Comments on: Europe Gives Internet Explorer the Boot from Windows 7. Big Deal!

By: Microsoft to Offer Choice of Browsers–In Europe | Technologizer

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 20:15:54 +0000

[...] news comes as a bit of a surprise, because, last month, the company said it was going to strip Internet Explorer from European versions of the operating system, and was originally strongly opposed to idea of [...]

By: Microsoft Finishes Off Windows 7 | Technologizer

Microsoft Finishes Off Windows 7 | Technologizer — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:49:49 +0000

[...] took preemptive action to avoid antitrust troubles with the European Commission last month, stripping its Internet [...]

By: Davo

Davo — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:29:27 +0000

Just give users 2 big buttons to choose to have it installed or not. My god – the problems this will cause with those ‘casual surfers’ who don’t really understand software or hardware. This is Microsoft’s ‘Two Fingers’ to the EU IMO. They’ll argue that they’ve been making it easy for people for years so watch the carnage when there is no IE. It will remain to be seen if PC manufacturers will put rival browser installers on there for one click installs when they already have contracts with Microsoft for the OS.

By: JDoors

JDoors — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:26:41 +0000

Apparently you’d have to install your choice of browser via sneaker-net; Find a computer that already has a browser installed (if this is for your only computer, good luck, maybe ask a neighbor?), download the browser’s most recent install file (assuming the computer you found has unfettered Internet access), transfer that file to a transportable disk or drive (assuming the computer you found has the necessary support for such disks or drives and you have the necessary disks or drives, maybe check with your neighbor again?), then schlepp the disk or drive over to your “New And Improved EU Lawsuit Version” computer (which has to have the necessary support for the disk or drive you obtained), run the install file.

How is that better than using a built-in browser to obtain a competing product if you CHOOSE to do so?

By: Leo

Leo — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:07:37 +0000

I have a question, how would that even work, if no browser comes with the OS, and you install it on your new computer yourself. Does that mean you would have to bring the installation file of say Firefox separately on USB or something? Because everyone knows that IE is used to download Firefox!

By: Matthias

Matthias — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:07:44 +0000

I was thinking the same thing as Michael. This doesn’t seem like a win situation for consumers at all.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:59:44 +0000

OK, the obvious question here:
How does someone installing a copy of one of these “E” versions download another browser? Are we to assume that they’ll have a copy of the Firefox installer already on a thumb drive?

By: AboKevin

AboKevin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:23:07 +0000

I am obviously a little more worked up about this than you since I am living in Norway. And I am against the antitrust case and the solution because as you I think this is the wrong fight for the wrong time. There obviously is healthy competition in the internet browser market, as proved by the steady decline in IE marketshare, and the rise of others like Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

Check out my rant on my blog; http://abokevin.com/?p=439

You get the point across more eloquently than I do, but i do certainly concur your conclusion.