competitors browsers in its operating system.

maybe microsfot will get there browsers something like then!!!!!

live in hope

bill gates has done well for himself though

[jc8654]

Maybe they should then stop Apple shipping Safari in their OS? Or how about Google not using Google's browser in the Android?

I think sometimes people come up with things just to give politicians and lawyers jobs...

[bytemaster]

Maybe they should then stop Apple shipping Safari in their OS? Or how about Google not using Google's browser in the Android?

I think sometimes people come up with things just to give politicians and lawyers jobs...

Or just maybe Microsoft are fed up of wasting money in paying multiple million dollar fines. In the current financial climate even the big corporations are feeling uncomfortable.

[haggis]

Only problem with that is Windows Update requires an ActiveX component installed in the browser.

Does Windows 7 still require you to have Internet Explorer in order to use Windows Update? I thought Microsoft would have changed that by now. Wasn't one of the reasons Microsoft came out with IE8 was so that Windows wouldn't have to rely on IE for updates and such? Or have I just been reading things wrong?

[compserv]

Does Windows 7 still require you to have Internet Explorer in order to use Windows Update? I thought Microsoft would have changed that by now. Wasn't one of the reasons Microsoft came out with IE8 was so that Windows wouldn't have to rely on IE for updates and such? Or have I just been reading things wrong?

Windows Update doesn't appear to use a browser in Windows 7 or Windows 2008. Firstly, that doesn't mean it doesn't need IE8 to work, and secondly if it does need IE to work, how can they ship Windows 7 without IE? (What I'm saying is I would assume it doesn't now need IE to work).

[Eidolon]

Since Vista the updates faciltiy has been built into the Control Panel interface.

[want2saves]

i believing that firefox is the best option which we have right now because constanly most people getting many issue with IE.