Windows 7 Microsoft decides not to push Windows 7E

Inside the newest twist in its antitrust battle in Europe, it now seems to be like Microsoft is leaning away from delivering its browser-less version of Windows, Windows 7E at all.Just two weeks in the past,Office Professional 2007, Microsoft officials stated the firm was giving in to the European Commission;s proposal that Microsoft give a “browser ballot” screen to European users, supplying them with a choice of browsers. At that time, Microsoft execs mentioned they still planned to go forward with their Windows 7E plan — via which PC makers an retailers would be required to provide a browser-less edition of Windows 7 — at least until the European Commissioners said they;d accept Microsoft;s version of the ballot-screen proposal. If and when Microsoft got the EC nod,Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft would drop Windows 7E and supply resellers with the regular edition of Windows 7 that the rest of the world is getting.But on July 31,Microsoft Office 2010 Key, Microsoft switched gears and mentioned it had decided against offering PC makers or retailers with the Windows 7E in any way. (They did remind folks that if the EC ends up not going with the proposed ballot-screen that Microsoft still plans to foist Windows 7E on PC makers and consumers.)The enterprise;s reasons for the newest switch are telling. From an “On the Issues” blog posting (at 8:20 p.m. ET last Friday) from Vice President and Deputy General Counsel David Heiner:“One reason we decided not to ship Windows 7 E is concerns raised by computer manufacturers and partners. Several worried about the complexity of changing the edition of Windows that we ship in Europe if our ballot screen proposal is ultimately accepted by the Commission and we stop selling Windows 7 E. Computer manufacturers and our partners also warned that introducing Windows 7 E, only to later replace it with a edition of Windows 7 that includes IE, could confuse consumers about what edition of Windows to buy with their PCs.“The Commission also previously expressed concerns about Windows 7 E. In a statement the day after I outlined our plans for Windows 7 E,Office 2007 Key, the Commission clarified that it believes ‘consumers should be offered a choice of browser, not that Windows should be supplied without a browser in any way.;”PC makers hated Microsoft;s Windows 7E plan. The EC hated it. European consumers, as soon as they found out the new hoops they had to jump through to get on the Internet, were going to hate it.Is there anyone who still doubts that Microsoft;s 7E plan was a stroke of diabolical genius,Microsoft Office 2007 Professional, and designed to force the Commission;s hand — and had nothing to do with Microsoft wanting to do the “right” thing?In any case, Microsoft has put the ball back within the EC;s court. It will be interesting to see whether the EC is satisfied with Microsoft;s version of the browser-ballot proposal or requires any modifications to it before the two parties come to some kind of settlement over the Opera-instigated browser-bundling case.