Microsoft's Official Statement Following EU Commission Objections on IE with Windows

[Lillebror]

When apple grows bigger, they will also get a shot from EU. Its always the big guys that have to watch out.

[Viscarious]

I say MS doesn't bundle IE with windows for all the computers they use at the EU. Then let them figure out how they are going to get on the internet and write emails of corruption.

[eidairaman1]

if IE wasnt integrated into the OS, we would probably not have the problems we do today, but i say this, this case has been out since the days that Netscape was considered a good Alternative Browser (To me= NOT!)

[FordGT90Concept]

EU leadership is an idiocy geyser as reliable as Old Faithful herself. They're just looking to make a withdrawl from Microsoft's bank.

[blueskynis]

Originally Posted by Lillebror

The only thing they have to do, is to make it OPTIONAL to install it

Exactly!!

This kind of total bullshit is what the British tax payer pays the EU many billions of pounds for every year, as you probably already guessed it we get absolutely jack all in return!

[silkstone]

Another point, Bundling IE with Win95 was the downfall of netscape nav, back then everyone was "against" MS, funny how now they are "with" ms.

[DrPepper]

Originally Posted by silkstone

Another point, Bundling IE with Win95 was the downfall of netscape nav, back then everyone was "against" MS, funny how now they are "with" ms.

Times change, We need someone to be angry at and now its the EU's turn for being erm .. truly useless.

[Laurijan]

And why isnt the eu-commision sueing varios linuxes for using mainly firefox?

[Cheeseball]

Originally Posted by blueskynis

Exactly!!

This is exactly what they need to do. MS got nailed for WMP because you couldn't uninstall the damn thing at all. Hell, I'm using an N version of Windows XP (which I got quite cheap) since I think WMP is useless, but at least I have the choice of installing it back in [off the Microsoft website] if I get drunk or something.

Internet Explorer, though not quite as useless as WMP to me, is needed by the masses in the case of getting an alternative web browser, after which they should be able to uninstall it instead of leaving it on their system taking up space. That would be perfect.

[Disruptor4]

Get stuffed! If this is a first computer for someone who has no knowledge of other browsers etc, how the hell are they supposed to get another browser in the first place! FFS.

[Lillebror]

Microsoft could make download buttons for the most known browsers, when you boot into windows for the first time.

[dani31]

Can't believe how much aggressiveness and stupidity on this thread - no wonder everybody hates the fuckin USA.

Nobody asks to ship Windows w/o IE, just prompt to install and allow full removal.
It would always be available for (re)install on the Windows installation disk.

Today IE is hard-coded in the OS which sucks because forces people to keep two browsers if they want alternative. It is also hard-linked, meaning that a lot of functionality doesn't look for the default browser but for IE directly. This sucks a lot but here in EU we like to unsucker ourselves.

Some smart ass mentioned linux - take any linux distro, all packages can be fully removed and replaced.

Apple OSX is not a focus for the Competition Council because it does not have a dominant market position. Ever heard of "dominant position"?

[Triprift]

Fair enough but i dont see how having IE with windows as anti competitive its not like Microsoft made it so you cant dl any other browser. Just go and dl ur Firefox or whatever other ones you use and let IE gather dust thats what i did with wmp11 and the picture viewer.

[beyond_amusia]

I almost feel bad for MS... Everything that's truly a feature in Windows has been getting them sued since... Well, Windows 1, lol. Apple tried to sue over Windows having a GUI. Most people I know would not even think they could download an alternate ANY THING... if it's not bundled with the OS, they assume it don't exist, e.g. movie maker, IE, paint, ect... These same people also would send $300 to fake bank in Kenya to get money sent to them, and think that they won a contest they never signed up for, but still... Isn't that most people in the world? In fact, isn't that anyone in the government? LOL.

[Triprift]

Yep and they are the same ppl who if you have no browser with Windows woudnt have a clue how to get online and certainly would have no idea about browsers other than IE.

[beyond_amusia]

Originally Posted by Triprift

Yep and they are the same ppl who if you have no browser with Windows woudnt have a clue how to get online and certainly would have no idea about browsers other than IE.

x_^ !!! Yes! They are just under pressure from Opera (I love them, but they need a 'Lite' browser!)... MS would roll over and die before putting an alternate browser with windows, and the EU would jump up and down on their corpse like kids on a sugar high... I assume the next law suits will be that it's anti-competitive to have Windows on a PC - that they MUST provide a 3 choice selection on boot, Linux, OS X, or Vista... and that it's unfair to have an Xbox 360 in an Xbox 360 box at the store, and instead MS must provide Wiis and PS3s as in-box options... =/ The courts would be better used fighting for civil rights.

[laszlo]

i don't blame EU; why to be forced to use from the start IE? the os even without IE can connect to internet (is updating and information is sent in background) so Ms need to allow the user after os install to see a list of compatible browser with the os (which the os can retrieve in the background from MS server) and the user with a single click will be able to download from the source.


no need to compare with apple os which are sold with hardware in general and linux is free so they can integrate whatever they want if is free

[eidairaman1]

Originally Posted by laszlo

i don't blame EU; why to be forced to use from the start IE? the os even without IE can connect to internet (is updating and information is sent in background) so Ms need to allow the user after os install to see a list of compatible browser with the os (which the os can retrieve in the background from MS server) and the user with a single click will be able to download from the source.


no need to compare with apple os which are sold with hardware in general and linux is free so they can integrate whatever they want if is free

Proof of what he said, after removing ATI or Nvidia drivers the OS will try to phone home and install a set on its own, thats why Driver Cleaner Pro specifies to disable your NIC or unplug it from the modem/router.

[beyond_amusia]

Originally Posted by eidairaman1

Proof of what he said, after removing ATI or Nvidia drivers the OS will try to phone home and install a set on its own, thats why Driver Cleaner Pro specifies to disable your NIC or unplug it from the modem/router.

well, I am sure even 7/Vista rely on IE for it's updating at least in part. Heck, in XP they were wielded together... As to the auto driver install, I think it's a good thing... It helps users from stupidly installing 3rd party wifi managers and other crapware that Windows already provides. If it offends you so much to use MS software (directed at all the IE haters) then get a Mac or Linux.
*sigh* But, the anti-IE ppl also have a point... Windows without IE could be sold as a different version... Let's call it 'The most secure version of Windows Ever!!! No browser included to protect you from yourself!!!"

[eidairaman1]

i still say the major downfall of them is the Active X since they wont buckle it down.

Btw Mac Never, Linux Maybe, ReactOS probably when it gets to a Solid Release.

also my Grandfather can attest to Win 7, smaller Install, seems to load quicker, UAC has been controlled better, as he was testing on a P4/P4S8X/R7200 graphics machine (my second Motherboard heh) he is going to send me a copy so i can install it to one of these old 80 Gig HDs here (Dual Boot using separate HDs FTMFW!!!)

[beyond_amusia]

Originally Posted by eidairaman1

i still say the major downfall of them is the Active X since they wont buckle it down.

Btw Mac Never, Linux Maybe, ReactOS probably when it gets to a Solid Release.

also my Grandfather can attest to Win 7, smaller Install, seems to load quicker, UAC has been controlled better, as he was testing on a P4/P4S8X/R7200 graphics machine (my second Motherboard heh) he is going to send me a copy so i can install it to one of these old 80 Gig HDs here (Dual Boot using separate HDs FTMFW!!!)

Windows 7 is great! Once the bugs are ironed out and Vista's 'Extras' are added, it'll be a great OS. Also, I agree on the Mac... I got an old Crapple, and it's my 'public' pc so that I don't have to remove spyware daily from friends visiting porno sites when I'm not in the room... (please people, restrain yourselves from screaming about how secure OS X and Linux are, because we all know that they'll be struck down soon as they get a good sized user base that can be monetized)

[tigger]

The eu gidgers are nuts,i dont see any problem if windows comes with ie.You use that or dl another one.

Ms should have a eu version of windows,which comes with no integrated software at all.

[Assimilator]

Originally Posted by dani31

(anti-Microsoft bile)

Hey it's the obligatory Linux troll!

Originally Posted by dani31

Today IE is hard-coded in the OS which sucks because forces people to keep two browsers if they want alternative.

Wrong. Windows includes an HTML rendering engine which shares many features with IE (in fact it's the same engine IIRC). You do not have to have IE installed to use that rendering engine. And before you go off on another rant, it's an engine, not a full-fledged web browser. (Steam uses this engine to display some of its content to users.)

Originally Posted by dani31

It is also hard-linked, meaning that a lot of functionality doesn't look for the default browser but for IE directly.

Also wrong; as mentioned above, the built-in HTML rendering engine is not IE. As for your blathering about the default browser, why do you think XP has "Set Program Access and Defaults" in Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs? If you issue the correct system command, the default browser will start up regardless of whether it's IE, Firefox, or telnet.

Speaking of telnet, you can use it to download a web browser without having one installed! Although I guess that means the EU should classify telnet as a web browser and prevent it from being installed with Windows.

God, when will this madness end?

[Lillebror]

Telnet cant and will not be a web browser - its a ip connector program at most.