Windows 7 May Allow Disabling of Internet Explorer
The Windows 7 news just keeps rolling on in. We’ve been hearing snippets about what Microsoft will be offering users with its new operating system for months. It seems there’s no end to the bells and whistles on Windows 7 but today’s news is a little more interesting.
According to Cnet, Windows 7 could allow users to disable Internet Explorer 8. Ina Fried reports (citing Chris Holmes) that build 7048 of Windows 7 includes Internet Explorer as one of many Windows components that can be turned on or off via a "Windows Features" dialog box. She goes on to clarify that while the control panel exists in the public beta version of Windows 7, but IE8 is not listed among the features that can be turned on and off.
(Credit: Chris123nt.com)
Fried reports that Microsoft had no comment as to why it has decided to allow users the option to disable the company’s proprietry browser, however, logical thinking leads us to believe that the truth likely lies somewhere in the ongoing legal proceedings between the Redmond company and European Union. The EU recently raised antitrust concerns over the fact that Microsoft bundles IE with Windows as opposed to offering users the choice.
For more on the Microsoft/EU antitrust case, click here. For the full scoop on the possibility of being able to disable IE8, click here.
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.
Asshats at corporate still have not made it compatible with other browser's.
There's no apostrophe in "browsers"
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.
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!
@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
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.
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 ...