MadMonkey: Aye.. since the EU took Microsoft to court they've had to change their attitude a little.

MadMonkey: I've never quite understood the issue with MS shippinng IE with Windows. Of course operating system should be bundled with essential applications. It's always been a mystery to me why this is a legal issue? Can someone enlighten me?

I've only used IE occasionally in the last decade and surely it is inferior product compared to most other browsers i've used. But i still think that there really should be a web browser included in operation system install, at least as an option. And in Microsofts case IE is obvious selection for that.

puupia: Well I agree that they should be allowed to include a browser (IE) with their operating system.

.... BUT, it should be as an additional pieces of software that can EASILY be removed from the operating system.

Just like the game solitary comes with every window computer, but at the same time you can easily go and remove it from windows. But Microsoft went and built part of the OS around IE, so makes it hard to remove (well hard for any normal everyday user)

coan.net: I can easily install another browser and make it the default for the system. Even if IE is still installed i never have to use it. Why would that have to bother anyone?

puupia: I mean if there is no Browser at all on the system, HOW can you download another, as you will not be able to browse the web ?

OK, depending what you know, if you had Prism on your PC you could use that, but presuming its an off the shelf PC with nothing on what would one do

MadMonkey: Exactly. Thats a very good question. I never thought i'd say this, but i really think that IE should come with Windows :)

puupia: Even if IE is still installed i never have to use it. Why would that have to bother anyone?


I know what he means here.... I use firefox, and I had the damndest time trying to get IE away from me!


I always had pop ups etc, trying to reinstall it, or to make it my primary browser or whatever... even today, when I install updates, it trys to sneak in itself as my primary server, I have to manually install updates just to make sure it doesnt include making IE my new browser!

Czuch:

how is it possible to get any Windows Updates without going through IE ?

puupia: It's called (or so the EU decided) being anti-competition and decremental to a free market.

In its 2008 Annual Report Microsoft stated:[24]

“ The European Commission closely scrutinizes the design of high-volume Microsoft products and the terms on which we make certain technologies used in these products, such as file formats, programming interfaces, and protocols, available to other companies. In 2004, the Commission ordered us to create new versions of Windows that do not include certain multimedia technologies and to provide our competitors with specifications for how to implement certain proprietary Windows communications protocols in their own products. The Commission’s impact on product design may limit our ability to innovate in Windows or other products in the future, diminish the developer appeal of the Windows platform, and increase our product development costs. The availability of licenses related to protocols and file formats may enable competitors to develop software products that better mimic the functionality of our own products which could result in decreased sales of our products."