Microsoft warns of IE7 lock-in with XP SP3

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Brock N Meeks <bmeeks () cox net>
> Date: May 9, 2008 10:29:59 AM EDT
> To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> Subject: Re: [IP] Microsoft warns of IE7 lock-in with XP SP3

> Having covered the Microsoft anti-trust trial from gavel to gavel, I  
> read the comment below and say, "Big F'ing deal."
>
> This recent development is far from the original monopolistic  
> behavior that it barely warrants a raised eyebrow.  First, the  
> company is openly warning people about this situation--I'm not sure  
> how much publicity or effort Microsoft is giving to this "awareness"  
> effort, but it's there.  And there doesn't appear to be any back  
> room deals wherein box makers and Microsoft are cutting exclusive  
> deals for automatic desktop placement and on and on.
>
> Don't want IE7?  Don't upgrade to the new service pack.
>
> "But, but, but... that's holding my service pack upgrades hostage!"  
> you say.  Umm... good point; hardly unprecedented.
>
> Witness the shenanigans that Mac owners go through every time Apple  
> upgrades QuickTime.  No one forces you to upgrade to the newest  
> version of QT, but if you don't there is a whole lot of new content  
> you can't access.
>
> Or Adobe's Flash player... if you don't upgrade to the newest flash  
> player, forget about accessing cool new online do-dads.
>
> Why is that different from what Microsoft is doing?  Yes, you can  
> always drop back and install an earlier version of QuickTime, no  
> restriction there; however, for that "luxury" you're going to pay a  
> price.   You want to drop back to IE6?  Well, alright, uninstall  
> (forestall access to) the upgrade service pack.
>
> It's not a pleasant business practice, but it hardly carries anti- 
> competitive overtones.
>
>
>
>
>
> On May 9, 2008, at 9:49 AM, David Farber wrote:
>
> > Begin forwarded message:
> >
> > > From: Tom Fairlie <tfairlie () frontiernet net>
> > > Date: May 9, 2008 9:22:09 AM EDT
> > > To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
> > > Subject: Microsoft warns of IE7 lock-in with XP SP3
> >
> > > Dave,
> > >
> > > I guess what's old is what's new again. Egad!
> > >
> > > Tom Fairlie
> > > --- 
> > > --- 
> > > --- 
> > > --- 
> > > --- 
> > > --- 
> > > --- 
> > > --- 
> > > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > > Microsoft warns of IE7 lock-in with XP SP3
> > > Gregg Keizer
> > > May 06, 2008 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. has warned users  
> > > updating to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be  
> > > able to downgrade from Internet Explorer 7 to the older IE6  
> > > without uninstalling the service pack.
> > >
> > > The warning first appeared in a post Monday to a company blog  
> > > written by the Internet Explorer development team. Microsoft  
> > > released Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update as an optional download  
> > > Tuesday.
> > >
> > > "If you choose to install XP SP3, Internet Explorer 7 will remain  
> > > on your system after the install is complete," said Jane Maliouta,  
> > > an IE program manager, in the blog entry. "Your preferences will  
> > > be retained. However, you will no longer be able to uninstall IE7.  
> > > If you go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, the Remove option  
> > > will be grayed out."
> > >
> > > The inability to downgrade to IE6 after installing XP SP3 was by  
> > > design, said Maliouta, because the service pack includes newer  
> > > versions of the old browser's files. If Microsoft had allowed  
> > > users to revert back to the pre-SP3 version of IE6 -- the one  
> > > saved on users' PCs when they upgraded to IE7, and what was used  
> > > until now to back out of the newer browser -- Windows would have  
> > > ended up in a "mixed file state," Maliouta said.
> > >
> > > [Rest here: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=printArticleBasic&articleId=9083318]
> > Archives        

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