OK, let's ay you have Two Operating Systems of the same version. Windows XP and another, almost identical Windows XP with no Media Player.
Let's assume the PC John Doe installs XP N to has no net access (Hey, it happens....), and he's got more MP3's than my mate Jon has on his iPod. He doesn't have a Media Player. He wants to play songs. Uh-oh.
Now... what does John buy? Windows XP N, with -no- Media Player, or Windows XP, With Media Player, priced exactly the same?
If you said XP N, please go and shoot yourself.
If the EU said, "Gee, we don't want Media Player Installed by default, that's giving unfair advantage to you, would you mind terribly not having it install by default, but still have it as an option to install later?", then that would have been fine.
In fact, since XP SP1, you've had the option of removing all references to Internet Explorer, and Windows Media Player by unchecking the boxes when you Install/Uninstall Additional Windows Components via the Add/Remove Program Box.
Instead, the EU orders M$ to physically remove the code (Not caring about the Shell Code problems, and shortcuts that dont work).
It's stupid, a waste of time, and totally unnecessary.
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OK, let's ay you have Two Operating Systems of the same version. Windows XP and another, almost identical Windows XP with no Media Player. Let's assume the PC John Doe installs XP N to has no net access (Hey, it happens....), and he's got more MP3's than my mate Jon has on his iPod. He doesn't have a Media Player. He wants to play songs. Uh-oh. Now... what does John buy? Windows XP N, with -no- Media Player, or Windows XP, With Media Player, priced exactly the same? If you said XP N, please go and shoot yourself. If the EU said, "Gee, we don't want Media Player Installed by default, that's giving unfair advantage to you, would you mind terribly not having it install by default, but still have it as an option to install later?", then that would have been fine. In fact, since XP SP1, you've had the option of removing all references to Internet Explorer, and Windows Media Player by unchecking the boxes when you Install/Uninstall Additional Windows Components via the Add/Remove Program Box. Instead, the EU orders M$ to physically remove the code (Not caring about the Shell Code problems, and shortcuts that dont work). It's stupid, a waste of time, and totally unnecessary.