Europe to get Windows 7 without Internet Explorer

[Ian]

It looks like the EU have had their way and Windows 7 will ship without a browser in some editions. This means large OEMs can have some choice in which browser they ship with PCs.

Reacting to antitrust concerns expressed by European regulators, Microsoft plans to offer a version in Europe that has the browser removed. Computer makers would then have the option to add the browser back in, ship another browser or ship multiple browsers, according to a confidential memo that was sent to PC makers and seen by CNET News.

"To ensure that Microsoft is in compliance with European law, Microsoft will be releasing a separate version of Windows 7 for distribution in Europe that will not include Windows Internet Explorer," the software maker said in the memo. "Microsoft will 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 has always been the case, they may install multiple browsers if they wish."

Microsoft confirmed the authenticity of the document but declined to comment further.

It will be interesting to see how many of the sans-browser editions are sold, as I suspect many people will want to use IE (or at least have the option to). You can read more at CNET.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Im an IE8 guy and feel it should be that way in all versions - If I decided to switch I wouldnt want IE8 just hanging around.

 

[olg207]

Im shocked by this revelation by MS. I can go with whatever browser personally, but do tend to move over the IE side.

 

[clifford_cooley]

A browser is needed in order to search for another browser if you dont have one already downloaded. In this event I would like to see a small utility designed just for selecting the browser of your choice

Personally I think the OS should be just that an OS no "bells and whisles". There are third party apps for just about all the bells and whisles in the OS. I cant even start to tell how many things there are in the OS that I dont use. But yet they are on my machine regardless. And this is not to mention the bloatware that the manufactures install.

 

[Kougar]

A browser is needed in order to search for another browser if you dont have one already downloaded. In this event I would like to see a small utility designed just for selecting the browser of your choice

Yep, exactly. Which is why I don't see the point in the EU fining MS or complaining that IE is included in the OS out of the box, because it's absolutely essential even if all you want to do is download some other browser.

If the EU doesn't want IE in Windows, then that's fine. But they shouldn't get some extra built-in program that is in effect a miniture browser just so they can download whatever current browser they want.

Personally I think the OS should be just that an OS no "bells and whisles". There are third party apps for just about all the bells and whisles in the OS. I cant even start to tell how many things there are in the OS that I dont use. But yet they are on my machine regardless. And this is not to mention the bloatware that the manufactures install.

Here I disagree... we pay a hundred bucks minimum just to use the OS, I'd like it to have basic level functionality the moment it's installed without needing to spend 30 more minutes picking and choosing additional modules and services to install one by one. Plenty of stuff is not installed by default, and with the ability to remove large parts of the OS built in you can uninstall just about anything, including IE8 if you wanted it permanently gone.

I've tried several of these cut down "Lite" OS builds that some people would swear by. In XP's case they just made the OS slighty unstable, and in both XP and Vista's case I often couldn't run some command or program because some service, key OS files, or dependant module in the OS had been removed.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Well maybe we can agree on the fact that we have no control on what is being installed - Maybe if we had the option not to install some of Windows components at installation so if we chose to go a different route we wouldnt have to uninstall to remove it

MS Office gives options why not Windows itself

 

[Kougar]

Well, after reading a bit it appears Microsoft isn't actually just offering a version of Windows 7 without IE, but (finally) only going to sell Windows 7 without IE at all in Europe. I think retail buyers are going to give the EU an earful about this...

I'm not against options to slim down the Windows 7 install, but compared to Vista it already has been slimmed down. The disk size is smaller and the number of running processes at first boot is definitely lower, more comparable to XP' although I don't remember numbers to quote just now. I'm not sure what options they could give at this point? I prefer the status quo simply because I enjoy the under 20 minute install time and can already see/feel the improvements/slimming down thats been made since Vista.

 

[Thrax]

OEM mfgrs will still be allowed to bundle IE with their machines, so it's extremely unlikely that the vast majority of users will ever receive a copy of Windows without a browser.

I'm still waiting for the day when Apple is slapped for bundling Safari. :|

 

[Ian]

I'm still waiting for the day when Apple is slapped for bundling Safari. :|

Was thinking that myself actually. Apple can be far worse than MS when it comes to things like this, as they tried to bundle Safari as an essential download when iTunes updates

Although I don't agree with all the rulings against Microsoft (and there seems to be a new one each week), I can easily see how MS would stamp out any competition if given a chance.