Microsoft can definitely be criticized for this move, because it makes it extremely hard for anyone buying Windows directly to install a browser. There is simply no way of opening up a window and downloading Firefox if you'd like to. (I read, Win7 will have an onboard FTP client, though.) One can argue that most customers buy Windows along with a retail PC though, where the vendor would solve this problem for them.
However, Microsoft's competitors (and those stupid bureaucrats in Bruxelles) fail to realize that there are severe problems with their cries for including multiple browsers.
- Who will provide technical support for installing the user's browser of choice? End-customers will always blame MS for Opera not installing correctly.
- A normal user just does not care about installing another piece of software and customers usually also do not care about choice. They care about getting a working system without bothering too much.
- Who decides on which browsers shall be provided along with Windows 7? You will never be able to collect a list of all available browsers and any decision on a set of browsers to ship with will outrule some others and spawn new debates. The monopoly will become an oligopoly.
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