In a move that has been described as “a step backward in the retail software arena” Microsoft release a statement saying they will NOT bundle Internet Explorer (or any other browsers) with Windows 7 when it it is release in the European Market. Since the computer will not have a web browser installed, users will be unable to go on to the Internet to download a web browser. Microsoft’s “solution” to this is to offer Internet Explorer at no charge on a CD-ROM. Full details are on the Microsoft Blog plus response from the European Union (EU).
Yep, this is indeed a step backwards and if anything shows that Microsoft will do as little as possible to comply with the European Anti-Trust laws. So Microsoft is basically saying, ‘you can use any web browser you want, but you will have to install Internet Explorer to get it’. In Microsoft’s defense, however, Internet Explorer won’t be tied into Windows 7 as it is has been with past Windows releases. Furthermore, this is more of the issue the EU has had about Internet Explorer than it being bundled with Windows.
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- Microsoft Yanks IE From Europe Windows 7 Release « The Firefox … | All about windows 7
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“So Microsoft is basically saying, ‘you can use any web browser you want, but you will have to install Internet Explorer to get it’.”
No, they’re ‘basically saying’ it’s up to the OEM building the systems to put the browsers on.
In fact, they explicitly state that in the memo.
So if an individual buys Windows 7 off the shelf, I’m assuming that won’t have Internet Exploder either? That tells me that the user will be browser-less, and won’t have support from the company they purchased it from.
The only solution I see in that case is for Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Opera, and anyone else who wants a cut will need to package their browser onto CD and make it available at retail stores to compete with IE’s free CD.
What would really be nice is for Windows to come with a “wget” function, like GNU does, that allows users to simply download a file from the web without a browser. Each browser company could publish a very simple address, and tell people to start up WGet (it should probably be a simple GUI app) and put in a simple address like downloadfirefoxnow.com or something like that, where it would download the most recent version to the desktop and allow users to install it. That would eliminate the need for anyone, including Microsoft, to provide CDs.