Windows 7 Kill Switch For IE Confirmed — For More Apps, Too

CWmike writes "Microsoft has confirmed that users will be able to remove its IE8 browser, as well as several other integrated applications, from Windows 7. Jack Mayo, a group program manager on the Windows team, listed in a blog post the applications that can be switched off. They include Internet Explorer 8, Fax and Scan, handwriting recognition, Windows DVD Maker, Windows Gadget Platform, Windows Media Player, Windows Media Center, Windows Search, and XPS Viewer and Services. He explained that the files associated with those applications and features are not actually deleted from the hard drive. The public beta of Windows 7 does not include the ability to 'kill' said apps. But a pirated copy of Windows 7 Build 7048 includes the new removal options, and has been leaked on the Internet." (We mentioned the reported ability to turn off IE8 yesterday as well.)

Comments

Microsoft picking its battles

[thethibs]

It sounds like Microsoft has decided to go along with the gag. The EU regulators, not one of which can do arithmetic with their hands in their pockets, seem to believe that there can be only one browser, one media player, etc. in Windows, and that having these installed prevents the user from installing anything else and making it the default.

The EU is threatening, as a last resort, to force Microsoft to make it possible for users to uninstall IE so that they can install something else and Microsoft's response is "No problem, it's done". This leaves the EU with its big threat defused.

Of course no one is going to bother uninstalling Microsoft applications--they'll just install competitive apps and click "Yes" when they are asked whether they should be the default--which is what they can do now.

If they do uninstall IE, a lot of people will be in for a bit of a shock when they click Help on one of the many applications that loads IE to present HTML help files.

Re:Why not?

[jaavaaguru]

[Citation needed]