

No IE in Windows 7 E(urope) - JBiserkov
http://microsoftontheissues.com/cs/blogs/mscorp/archive/2009/06/11/working-to-fulfill-our-legal-obligations-in-europe-for-windows-7.aspx

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robin_reala
Actually, I’m not sure this is a good idea. I welcome being able to make IE a
removable program and Microsoft _should_ be pushing out updates as quickly as
possible to users, but every other OS ships with a default browser. I guess it
comes down to how good their install mechanism is.

Oh yeah, and it’s worth noting this quote:

 _Computer manufacturers will be able to add any browser they want to their
Windows 7 machines, including Internet Explorer, so European consumers who
purchase new PCs will be able to access the Internet without any problem._

Chances of manufacturers shipping a computer without a browser? 0.

~~~
ZeroGravitas
It's not supposed to be a good idea. It's Microsoft trying to make the EU
regulators look stupid. They will take the blame for this despite them
preferring to have competing browsers available from a first run menu.

Microsoft clearly believes that a simple choice would be bad for them so
they're making it so that a) the consumer who buys an OS has to go out and get
a browser, and they're hoping Internet Explorer will get greater share than
otherwise, and more importantly b) the OEMs will, in the main, install IE and
only IE which has much more effect as that is how 95% of people get their OS,
with a new machine purchase.

