OP: Why Microsoft is Innocent with IE8

By Tuan An Nguyen
published

The never ending browser wars: Firefox is gaining, Chrome is here, Safari hits version 4, Internet Explorer should be canned. So many opinions, so many rulings.

Microsoft this week announced that it would not ship Internet Explorer in Windows 7 for the European market. No thanks to rulings and regulations by the European Union, Microsoft would face big fines if it decided to bundle IE with Windows 7. Still, Windows 7 shipping elsewhere will have IE--and thank goodness!

I understand the need for competition. But this bashing against Microsoft by the EU is getting out of hand. Because of the nature of the operating system, it's a matter of convenience for the user to have a browser shipped along. Imagine installing Windows only to find out you can't even get online to grab a 3rd party browser.

To be frank, I like to use Firefox. After a Windows install however, the first thing I do is go and grab the latest drivers. How does the EU expect me to be able to do that without a browser installed? Does the EU expect me to use possibly old drivers from the CD that came with the motherboard, graphics card and whatever else I have? No thank you.

How can I even get Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, or whatever else I wanted without getting to each browser's respective website to begin with?

Here's the kicker though: almost all recent operating systems ship with browsers. Flavors of Linux, Mac OS X, etc., all ship with browsers already packaged. And why does the EU think people lack choice if Microsoft includes IE? I don't. I can still use whatever I wish. Microsoft never forbid me and doesn't forbid anyone from using a different browser.

Removing the browser from the operating system is a disservice to the customer, not a favor. Please EU, get your heads around this. If you're going to force Microsoft to remove something that is a matter of great convenience for me and everyone else, enforce this rule for all operating systems. Imagine getting your Mac home only to find that you can't do jack without Safari installed. Imagine building your custom rig, booting up, only to find that you can't grab the latest drivers because there's no browser.

Is that called choice?

Sorry EU, that's called moving backwards.

I am sure the EU recognizes this issue. So what's the cause then? Could it possibly that companies who develop other web browsers are crying over the fact that their release isn't as popular? Could they possibly be making the claim that they're not shipping enough because Microsoft has an unfair advantage?

Let us be reminded that a long time ago, IE was the arm-pit of browsers, and Netscape was king. What happened there? What occurred was that Microsoft came up with a better and more convenient solution for end users. Period.

Technology and advancements often will make certain business go out of business or become unpopular. But so what? If you can't adapt, you're going to be phased out. That's just the nature of, everything.

I want a browser in my operating system. If I want or need to, I will go grab something else. But don't force me to, EU.

Tuan An Nguyen
308 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Pyroflea
    How are you supposed to even get a different browser without one to begin with..? Are they expected to burn the installation .exe to a CD, or copy it to a flash drive, then transfer it on to their new computer...?
    Reply
  • keither5150
    How would you connect to the internet to download your browser of choice?

    This will be overturned quite quickly once someone explains the facts to the EU.

    Reply
  • Pyroflea
    I can understand how they want people to have choices, I agree with that aspect. This is just stupid though. We have choices. Hell, I'm using Vista and Firefox right now. IE is part of Windows, accept it.
    Reply
  • Lan
    To be fair, I'm sure most of you know that the EU was actually pushing to get a list of browser choices to use pop up right after you load Windows, but instead to their credit, Microsoft just ripped out IE instead.

    Now the EU is scrambling to try to make Microsoft play their way, and I doubt that will happen. Not in time for Windows 7 anyway.
    Reply
  • afrobacon
    Why not just do something simple like including the top 3 browsers at the time of the OS's launch? Giving people not only a browser, but an up front selection.

    Would be nice skipping over the M$ exploder altogether; but at the price of not having access to something better isn't worth it.
    Reply
  • Lan
    afrobaconWhy not just do something simple like including the top 3 browsers at the time of the OS's launch? Giving people not only a browser, but an up front selection.Would be nice skipping over the M$ exploder altogether; but at the price of not having access to something better isn't worth it.
    Why should Microsoft have to pay extra money and time to their developers to have them include a competitors product? The EU should pay Microsoft if they want that choice. Microsoft did the right thing to comply with the problem.

    You rip out IE, and the problem is solved, while at the same time making it difficult for the EU.
    Reply
  • TheMan1214
    I have no idea what the EU has going through their heads. thank god i don't live in the EU, what are they going to do next, make sure calculator doesn't come with computers....jeeze
    Reply
  • "Microsoft never forbid me and doesn't forbid anyone from using a different browser."

    This is true, but the average computer user still isn't aware of the fact that there ARE other browsers. If you think I'm full of it by saying that think about how big the tech support industry is. For every one of us that's computer savvy and on top of it there are scores of others that just want to sit down and have their computer work.

    That said, none of these people are ever going to think twice about using IE because they wont even know there are other options available to them. I always like to use my mother as an example. Shes a smart and inquisitive woman who enjoys using her computer for things like photos, sending email, etc... but she doesn't know the first thing about good PC maintenance.

    Naturally all of you have a point that without a base browser to get online to begin with how will you be able to go download another one... but that line of thinking is exactly what Microsoft has been banking on for years. Why not have software bundles available to choose from when you purchase your new computer? Why can't I go in and say: "Ok, I'm buying a new laptop with windows 7 and for my free software bundle I'll choose the one that comes with Firefox, Nero, etc blah blah blah" Have your employees on hand educating consumers about their options so they can choose wisely. Don't just give them one option and keep shoving the product out the front door...
    Reply
  • falchard
    You can always use Windows Update to install IE explorer.
    Reply
  • Lan
    CopperBot"Microsoft never forbid me and doesn't forbid anyone from using a different browser."This is true, but the average computer user still isn't aware of the fact that there ARE other browsers. If you think I'm full of it by saying that think about how big the tech support industry is. For every one of us that's computer savvy and on top of it there are scores of others that just want to sit down and have their computer work.That said, none of these people are ever going to think twice about using IE because they wont even know there are other options available to them. I always like to use my mother as an example. Shes a smart and inquisitive woman who enjoys using her computer for things like photos, sending email, etc... but she doesn't know the first thing about good PC maintenance.Naturally all of you have a point that without a base browser to get online to begin with how will you be able to go download another one... but that line of thinking is exactly what Microsoft has been banking on for years. Why not have software bundles available to choose from when you purchase your new computer? Why can't I go in and say: "Ok, I'm buying a new laptop with windows 7 and for my free software bundle I'll choose the one that comes with Firefox, Nero, etc blah blah blah" Have your employees on hand educating consumers about their options so they can choose wisely. Don't just give them one option and keep shoving the product out the front door...

    See above. If some government or agency wants that functionality, they should pay Microsoft to include it. Microsoft did the right thing from a business standpoint.
    Reply