[ubuntu-uk] No IE in Windows 7

[Rob Beard]

Matthew Wild wrote:
> On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:28 PM, Rob Beard<rob at esdelle.co.uk> wrote:
>   
>> Alan Lord (News) wrote:
>>     
>>> On 12/06/09 12:20, Alan Pope wrote:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> 2009/6/12 Sean Miller<sean at seanmiller.net>:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> "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 *snip"
>>>>>
>>>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8096701.stm
>>>>>
>>>>> That could be quite a turning point in the browser wars.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> As far as I understand it, the vast majority of people obtain windows
>>>> as a pre-installation on a new computer. Most don't install it
>>>> themselves (although they may re-install it when it goes sour some
>>>> time later). From what I've read OEMs will be able to select the
>>>> browser on behalf of the user and pre-install it for them
>>>>
>>>> Net result, users get a machine with IE8 pre-installed.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>> Al.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> That seems to be what I have read too.
>>>
>>> Of course an OS with no browser would make it very hard for a nontechy
>>> user to actually go and get one anyway.
>>>
>>> Open a command window,
>>> Use FTP?
>>>
>>> Al
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> Are Microsoft still going to offer the regular versions of Windows too?
>> I can't say I've seen Windows XP N or Vista N (the versions without
>> Windows Media Player) available anywhere (well, I think I've seen it
>> once).  I somehow doubt that it's going to be widely available somehow,
>> I'm sure Microsoft are just doing it to say that it is out there if OEM
>> choose to use it (and no doubt put the blame on the OEM's for being mean
>> and buying the versions with IE8 bundled in).
>>
>>     
>
> "Unlike the N versions, which proved to be very unsuccessful—as
> Europeans simply purchased the full retail versions and OEMs refused
> to include them on their systems—Microsoft is not planning to offer a
> version of Windows 7 in Europe that includes IE8."
>
> also:
>
> "Microsoft notes that the decision affects both OEM and Retail
> versions of Windows 7 products. While OEMs will have access to a free
> "IE8 pack" that allows them to add the browser back in, consumers who
> purchase retail copies will not have a browser that they can use to
> download a browser. Therefore, Microsoft will offer IE8 via CD, FTP,
> and retail channels. It looks like Mozilla, Opera, Google, and Apple
> will have to do the same if they want European Windows 7 adopters to
> have access to their browsers. "
>
> - http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/06/windows-7-to-be-shipped-in-europe-sans-internet-explorer.ars
>
> (article is worth a read)
>
>   
Interesting, I wonder then if Microsoft will clamp down on gray imports 
of Windows 7 from other regions (like they do at the moment with 
software imported from the US).

Rob