Comments on: Windows Proposes to Cut Internet Explorer http://www.belshe.com/2009/06/12/windows-proposes-to-cut-internet-explorer/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:19:43 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: mike http://www.belshe.com/2009/06/12/windows-proposes-to-cut-internet-explorer/comment-page-1/#comment-49823 mike Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:19:41 +0000 http://www.belshe.com/?p=722#comment-49823 The more I think about this, the more obvious it becomes that this move simply amounts to a price increase for Microsoft Windows. It's quite clever, actually! Let's play it out. 1) Microsoft ships Windows 7 E, without IE. 2) Distributors now solicit bids from all vendors (Google, Microsoft, Opera, Mozilla) for putting the vendor's browser onto the distributor's software bundle. Microsoft and Google have the most cash, but Microsoft simply out-bids everyone by a wide margin. Why does Microsoft out-bid the field? Because Microsoft is the only vendor already receiving revenues for every machine sold because they're getting Windows royalties. If Microsoft gets $50 per copy of Windows, they can simply subsidize IE distribution with that revenue. Any other vendor (Mozilla, Google, etc) is paying incremental out-of-pocket, whereas Microsoft has an extra $50 per copy to throw in the mix. 3) In the long run, Microsoft simply passes this cost back to the user by increasing the cost of Microsoft Windows. The more I think about this, the more obvious it becomes that this move simply amounts to a price increase for Microsoft Windows. It’s quite clever, actually! Let’s play it out.

1) Microsoft ships Windows 7 E, without IE.

2) Distributors now solicit bids from all vendors (Google, Microsoft, Opera, Mozilla) for putting the vendor’s browser onto the distributor’s software bundle. Microsoft and Google have the most cash, but Microsoft simply out-bids everyone by a wide margin.

Why does Microsoft out-bid the field? Because Microsoft is the only vendor already receiving revenues for every machine sold because they’re getting Windows royalties. If Microsoft gets $50 per copy of Windows, they can simply subsidize IE distribution with that revenue. Any other vendor (Mozilla, Google, etc) is paying incremental out-of-pocket, whereas Microsoft has an extra $50 per copy to throw in the mix.

3) In the long run, Microsoft simply passes this cost back to the user by increasing the cost of Microsoft Windows.

]]> By: Omar Shahine http://www.belshe.com/2009/06/12/windows-proposes-to-cut-internet-explorer/comment-page-1/#comment-49805 Omar Shahine Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:34:02 +0000 http://www.belshe.com/?p=722#comment-49805 The browser is still in the OS, WinInet, Trident, TriEdit etc. Just the chrome is gone. For all intents and purposes the browser is an SDK that ships with Windows. That part is still there. Apps are written to expect those components to work. The browser is still in the OS, WinInet, Trident, TriEdit etc. Just the chrome is gone.

For all intents and purposes the browser is an SDK that ships with Windows. That part is still there. Apps are written to expect those components to work.

]]> By: imma http://www.belshe.com/2009/06/12/windows-proposes-to-cut-internet-explorer/comment-page-1/#comment-49798 imma Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:00:08 +0000 http://www.belshe.com/?p=722#comment-49798 Windows isn't really the same operating system it used to be - separation could now be much simpler ;-) I would love to see what happens if neither side backs down on this, although given the existing spread of computers & browsers it should be simple for users to get a browser off someone else who already has a connection even if computer stores don't start stocking them for free/really cheap ;-) - imma Windows isn’t really the same operating system it used to be – separation could now be much simpler ;-)
I would love to see what happens if neither side backs down on this, although given the existing spread of computers & browsers it should be simple for users to get a browser off someone else who already has a connection even if computer stores don’t start stocking them for free/really cheap ;-)
– imma

]]> By: Tony Ruscoe http://www.belshe.com/2009/06/12/windows-proposes-to-cut-internet-explorer/comment-page-1/#comment-49774 Tony Ruscoe Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:08:12 +0000 http://www.belshe.com/?p=722#comment-49774 So if Windows doesn't ship with a web browser, how do you go about downloading Chrome? You can't buy it in a shop. Will it come through my door on a free CD like AOL 10 years ago? P.S. Being British, I had to Google how many cents are in one nickel. So if Windows doesn’t ship with a web browser, how do you go about downloading Chrome? You can’t buy it in a shop. Will it come through my door on a free CD like AOL 10 years ago?

P.S. Being British, I had to Google how many cents are in one nickel.

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