Windows 7 Will Ship Without A Browser

Microsoft have today confirmed that Windows 7 will ship without Internet Explorer, following legal cases and fines stating that Microsoft is breaking European rules and does not give a fair chance to other browsers available. Although the Public Candidate of Windows 7 did have Internet Explorer installed, the final version will be browserless - but Microsoft insist it will be very easy for users of Windows 7 to install their web browser.

Dave Heiner, the deputy general counsel, today released a statement which said that the company were “committed” to making Windows 7 available “in Europe at the same time it launches in the rest of the world”. They insist, however, that they “must comply with European” laws, and so new users and even the everyday user may be a little confused over how exactly they are to access the Internet.

Microsoft have already been fined €899million in 2008 when it was said that they were abusing their power in the market by bundling Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player with Microsoft Windows. Early this year, the European Union decided officially that Microsoft were damaging competition in the browser market - and so this move is simply protocol.

However, a statement released by the European commission regarding the move by Microsoft said: “In terms of potential remedies, if the Commission were to find that Microsoft had committed an abuse, the Commission has suggested that consumers should be offered a choice of browser not that Windows should be supplied without a browser at all.”

This is rather strange. Which sort of company is going to distribute their operating system and also say “by the way, instead of using Internet Explorer, our browser, why don’t we recommend the safer, faster and better alternative: Mozilla Firefox?” That just does not make sense. Even if a company is going to be forced to remove its own browser, that company is obviously going to remove all traces of a browser while making it simple for users to access their own rather than advertising, recommending and distributing the browsers of their competitors.

Is Microsoft really damaging the competition? I’m not too sure. Look it at this way - a company sending out free samples of their products are not going to send its product, and a sample of a competitors product, just so there is no damage to their competitors in doing so. What do you think? Let us know, in a comment.