As a result of the European Union’s incessant treatment of Microsoft as their personal ATM machine Microsoft had originally agreed to ship a European version of Windows 7 with a browser ballot screen. The idea being that Windows 7 wouldn’t use Internet Explorer as its default web browser but rather would let the consumer select the browser they want to use.

It appears though that European OEM’s really didn’t like this idea and started raising a fuss so Microsoft had to think of other options to make the OEMs and the European Union regulators happy. What they have decided to do is to ship the full Windows 7 version with Internet Explorer installed but will have it display the ballot screen when IE is run for the first time, and I imagine as a Start Menu item.

Apparently this is good enough to satisfy the regulators

The commission had said it "welcomed" Microsoft’s move, also giving the software maker some confidence that it could ship Windows 7 with the browser included. If the commission accepts Microsoft’s proposal, it will fully implement that proposed ballot screen to Windows 7 buyers in Europe.

Source: c|net News :: Microsoft: No browserless Windows 7 after all

IT also makes it easier for Microsoft to market Windows 7 in Europe both as an upgrade from previous Windows versions and as a stand-alone product.


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