Internet Explorer is optional in Windows 7

[DigiQ8]

In Windows 7 we are expanding the number of features you have control over in this regard, giving customers more control, flexibility and choice in managing the features available in this version of Windows. In addition to the features that were already available to turn on or off in Windows Vista, we?ve added the following features to the list in Windows 7:

* Windows Media Player
* Windows Media Center
* Windows DVD Maker
* Internet Explorer 8
* Windows Search
* Handwriting Recognition (through the Tablet PC Components option)
* Windows Gadget Platform
* Fax and Scan
* XPS Viewer and Services (including the Virtual Print Driver)

Engineering Windows 7 Blog

 

[AciD]

Too bad that Steam requires IE.

 

[pomegranate]

Does it actually remove it or just hide the shortcuts and pretend it's not on the computer - which is what happens when you remove Windows components in previous versions...?

 

[Barney Fife]

Does it actually remove it or just hide the shortcuts and pretend it's not on the computer - which is what happens when you remove Windows components in previous versions...?

No, I think it disables it: Which is also great because once it's disabled it's no use.

We should also contact Steam and have them add Safari/Firefox, something other than IE to their services.

Great option, I'm glad MS stopped being the Software-Nazi.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

No, I think it disables it: Which is also great because once it's disabled it's no use.

We should also contact Steam and have them add Safari/Firefox, something other than IE to their services.

Great option, I'm glad MS stopped being the Software-Nazi.

They had no choice and the European competition rules forced them into making it optional. MS had 2 options either make IE optional along with the other live services such as Movie maker and Messanger or bundle in the competitor versions as well. MS opted for the optional option as they were worried that if they added the competitor versions more people would see how shit the Microsoft version is.

I don't see this removing IE altogether. As you can re enable it WITHOUT your Windows installation disc. That means it still gets installed just disabled. Steam will probably force you to enable it.

 

[Barney Fife]

They had no choice and the European competition rules forced them into making it optional. MS had 2 options either make IE optional along with the other live services such as Movie maker and Messanger or bundle in the competitor versions as well. MS opted for the optional option as they were worried that if they added the competitor versions more people would see how shit the Microsoft version is.

I don't see this removing IE altogether. As you can re enable it WITHOUT your Windows installation disc. That means it still gets installed just disabled. Steam will probably force you to enable it.

Yeah, I remember MS defending in Europe couple of years back about this. And youre right; I believe they're forced to give this option (Dismantling IE) by the European courts.
But, my question is: Will this option be available only in the European version of Windows, since Win7 is just beta now? All versions? Or we don't know yet?

 

[Llama]

Too bad that Steam requires IE.

Um, what?

 

[G(ordon)-man]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS?????!!!!!!!!!

muhahahaha microsoft

 

[v1p3r]

Um, what?

The Store, Community, News window, Community overlay and ingame MOTD are all embedded IE controls.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

This does not wipe your machine clean of IE. Essentially, what it does is just remove iexplore.exe, all references to it and changes any API calls or anything like that to point at different locations.

Things like Steam which use IE as its rendering engine for the web portions will still work just fine, and no you can't just switch it over to firefox or something.

However, I think this is a good thing as now MS can just tell people that they can disable IE if they want, as it's now "optional".

 

[PimpinPenguin]

This does not wipe your machine clean of IE. Essentially, what it does is just remove iexplore.exe, all references to it and changes any API calls or anything like that to point at different locations.

Things like Steam which use IE as its rendering engine for the web portions will still work just fine, and no you can't just switch it over to firefox or something.

However, I think this is a good thing as now MS can just tell people that they can disable IE if they want, as it's now "optional".

Knowing MS they will try to hide that and make you jump though as many hoops as possible to access it. Just like UAC in Vista. I wonder if this will finally make Valve add Firefox compatibly to Steam.

 

[Barney Fife]

Knowing MS they will try to hide that and make you jump though as many hoops as possible to access it. Just like UAC in Vista.

You better believe it. I have tasted Win7 for quite a while, and this is how I came to find such option; Through Halflife2.net forum. Call it "The Window Portals"

I wonder if this will finally make Valve add Firefox compatibly to Steam.

Valve, knowing the vast majority of it's fan are FF users, That's something Valve must answer.

 

[Krynn72]

Knowing MS they will try to hide that and make you jump though as many hoops as possible to access it. Just like UAC in Vista. I wonder if this will finally make Valve add Firefox compatibly to Steam.

Its just on the left of the "remove programs" window. OMG SO HARD TO FIND. Thats the first place I went when I tried to find it after reading this thread.


And, hell yeah! Its got an option to turn off those shit Tablet components. They do nothing but **** shit up.

 

[Operational]

I'm glad the option is there but I probably won't use it. IE is occasionally useful for the websites that still don't play nice with FF.

Thats the first place I went when I tried to find it after reading this thread.

Heh, same.

 

[Barney Fife]

OMG SO HARD TO FIND. Thats the first place I went when I tried to find it after reading this thread.

AHA! But you didn't know it was there before finding this thread, eh? :naughty:

 

[Krynn72]

Well actually I did. When installing the .net framework windows showed me a pop up saying I could enable or disable it using the "Turn Windows Features On or Off" utility.

 

[Barney Fife]

Well actually I did. When installing the .net framework windows showed me a pop up saying I could enable or disable it using the "Turn Windows Features On or Off" utility.

CoughCoughLiarCoughCough.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Knowing MS they will try to hide that and make you jump though as many hoops as possible to access it. Just like UAC in Vista. I wonder if this will finally make Valve add Firefox compatibly to Steam.

Unless you can access FireFox via an ActiveX control, then no, this won't change Valve's mind about using IE as its rendering engine at all.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

Too bad that Steam requires IE.

Exclusively? They may introduce a way of using alternative browsers in a later patch.

 

[xcellerate]

It still amazes me everyday how terrible a browser IE is. You'd think a multi-billion dollar company responsible for creating the OS that runs 80% of computers world-wide could string together three lines of code that didn't completely blow ass.

 

[Barney Fife]

It still amazes me everyday how terrible a browser IE is. You'd think a multi-billion dollar company responsible for creating the OS that runs 80% of computers world-wide could string together three lines of code that didn't completely blow ass.

Also, its amazing to know who needs who when 80% of the computers worldwide are hooked on Windows. :upstare:

 

[xcellerate]

What?

 

[nurizeko]

IE optional, haha such a silly April fools joke.