Intwernet Explorer Not to Ship with Windows 7 in Europe

macman

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8096701.stm

So if you buy a preloaded PC with Windows 7, how do you download a web browser, without having a web browser installed?
Wouldn't it make more sense to make them stick Firefox and Chrome on it as well as IE, and the customer can take their pick?

esuhl

macman wrote: »

So if you buy a preloaded PC with Windows 7, how do you download a web browser, without having a web browser installed?

I guess you would use Windows Update to get IE, which you could then use to download Firefox (unless you can download Firefox on a different PC).

I'm sure there are other ways to download a web browser - using the FTP command in the CLI, perhaps...?

4743hudsonj

macman wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8096701.stm

So if you buy a preloaded PC with Windows 7, how do you download a web browser, without having a web browser installed?
Wouldn't it make more sense to make them stick Firefox and Chrome on it as well as IE, and the customer can take their pick?

theyre doing this because of the two lawsuits on their unfair competition with other web browsers

so you download it through windows update

both opera and firefox offered their browsers to be available the same way but microsoft declined saying and i quote"it would be too confusing for users"

i mean come on

such a lame excuse

cant teach an old dog new tricks i guess

esuhl

4743hudsonj wrote: »

"it would be too confusing for users"

Ha ha! Why do they even bother saying anything?! Sadly the public has become used to this kind of patronising nonsense.

bat999

I think that the idea is that it's up to the PC builders to decide which browser is installed before you buy it.
They might continue to use IE, or they might offer you a choice when you place your order. But it's up to them - not Microsoft.
It's unlikely that they would sell a PC without a browser installed, unless the customer specifically requested 'none'.:cool:

[Deleted User]

macman wrote: »

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8096701.stm

Wouldn't it make more sense to make them stick Firefox and Chrome on it as well as IE, and the customer can take their pick?

I'm fairly sure that if you bundle something into your product that you have to provide a warranty/support to go with it. Why would Microsoft want to take that upon themselves?

Nilrem

I suspect what may happen (IIRC they did something similar with Windows 98 for ISP's), is that the manufacturers will pre-install a couple of browsers, or set the machine up to ask you during the first boot "which browser would you like to use?", either of which would probably get around this (as it wouldn't be MS bundling the browser but the manufactures bundling two+ and giving the buyer the choice).

Money_Grabber13579

All this nonsense from Europe about anti-competitive practices has just made it harder for everyone. Surely anybody who didn't want to use IE, is perfectly of downloading something else? Why does Europe have to interfere so much? It's not like they prevent anything other than Microsoft products from being installed on their systems.

It's the same with media player. Windows can't come with media player any more, but what was the problem? If you didn't like it, then download something else. It's just all about creating some work for some blue collars.

Grumbles about the total waste of space that is the Europe law makers

dogmaryxx

Two Options In The Frame

There are reportedly two main methods of bundling other browsers which are getting support from those responding to the EU. One is to simply include the five leading browsers on the computer and then let the user decide which to set as their default during the installation process.
A second option is to allow the user to select from every browser on the market. However, it wouldn't be practical to include them all on the machine itself as this could take up as much as 1GB of hard drive space, a problem for low-spec netbooks.
Supporters of the latter option say users could select a browser from a list and have it automatically downloaded from the web and installed. However, this would be tricky if someone hasn't yet setup their Internet access.
Microsoft Lawyers Not Done Yet


There's no guarantee any of the proposed solutions will actually come to pass. First, the EU still has to make a final ruling and it may decide that its original charges aren't proven. This is unlikely due to a scheduling disagreement, which means there will no longer be a formal hearing over the case.
Second, Microsoft has argued that the principles of European competition law mean that once a firm is found to have acted in an unfairly uncompetitive way, it's up to the firm to decide how to rectify the situation.
That leaves open the possibility that it would come up with its own solution and take legal action to try to prevent any measures imposed by officials.

macman

So Dell/HP etc will simply install IE before shipping anyway, and the average user will never be aware of the difference, or that they have an alternative. What a farce.

mr_fishbulb

So are people expected to ftp via the command prompt to get the installation files for a browser?