Helmut the ford comparison is a little unfair. Ford doesn't control 90% of the world's motoring market.The issue with M'soft is the fact that it's got so much control over the market. M'soft wouldn't pull out of the EU market. They'll continue to pay, or not pay, the fines. The fines are barely a dent in their profits. The EU region makes them ALOT of money. Moonburn, I'm pretty sure apple would have to that if they ever got taht big in the EU. And i'm pretty sure they'd just ignore the decision as well if they ever got that big. About packaging in other software like notepad etc. well, i'm pretty sure the Browser issue was started because one of the smaller companies (might've been Opera) raised the complaint - so who knows, maybe we'll see something to do with mediaplayers soon. I'll say this, I honestly dont believe M'soft will ever stop packaging IE in despite decisions against them. They've simply got too much money. p.s. firefox + ubiquity > IE.
@ Scyphus, Who really cares ? Only these lazy BAST***** who are supposed to be improving our life's instead of messing aobut with trivial things like going after MS because they do not give pay out to EU LAMERS. MS got there by making something peeps want and use. So they get punished for making something good we all use/like ! Nobody forces you to use a PC or Windows, you could try a MAC or Linux and do next to nothing. The last part is obv your own opinion and not shared by all. P.S, Did MS try to stop you running FF+Ubiquity, I guess no so rest my case. EDIT: To answer your last part (I'm part of IRC #Winbeta ), The EU wanted MS to remove IE+WMP+OE/WM. MS was just about as you know remove IE but they did remove OE/WM+WMM+Photo Gallery, and whatever else now comes in the Windows Live Mail All in One Package you can download. IE = Internet Explorer WMP = Windows Media Player OE/WM = Outlook Express/Windows Mail WMM =Windows Movie Maker.
Well, the biggest flaw in the ballot screen or 'E' version is that a vast majority of the PC users aren't interested in web browsers, or even lack the ability to explain what a web browser is How can you choose between Opera / Chrome / IE / Fx / Safari / Others (Dillo, Ubiquity, etc.) when the average pc user just wants to check their e-mail? One may click the Opera-button, but winds up with a browser that looks different and maybe wouldn't fulfill its task to that particular user.
I do have a linux machine actually And I think the people who care would include Mozilla, Opera, Google and alot of smaller start-ups who'll have trouble getting into/staying in the market because people will never end up trying their product. Your statement about MAC and linux not being supported by a huge chunck of the software community also re-enforces the point. I'd consider switching primarily to a different OS if i wasn't a gamer. Those OSes end up being reduced to niche markets. and yes the last part was just an opinion i'm just glad we've got options like that. edit: moonburn, most (if not all) browsers do what the avg consumer demands of them. and i'm pretty sure most people would end up checking the IE box on that selection screen anyway. The issue's simply presenting them with the options so the other companies get a bit more of a level playing field. edit 2: i'd love to continue this, but i'm just procrastinating and should get back to some work so i'll leave it here. It's an agument of principle and people tend to stick to theirs most of the time anyway .
I installed Windows 7 Professional E earlier, so I'm going to have to remove it now Oh well, I'm happy with this news anyway
I don't know what's the point in installing 'E' versions, when you know that IE, WMP, and other parts can be easily and completely uninstalled with the control panel, and your registry will be as clean as if you installed an 'E' version.
You cannot totally uninstall IE from any Windows, its part of the OS kernal and that's why its fast and secure. Still, its not a big deal to use the Add/Remove Windows Components (or whatever its called these days). I'm glad the EU got the 2 fingers stuck up at them.
It is not 'part of the OS kernel' but AFAIK some IE core components are used to display html help, but now the browser part is completely separated from the help viewer part, so that you can uninstall one and keep the other.
Ok must have changed in Win7 but I know upto Vista you cannot totally remove it. TBH I do not like Win 7.
The EU never asked Microsoft to create a version without IE, nor is Microsoft in any position to give them the V sign anymore than you can do the same with the police. They are the authorities, and their word quite literally is law.
i think the EU should give MS the finger. they should just ban MS from delivering Win7 to Europe and offer protection for every european that uses a cracked version. lets play china for a while.
Not living in Europe myself, this doesn't have a direct effect on me. However I have been keeping tabs on the whole "to include, or not include, IE in Windows" issue, and I figured I'd chime in on the discussion. To put my views in perspective, I'll digress a few years: Internet Explorer 6 - That was the last time I used an MS browser. Through some exploit or another, a virus was loaded onto my system via a background popup. 24 Hours later I was left with a system where even Safe Mode was blocked. After the ensuing reformat, and hours of reloading lost Updates to Windows, I decided to look for a new browser. Netscape was the first browser I ever touched, back on my father's desktop with it's 14.4kbps modem, but I never cared for it. At that time, it used more RAM per open window, than IE did. I tried Opera for a couple months, but I encountered a number of websites that refused to load properly with it, no matter what settings I used. Long story short, I discovered Firefox and tried it out. I have never touched any version of IE since. I have never had a virus/malware/spyware/worm/rootkit loaded on my system due to Firefox. No security setting sliders to mess with - I load it and it works. Fast-forward to the present: Including IE in all current/future versions of Windows isn't a problem for me. I just don't want it automatically installed without asking me first, regardless of where I live. I also don't want to see bits of it integrated into Windows itself to the point where, if a virus cripples IE, then suddenly my OS is more unstable and vulnerable to who-knows-what. (imho) This unfortunately leads to the issue of: "If IE isn't installed automatically, how will users browse the web?" Should MS be obliged to include versions of Firefox, Opera, and Chrome for people to choose from at install time? What support hassles will this create? On one hand, from a business standpoint, they shouldn't have any obligation to include "competitors" Browsers within a Windows install, just because of anti-trust issues. On the other hand, we have the largest business monopoly in the world foisting their browser on the "average user", which leads to them being accustomed to using it and being far less likely to try a competing product, like Firefox. Final thoughts: Sometimes too much choice can be a bad thing. If IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Opera were included in Windows, the average computer user would probably be up in arms, not knowing which to choose. Leave IE bundled with Windows, but give people a choice to not install it along with the OS if they wish. Power-users who have another browser in mind will probably have said browser backed up somewhere, and won't need to use IE to get on the web to download it anyway. Just throwing my opinion/personal experiences out there. --DKnight
Have been using the E version little under a week now.No problems here.All software installs fine and doesent complain about the E version.IE Core is still intact so you can use Firefox+IE Tab