Windows 7 to ship without IE8 in the EU

Robert Hallock (Thrax)

June 12, 2009 11:04 AM ET in News, , , , ,

iexplorer8In light of ongoing antitrust proceedings in the EU, Microsoft has stated that it will ship Windows 7 without Internet Explorer in order to comply with previous antitrust rulings.

The EU mandated in February that Microsoft must present users with a choice between IE8 or other third-party browsers. Commissioners noted that bundling IE8 with Redmond’s new operating system violated competition law. Competition Minister Jonathon Todd said that it was an issue of market fairness.

“The Commission would intend to impose remedies that enabled users and manufacturers to make an unbiased choice between Internet Explorer and competing third party web browsers,” he said.

While many pundits concluded that Microsoft would develop a mechanism to facilitate this choice, the firm has instead decided to strip IE8 from so-called E editions of Windows 7 destined for Europe. Microsoft VP and Deputy General Counsel David Heiner intimated that this move was the path of least resistance.

“Given the pending legal proceeding, we’ve decided that instead of including Internet Explorer in Windows 7 in Europe, we will offer it separately and on an easy-to-install basis to both computer manufacturers and users,” he said.  “This means that computer manufacturers and users will be free to install Internet Explorer on Windows 7, or not, as they prefer. Of course, they will also be free, as they are today, to install other Web browsers.”

Yet the bundling crisis plaguing Microsoft may not be over as customers of Windows 7 box SKUs have no obvious way to download porn on a fresh installation. Analysts believe that this may trigger a backlash of dissent aimed at anyone except Jergens.

13 Comments:

  1. MiracleManS
    12 Jun '09, 3:20 pm

    Why does this feel like a giant pissing match?

  2. Thrax
    12 Jun '09, 3:21 pm

    When will Apple get slapped for bundling Safari?

  3. GnomeWizardd
    12 Jun '09, 3:36 pm

    ^^^ THIS! I bet there will be an Icon to " DL IE8" right on the desktop

  4. Norge
    12 Jun '09, 3:37 pm

    If Microsoft had given users a list of browsers to choose from then the complaint would be that "XYZ" browser was unfairly excluded. They aren't going to win no matter how they handle it.

  5. Gargoyle
    12 Jun '09, 6:41 pm

    Hopefully there is a "DL IE8" icon on the desktop, because otherwise how are people supposed to download Firefox? They don't even bundle a terminal program anymore.

  6. Cliff_Forster
    12 Jun '09, 7:26 pm

    Yeah, I especially love how Apple try's to sneak Safari in with their Itunes installs.

    Nothing underhanded about that right?

  7. Zuntar
    16 Jun '09, 11:39 am

    The whole thing is f'n stupid IMHO.

  8. kryyst
    16 Jun '09, 1:00 pm

    It's all really, really stupid. Every current consumer level OS comes with a browser. If Windows 7 came with Firefox as the default browser they'd be in violation. I mean why not have them remove the free games that it comes with as well. I mean if you've got solitaire why would you possibly every download any other game ever?

  9. rapture
    16 Jun '09, 3:18 pm
    When will Apple get slapped for bundling Safari?

    When Apple manage to achieve monopoly status and then exploit that to give them an anti competitive edge. ie, never.

    IE will likely come on a separate disc. OEMs will have the option to pre install whatever software they like for their customers so this decision will have zero affect on consumers.

  10. Thrax
    16 Jun '09, 3:25 pm

    Except for those people who purchase boxed versions of Windows 7 who now have no browser.

  11. rapture
    16 Jun '09, 3:29 pm

    Yeah like I said, the retailer will likely have a huge stack of IE discs which they'll give out for free with every Windows 7 purchase. Perfectly legal and in the grand scheme of things, no big deal.

  12. Thrax
    16 Jun '09, 3:39 pm

    The problem with that, of course, being that the IE discs probably came from Microsoft and could easily be construed as a violation of the spirit, rather than the letter of the rulings.

  13. Leonardo
    16 Jun '09, 7:59 pm

    When the original controversy and resulting legal actions began nearly 10 years ago, I think perphaps there was a legitmate case to be made against the bundling of Internet Explorer. Now? Let's get real! The ordinary consumer expects to be able press the power button on his new computer, to result in bootup into the operating system with an Internet browser already in place.

    So, what's next? Should Microsft remove MS Paint? Should the default text editor also be absent? Should Apple remove Safari from OSX?

    In my opinion, this EU Internet Explorer brouhaha has turned into so much silliness - a campaign kept active to keep bureaucrats employed and to feed egos.

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