Microsoft releasing Windows 7 without IE in Europe

[Martijn]

"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."

Source: CNet.

Don't shoot the messenger

[Shintai]

And there will be a special version for Korea too I guess.

So we have an N, K and I version?

[Jamesrt2004]

silly Microsoft will have the installer in the os itself so it will be like install IE on desktop at first install...

meh... makes no diff... install it dl firefox carry on.. lol

[XS_Rich]

Windows 7 without IE?

OMG this is like the BEST news evar!!

Oh, hang on.

No

the other thing


lame

[RejZoR]

I've posted this on Guru3D but i'll post this again...

Imagine how someone will help European users to install alternate browser.

US user: Now go to start and run Internet Explorer, type in www.firefox.com and download it.
EU user: Um, i don't have any Internet Explorer shortcut?
US user: Uuuum, ok...

Lol?

[Helmore]

I hope and basically expect this version to get about the same amount of support as the Windows version without a media player we have here. In other words, most people won't know a version without IE will exist. Just my guess.

[RaZz!]

I've posted this on Guru3D but i'll post this again...

Imagine how someone will help European users to install alternate browser.

US user: Now go to start and run Internet Explorer, type in www.firefox.com and download it.
EU user: Um, i don't have any Internet Explorer shortcut?
US user: Uuuum, ok...

Lol?

lol, yeah, my thoughts exactly. how is one supposed to download and install a browser if there isn't a browser installed in the first place? run cmd.exe ftp? in the end the user has to install the internet explorer anyways...
nothing against ms here, they're just responding to the EU's silly demands...

[Logos]

the main purpose here is to let people choose, no matter how easy it will be anyway to "recover" Internet Explorer, people must know it's just a browser among other browsers...and, imo, the worse of them. Security has been a bit improved since Ie7/8...but the browsing experience is still awful when compared to Firefox or Opera...IE has got fast, really fast (except those times when it's still thinking" whether it's good to load the page or not...it does in fact, after ages; this just happens sometimes for some reasons , protected mode or not). Oh the best is you can't bookmark anything from IE8 in Win7. A trick is needed to grant elevated rights to the process; otherwise bookmarking is only possible when UAC (and protected mode) is off.

Now there are 4 alternatives (FF,Opera, Chrome,Safari), and the masses will be more aware of that if IE's not installed by default.
yeah, like someone said here, the funny thing is they might have to install it anyway, at least to download Firefox ...it's been suggested that MS themselves would make third party browsers available at install time, so let's wait and see...

[Smartidiot89]

Wow... So Opera got it's way? Silly little corporation.

Microsoft, implementing a Internet browser, in Microsofts own OS? Omg that's horrible somebody call the police!

[R31Nismoid]

I believe as part of the install they must package the other browsers.
Thats if i read the EU's ruling correctly, of course that means they have to select another option and go to another screen as part of the installation.

To be honest, the EU decision is pretty dumb in my book. Just an example of how retarded laws are getting all over the world following suit to the US in some respects.
Even Australia is the same, sillier and sillier laws, rulings, precedents and so on are coming out compared to 10 years ago. Its rather depressing and is killing small business especially in the areas of insurance and public liability

[motopen1s]

I believe if we will see the list of the browsers to choose from during Windows 7 installation, Safari will be on the bottom of it.

It would be funny however if you need to go to your neighbor to ask to download a browser, just because you forgot to do so prior to reinstalling OS. Some people with paranoid neighbors might end up with no browser at all.

[Jamesrt2004]

wow people dont listen....

there will be a shortcut on desktop to install i.e

just wait...

[RejZoR]

Isn't then a same BS if IE was already installed? I don't mind IE8, in fact i have it installed on my all systems even though primary browser is still Firefox. New SmartScreen Filter feature makes it even safer than all other browsers in my eyes. You can also see it for yourself on Malware-Remove.com. Not a profesional test but it could hardly be any more realistic than that.

[Jowy Atreides]

EU user:

"How do I shot net?"

They're screwed if they only have one pc for net access, how do they download a browser without a browser?

[Jamesrt2004]

Isn't then a same BS if IE was already installed? I don't mind IE8, in fact i have it installed on my all systems even though primary browser is still Firefox. New SmartScreen Filter feature makes it even safer than all other browsers in my eyes. You can also see it for yourself on Malware-Remove.com. Not a profesional test but it could hardly be any more realistic than that.

technically no as government are stupid... lol just a loophole, cos' technically it gives the user the "choice" to install it rather then it being forced up on them

[YMAA]

The bundled version of Firefox will be the BecauseWeHaveTo™ Edition.
MS needs to remove IE from Windows Update as well, and not include an IE disc in the box.

[Scubar]

It may not have IE installed as default but Windows will still have the core files will stil be there so you could still connect to the web to download another browser.

[Skyline GT-R]

The next question now is, will there be a Mac OS X Snow Leopard version without Safari in the EU? Because they have a near 100% market share on Macs (and no a Mac is not a PC, atleast that is what most Mac users are telling me =P).

Stupid EU

[YMAA]

I wonder...if 90% of the EU started using Safari across Windows and OS X and ignored other browsers, would that mean that Apple would have to bundle a Mac edition of IE with OS X? It'd be only fair.

[alfaunits]

It may not have IE installed as default but Windows will still have the core files will stil be there so you could still connect to the web to download another browser.

Ye, I wonder... will we be able to browse with Windows Explorer from address bar like we can now
But I doubt this would be satisfactory to the EU.

BS decision, though.

[fiskov]

Oh dear, guess i'll just have to buy it from the U.S and you know.. Get it cheaper, faster (As it'll proberly release there first) and with IE.
I will use Iinternet Explorer till the day i die. Period.

[naokaji]

Does that whole thing mean windows update will finally work with another browser than IE?

[Gramner]

As long as it's possible to uninstall IE (and not only remove the desktop shortcut) I don't care if it's bundled or not.

[Helmore]

Does that whole thing mean windows update will finally work with another browser than IE?

Does Windows Update make use of IE? It might make use of some of its APIs, but to me it seems to be a part of Control Panel itself.

[YMAA]

Does that whole thing mean windows update will finally work with another browser than IE?

Windows Update has been its own program since Vista came out - the way it should have been from the start. XP and previous Windowses just used IE to connect to the Windows Update website.