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Microsoft to release Windows 7 in Europe without IE8

Candlelight

Candlelight

Admiral
Admiral
http://www.appleinsider.com/article...s_to_ship_windows_7_without_ie_in_europe.html

Due to ongoing antitrust issues with the European Union, Microsoft has confirmed it will ship Windows 7 in Europe without its flagship browser, Internet Explorer 8.

The news comes as Apple’s newly released Safari 4 browser achieved 6 million downloads from Windows users – with users of Microsoft’s operating systems accounting for more than half of the 11 million total downloads of the browser since its release Monday.

As first reported by CNet News, Microsoft released a confidential memo to PC makers in Europe stating they may "offer IE8 separately and free of charge and will make it easy and convenient for PC manufacturers to preinstall IE 8 on Windows 7 machines in Europe if they so choose. PC manufacturers may choose to install an alternative browser instead of IE 8, and as has always been the case, they may install multiple browsers if they wish."

After the memo leaked, Microsoft responded on its own public relations blog. Writing on behalf of the software giant, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Dave Heiner said Microsoft officials are concerned by the lack of sufficient browser competition in Europe. A preliminary opinion in January from the European Commission only served to solidify that concern.

Microsoft has been ensnared in an antitrust dispute with the European Union for years. After it was alleged that the Windows developer was engaging in anti-competitive practices, Microsoft was forced to release versions of its operating system without Windows Media Player bundled, as it traditionally is in other markets. In 2004, the European Union ordered Microsoft to pay €497 million for alleged abuse of its dominant position in the market.
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Just keep IE7 instead. :)
 
How can you download a browser, like FF, if Windows doesn't ship with a browser to download a new one through? Just makes it harder for novices IMO.
 
Tachyon Shield said:
Windows with no browser? Thats just stupid. :wtf:

I think it's time Europe brought out an operating system to rival Microsoft.
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It's likely that it will have a browser, because most people have store bought PCs and the OEMs can install whatever they like, so undoubtedly deals will be done and it'll will come with one of the popular browsers will be packaged with your PC.
For people who buy their own retail copy will likely have an installer that'll download it, or just previously downloaded the installer.

It is stupid, but then the EU are being stupid anyway.
 
It is silly, and Bob's right. They'll just have an installer bring it down upon detection of an internet connection and voila. IE8.

J.
 
ATimson said:
Tachyon Shield said:
Windows with no browser? Thats just stupid. :wtf:
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And yet that's what the EU has been asking for. They wanted it, they got it.
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Actually, it's not what the EU asked for, MS just did it to pre-empt them. But I suspect the EU wanted them to include installers, or links to installers for various browsers and let the user choose, but who knows how the mind of the EU works...
 
I don't think the EU knows how the mind of the EU works. It's just like here in the U.S. :lol:


J.
 
Bob The Skutter said:
Actually, it's not what the EU asked for, MS just did it to pre-empt them. But I suspect the EU wanted them to include installers, or links to installers for various browsers and let the user choose, but who knows how the mind of the EU works...
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They may have wanted that, but it's in Microsoft's best interests not to. Not even from a popularity-of-their-browser perspective, but from a becoming-associated-with-and-liable-for-a-product-they-don't-control perspective.

Plus, it would further skew the browser market towards IE and the included competitors, which seems contrary to the EU's goals with this censure.
 
It's like buying a car without the steering wheel.

As long as you put a steering wheel in later on, the EU is satisfied.

Happy driving.
 
Candlelight said:
It's like buying a car without the steering wheel.

As long as you put a steering wheel in later on, the EU is satisfied.

Happy driving.
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Bad analogy, the browser isn't a vital part of an OS. A more apt analogy might be a car without a cigarette lighter. It's something people want and use but not something you need.
 
MS should delete all programing from "EU Windows" that allows the OS to connect to the Internet or play music.
 
Apparently this is all being blown out of proportion.

The key here is choice, you should be able to buy a regular copy of Win7 with IE8 installed or you can choose to buy this special edition where there will be no browsers installed. They did this before with previous versions of Windows and Media Player, but you have a hard time finding a version of Windows which doesn't have MP as part of it.
 
Who cares though, no one forces you to use IE, you can easily download whatever you want and use it.
 
Brent said:
Who cares though, no one forces you to use IE, you can easily download whatever you want and use it.
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The reason for it was pretty much the fact that MS as dominant OS vendor were forcing the use of IE by making it a packaged and unremovable part of Windows, so a lot of people would never choose anything different than what they already have.
Which is stupid since they've lost a tonne of users in Europe already...(I know worldwide too, but I believe it's even higher specifically in Europe.)
 
I think Windows 7 will either make or break Microsoft's hold on the OS community over in the EU. IE8 is just the match for the powder keg.


J.
 
J. Allen said:
I think Windows 7 will either make or break Microsoft's hold on the OS community over in the EU. IE8 is just the match for the powder keg.
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That sounds great, and might even happen at the OEM level, but until there's a viable sidegrade path from Windows to Linux that doesn't involve nuke-and-burn of your documents and settings and (probably) hardware replacement to get everything working out of the box, it's not going to happen at a consumer level.
 
This is nothing new. Anyone who's installed Vista might of noticed the N versions available when chose from the "which version do you have" list.

N versions were for sale in Europe and excluded Media player and some releated programs. Not including IE8 is simply taking it a step further.

There's also been speculation that 8 will the end of the road for Internet Explorer and that the next Microsoft browser will have a new core.

Maybe the new version will see Microsoft become more standards compliant rather than trying to force it's standards on everyone (smart tags anyone?).
 
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