Windows 7 ‘E’ edition officially dead
Microsoft has officially announced it will be dropping the ‘E’ range, the special versions of Windows 7 planned to ship without a Web browser. The decision means the company is also able to confirm a Family Pack offer.
The ‘E’ edition was Microsoft’s response to the threat of European Union sanctions against its bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows. (That case is still ongoing and Microsoft hasn’t formally been found guilty of breaching competition rules, though that seems an almost certain verdict.)
The EU quickly said that a browser-less Windows was not a suitable solution. It’s unclear if Microsoft ever intended to actually ship the ‘E’ editions or if it was simply a way to portray EU officials as the bad guys in the row.
The dropping of the special edition means that anyone buying Windows 7 in Europe, including those who have already pre-ordered, will definitely get it with Internet Explorer 8 included. Microsoft says it’s still possible that Internet Explorer will be one of several browsers available to choose from upon installation, though that option is not yet confirmed and has caused some controversy from rival browser developers.
Microsoft also noted that the ‘E’ row means that upgrade versions of Windows 7 won’t be available to pre-order until Sept. 1. Until then, buyers will be able to take advantage of firms offering the full editions of the system at steep discounts; after that point the full and upgrade editions will have separate pricing.
The dropping of the ‘E’ editions, and the fact that that allows straight upgrades rather than clean installs, means Microsoft will now be extending its Family Pack offer, originally available only in the U.S. and Canada. Buyers in eight western European countries will now be able to get a bulk discount when upgrading three machines in the same home from Vista to Windows 7.
Windows 7 will still be available in ‘N’ editions, the versions without Windows Media Player which exist to satisfy a previous European Union ruling. Going on what happened with Vista, approximately zero copies of the N edition are likely to be ordered or sold.
Related Posts:
