Matthew Wild wrote: > On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 1:28 PM, Rob Beard<[email protected]> wrote: > >> Alan Lord (News) wrote: >> >>> On 12/06/09 12:20, Alan Pope wrote: >>> >>> >>>> 2009/6/12 Sean Miller<[email protected]>: >>>> >>>> >>>>> "European buyers of Windows 7 will have to download and install a web >>>>> browser for themselves. Bowing to European competition rules, >>>>> Microsoft Windows 7 will ship without Internet Explorer *snip" >>>>> >>>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8096701.stm >>>>> >>>>> That could be quite a turning point in the browser wars. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> As far as I understand it, the vast majority of people obtain windows >>>> as a pre-installation on a new computer. Most don't install it >>>> themselves (although they may re-install it when it goes sour some >>>> time later). From what I've read OEMs will be able to select the >>>> browser on behalf of the user and pre-install it for them >>>> >>>> Net result, users get a machine with IE8 pre-installed. >>>> >>>> Cheers, >>>> Al. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> That seems to be what I have read too. >>> >>> Of course an OS with no browser would make it very hard for a nontechy >>> user to actually go and get one anyway. >>> >>> Open a command window, >>> Use FTP? >>> >>> Al >>> >>> >>> >> Are Microsoft still going to offer the regular versions of Windows too? >> I can't say I've seen Windows XP N or Vista N (the versions without >> Windows Media Player) available anywhere (well, I think I've seen it >> once). I somehow doubt that it's going to be widely available somehow, >> I'm sure Microsoft are just doing it to say that it is out there if OEM >> choose to use it (and no doubt put the blame on the OEM's for being mean >> and buying the versions with IE8 bundled in). >> >> > > "Unlike the N versions, which proved to be very unsuccessful—as > Europeans simply purchased the full retail versions and OEMs refused > to include them on their systems—Microsoft is not planning to offer a > version of Windows 7 in Europe that includes IE8." > > also: > > "Microsoft notes that the decision affects both OEM and Retail > versions of Windows 7 products. While OEMs will have access to a free > "IE8 pack" that allows them to add the browser back in, consumers who > purchase retail copies will not have a browser that they can use to > download a browser. Therefore, Microsoft will offer IE8 via CD, FTP, > and retail channels. It looks like Mozilla, Opera, Google, and Apple > will have to do the same if they want European Windows 7 adopters to > have access to their browsers. " > > - > http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/06/windows-7-to-be-shipped-in-europe-sans-internet-explorer.ars > > (article is worth a read) > > Interesting, I wonder then if Microsoft will clamp down on gray imports of Windows 7 from other regions (like they do at the moment with software imported from the US).
Rob -- [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-uk https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UKTeam/
