No more browserless Windows 7 E

[Ian]

European users have been expecting to buy a browserless "E" version of Windows 7 for several months, ironically due to a ruling from the EU which required Microsoft to provide a wider browser choice to consumers. As this may not have satisfied the regulators, a browser ballot screen will now be presented when attempting to browse the net for the first time.

CNET have more details and an image of the proposed ballot screen:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10301299-56.html

"In the wake of last week's developments, as well as continuing feedback on Windows 7 E that we have received from computer manufacturers and other business partners, I'm pleased to report that we will ship the same version of Windows 7 in Europe in October that we will ship in the rest of the world," deputy general counsel Dave Heiner said in a statement.

The commission had said it "welcomed" Microsoft's move, also giving the software maker some confidence that it could ship Windows 7 with the browser included. If the commission accepts Microsoft's proposal, it will fully implement that proposed ballot screen to Windows 7 buyers in Europe.

There is good news for European users that pre-ordered Windows 7 E, as a full edition of Windows 7 will be shipped instead.

 

[clifford_cooley]

If all the Copies will be the same then everyone will have this option page on first use of the internet.

True or not?

 

[Thrax]

Just people in the EU region. It's a windows update that's installed on first logon.

 

[seventhheaven]

Great News for me anyway

 

[Veedaz]

This is good news, does anyone know what the browsers on the browser ballot screen may be ?

 

[Ian]

This is good news, does anyone know what the browsers on the browser ballot screen may be ?

I've only seen the mockups of the ballot screen so far, and that included Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Google Chrome and Opera - they are the main players so it's probably safe to guess it will be them. It will be interesting if other browsers are also included!

 

[Veedaz]

Thanks for the info Ian, i quite like IE and Opera and i must get around to looking at Firefox (not used that for a few years)

 

[Ian]

Firefox is well worth trying - it's probably the most customisable of all the browsers I use IE8 most of the time, but I do like FF a lot!

 

[Veedaz]

Thanks Ian, I'm downloading FF now and will have a play about with it this afternoon

 

[catilley1092]

Firefox is the best! You can't beat all of the choices you have, such as a simple ad blocker (the ads take longer to load than what you want to see), an IE tab for the sites that requires IE and thousands of other add ons. Why doesn't Microsoft's IE offer an ad blocker? But I'm glad for the Europeans over the decision. How in the world were you going to get a browser without a browser? Veedaz, I have Maxthon on one of my laptops. Is there a relationship with Windows there? The reason I ask, when I began using it, a box from Windows appeared, suggesting to turn Auto Complete on. That's the only browser outside of Windows that showed that option.