Microsoft Responds to Antitrust Investigation. Again.
By Chris Weiss
What’s one thing that wakes up Microsoft execs in a cold sweat even more than the thought of Windows 7 flopping as hard as Vista? Apparently, antitrust investigations.
If you happen to live in any of the member nations of the European Economic Area, Croatia or Switzerland and are looking forward to tearing open your brand new Windows 7 complete with IE 8, you can forget it. It’s not happening. Due to a European Union antitrust investigation revolving around Microsoft’s stake in the OS and internet browser, Microsoft will only be distributing an Explorerless version called Windows 7 E in Europe. It’s then left up to the OEM or consumer to install Internet Explorer 8, a different browser or a potpourri of multiple browsers.
This approach wasn’t exactly what the European Commission had in mind, as this quote clearly demonstrates:
“As for retail sales, which amount to less than 5 percent of total sales, the Commission had suggested to Microsoft that consumers be provided with a choice of Web browsers. Instead Microsoft has apparently decided to supply retail consumers with a version of Windows without a Web browser at all. Rather than more choice, Microsoft seems to have chosen to provide less.”
Priceless.
Looks like neither Microsoft, the EU or the consumer benefit a whole lot here. In fact, the only ones winning are all the readers viewing this on Firefox and Safari wondering in what world Internet Explorer inspires an antitrust investigation.
[via arstechnica]
