This would be great, because we don't want to use IE here at work at all. This will finally allow us to block it all together if this is true.

Meh. I don't really consider this to be all that big of a deal. As it stands, once I got Firefox installed and set it as the default browser, I never had any problems with IE. I keep it in the quick launch tray in the event I encounter a webpage that doesn't like Firefox, but other than that, it never starts up.

Hell must have frozen over, or Steve Ballmer died and Microsoft covered it up. Even if the EU forces MS to un-bundle IE, MS would surely just make a European version, and keep IE bundled in their other markets.

In the end, this will probably just turn out to be a mistake on Microsoft's part, but it may cost them big in their battle with the EU. Otherwise, maybe Microsoft is starting to see competition as more than choking-off your competitors.

a lot of 3rd party products rely on ie being around, the browser object is basically a component like a text box that developers have access to. I've used it in windows applications. If it were not around then the application will not run, could not run! EU should not be interfering with things they don't know much about. Microsoft has in the past allowed IE to be uninstalled, but basically they left IE around, just removed shortcut to it or removed the IE application part of it, but because of what I pointed out has had to leave the browser object which is where all the functionality is.

Many guys speak here without knowing that, jsloan, they think IE is just a browser. Indeed IE is more then a simple browser. To have it on your computer is the decision of the software maker. if you don't like it don;t buy it..Ah...but most of you don't buy it at all...Most of the gents here are stealing it...And then complain....

I still need to IE to access Target's team member services on Target.com
Asshats at corporate still have not made it compatible with other browser's.

There's no apostrophe in "browsers"

Course you can already "remove" IE from XP, it just gets rid of the checkmark by it and the icons in the startmenu, quick launch, and desktop.

Awesome they give us the option of removing a program that most people reading Tom's already don't use. Of course this could cause issues with people/companies who design websites to only run on IE(Why they would be in the first place IDK!).

yea just removes the icon. unchecking the box will delete the shortcuts but will still be installed. IE is too integrated into windows shell to be removed

Too late, if we could disable IE6 that would have been great, but IE8 has some useful features that kinda makes you want to keep it, like protected mode, and the dev tools.

Have you tried FireBug extension for Firefox? its better than MS' dev toolbar

If you look at multi-platform applications, it's possible to have the HTML text component in your application without being tied to IE. Now you can say that developers might not want to go the extra mile to do things properly, but that's their fault/problem. with the rise of virtualization and emulation, it's time to stop thinking that everyone uses the same OS, apps, etc.

Firebug + Web Developer tools bars are really indispensable for a web dev.

I think it makes little difference.
You could use FF by default when opening webpages. The only issue is mailto: links which pop up hotmail in iexpore.

I currently disable ie totally on my XP.
My firewall also makes sure IE will not be remotely contacted. So the only con is that ie7 takes a few MB in diskspace.

I think suing MS for using IE in windows is a bunch of crap! I don't like MS, but it's the same if a car-exhaust company will start suing ford for selling their cars with exhausts from their own manufacture line (or from one outsource company only).

If people want to mod it, they can always look and purchase/use other alternatives.
Either way, it's a bit silly, but perhaps a good thing for those who prefer using another browser. It could save them a few MB's in diskspace!

@hellwig it is still bundled but thank god you can uninstall it.

@michaelahess captaincharisma is right, I can confirm.

At last MS is starting to hear its customers, I hope that web site developers now start using standard internet protocols that work with all browsers.

I think I am starting to like MS for the first time after the Vista fiasco

One thing I would like to see in Firefox are some Group Policy ADM templates for it. Centralized administation of IE is fairly easy with Group Policy, whereas Firefox has nothing official (I think there were some old ADM templates for Firefox...1.5?).

still want that option whether i use IE or not.
what interests me is control of features.
win7 is based from vista, yet, with this control, i'm sure it will be a faster OS.
i have experienced better performance on vista using amd's fusion software.

Suppose it's a nice thing to have internet explorer as optional. But I'm almost 100% certain it'll stay installed in any system at my place of work. Well except perhaps for on the computer used by our open source fanatic.

Yes I have, FireBug and Greasemonkey are the addons I never miss, but you know, sites that have issues with IE are kinda hard to debug in FF ...

Im a web developer and hate FireFox. In fact I think it the most over rated browser out there right now. IE may not be perfect but surely isnt so bad I want to use firefox. Actually for most browsing I use chrome and just use IE for the sites that dont like chrome. Chrome is much faster and easier to use than FireFox.

or having it hoisted upon them by OEMs in a bargain for cheaper hardware and support that would make paying for a root canal in a 3rd world slum more appealing. stop trolling for flames from the pirates and stick to the topic... the fact of the matter is that, you're right, IE has more of a use than just a plain browser NOW... which probably was the plan all along... make it integral to the system so they can't force us to remove it later on! ah... microsoft... at least they cover their bases as much as possible.

People should not use car references here it seems. Technically you do NOT need a browser for an Operating System to technically be functioning and working. Now on the other hand Ford or whoever can not technically sell you a car/truck or motorized vehicle without an exhaust. For one, that is illegal to drive on the streets that way. At least in the U.S. it is. You would have to drag your own exhaust with you when you went to purchase a vehicle then wait for it to be installed. And technically Ford does offer some models with aftermarket Borla exhausts installed. So uh that is another contradiction to the statement. I don't see MS offering an Opera flavored OS. Also browsers are free, Ford would have to pay for those exhausts and and make sure they weren't getting overcharged if they could not make their own exhausts. That works as a check and balance that they can make their own. And aftermarket mods in general for motorized vehicles (cars/trucks/etc.) are WAY better than the stock stuff. Which of course I think Opera is WAY better than IE but do you think MS would agree with that? I'm pretty sure you won't find Ford trying to tell people their stock exhausts are better than Borla exhausts. There was another thing I was thinking but dang if I can't remember it now. Oh well I think I made my point.

Now back to the article at hand...It's about time they went back to offering us this option! =) And personally I say - Way to go EU!!! Someone needs to stand up to MS. I understand how this market just designs itself into having a dominant OS by todays standards - but heck ya give us the options to customize it how we want instead of twisting and embedding things into the OS to try to make it impossible for people to take them out. What hasn't MS tried to make on its own that everyone else used to download their favorite program for?

...software firewall? MS did it (not that it's a bad thing but personally I don't like windows version - I liked BlackICE alot better)

...media player? yeah we all know this answer (can't remember the last thing I watched on RP and I'm sure we all know how media player doesn't add a plugin by default for FF or Opera)

...browser? IE - the article covers this one

...antivirus software? Windows Live OneCare I believe - they're trying on this one

...spyware? windows defender (not that this one is bad either)

...networking? yeah we know this one to - this one though I do like - even if I do agree with Novell for not cowering down to mister gates

...e-mail software? windows mail or whatever it's called now - how about free web based e-mail? hotmail anyone? lol - back to regular e-mail, I used to love Eudora back in the day!

It seems like everything that people used to go get on their own or that had moderate use and above MS took note of made their own version. And with MS it sure feels alot more like they do these things to keep the uninformed from becoming informed rather than simple doing it from the goodness of MS's heart to help the little people. Does MS have a heart? lol I'm sure I forgot somethings - I remember some though for the example I wanted to make.

btw - way to go voidrunner! +1 for sure