16 replies to this topic

[Waser Lave]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ogy/8096701.stm

European buyers of Windows 7 will have to download and install a web browser for themselves.

Bowing to European competition rules, Microsoft Windows 7 will ship without Internet Explorer.

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

In response the Europaan Commission expressed scepticism over the move and if it would allay accusations of Microsoft abusing its market position.

I never really saw the big problem with bundling IE with Windows personally but I guess Microsoft have learned from that massive fine they received to not piss off the EU...

[Sweeney]

I've never understood the concept of "abusing a market position"... people are free to choose what they like.

I can see a business using it's position to force consumer decisions, but I don't see how that is unfair.

[Waser Lave]

I've never understood the concept of "abusing a market position"... people are free to choose what they like.

I can see a business using it's position to force consumer decisions, but I don't see how that is unfair.

I don't understand how it's any different to shipping other software like MS Paint or notepad with Windows too... It's Microsoft's OS, they should be allowed to decide what they ship with it and what they don't, it's not like anybody is forced to use IE (unless they work for a stupid company which is still using IE6 for whatever reason).

[Arkidas]

I think that's exactly the reason. People use browsers every day. The only reason IE6 is still being used it obviously because it was built in XP. I think it's great that this has finally been stopped. IE 6 has been a great pain for webmasters.

[Tyler.]

But how are you supposed to download another browser... without a browser? o.O

[Mr. Hobo]

But how are you supposed to download another browser... without a browser? o.O

Haha good point. Console commands? Sudo apt-get install firefox ;p

[Syjanda]

Not that I won't find out... but how many users are going t have trouble downloading a bowser when windows comes without a browser?

[ShadowLink64]

Just watch, Microsoft will start selling IE separately in Europe. They will claim that the price is to cover the cost of the CD but they'll still make a profit from it.

[Syjanda]

Uhm no... Microsoft won't ever get one person to pay for IE...

[Waser Lave]

My guess would be that they'll offer several different browsers to install on the initial setup of windows, so they could ship with firefox, ie, opera, etc and the user can just make a choice.

That would probably be the easiest way I imagine.

[ShadowLink64]

My guess would be that they'll offer several different browsers to install on the initial setup of windows, so they could ship with firefox, ie, opera, etc and the user can just make a choice.

That would probably be the easiest way I imagine.

Yeah, I would hope that they do that.

[jcrdude]

I got the new IE, and I have to advise everyone to avoid it at all cost. It crashes constantly.

Close a tab = Crash

Close the program = Crash

It's hilariously bad

[Fatal]

I got the new IE, and I have to advise everyone to avoid it at all cost. It crashes constantly.

Close a tab = Crash

Close the program = Crash

It's hilariously bad

Something is wrong with your computer then. IE 8 is BY FAR the best Internet Explorer ever released.

[ShadowLink64]

It also kills my cookie reader.

[redlion]

Doesn't affect those of us that use open source OSes. I don't plan on letting a multinational corporation control and limit my computing abilities, whether through a bundled browser or shitty MS defrag, etc. There really isn't a microsoft product I use anymore. I mean, my external harddrive is using NTFS, but thats because it was defaulted to that.

Do something crazy! install linux!

[Frizzle]

FF > all internet browsers

[jcrdude]

FF > all internet browsers

lolwut? You aren't all over Google Chrome? Google owns our souls and all the internetz.

A graphical depiction of all Google's internets ownage:

Spoiler