Microsoft scraps Windows 7 E
Microsoft said it will not ship the Windows 7 'E' version of Windows, even though Europe has yet to sign off on the revised plan.
The software maker had originally proposed shipping Windows 7 in Europe without a browser at all — the so-called 'E' version of the operating system. However, European regulators indicated that might not satisfy its concerns.
Microsoft said it will not ship the Windows 7 'E' version of Windows, even though Europe has yet to sign off on the revised plan. The plan calls for the company to ship Windows 7 with Internet Explorer, but present a 'ballot screen' in which users in Europe can decide whether they want Internet Explorer or another browser.
Microsoft announced last week that it was open to the ballot screen, but said it would wait to drop the browserless 'E' version until European regulators approved its plan.
The software maker said late on Friday that it decided to ship the same version of Windows 7 for Europe after PC makers complained that having to use the browserless version of Windows 7 for a short period of time would be problematic.
"In the wake of last week's developments, as well as continuing feedback on Windows 7 E that we have received from computer manufacturers and other business partners, I'm pleased to report that we will ship the same version of Windows 7 in Europe in October that we will ship in the rest of the world," deputy general counsel Dave Heiner said in a statement.
Those who pre-ordered Windows 7 'E' through a recent discount offer will get the full version, as Microsoft had promised. However, Microsoft plans to now sell Windows 7 upgrades in Europe and also offer a higher-priced full version (for those without an earlier copy of Windows) — similar to what it is doing in the rest of the world.
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