Windows 7 will allow IE8 switch-off

Windows currently uses IE as the interface to the "Windows Update" functionality, and it depends on ActiveX.

Perhaps they have developed an independent updater.

The most basic program from 15 years ago has auto-update features.

windowsupdate via exploder only was an obvious attempt to make their whole system crashing prone, virus prone and incredibly sluggish browser mandatory.

Yea, in Vista, it's handled by Windows Update, and not IE ...

But you probably don't know that since you're one of the people who stuck with XP since you couldn't afford awesome parts~

Perhaps he can afford awesome parts but doesn't want to waste the performance gain on MS's bloaty OS?

I honestly think half the reason Windows 7 (aka Vista SP3) is getting such good press is because it's running on newer hardware that is capable of running it at a decent speed. If Windows 7 had come out when Vista did it would still have been viewed as a slow, lumbering resource hog because the hardware of the time simply wasn't up to running it (albeit a slightly more well performing resource hog than Vista).

spoken like someone who hasnt even tested windows 7, i have tried windows 7 on my own computer which is only an athlon64 x2 4200+ with ddr memory from 2005 era and vista is painful, when i tried windows seven even only on build 6801 the PDC release it ran amazingly fast on the interface and opening and closing programs there were no stalls whatsoever and this was on the pre beta

currently running server 2008 x64 till windows 7 releases :) and compared to vista its a lot better

This seems silly:
IE7 = NOT HTML 4.0 standard compliant
IE8 = HTML 4.0 standard compliant

Yet IE8 is the one with the switch?

(Yes I understand a lot of companies made IE7 compatible web sites, but my opinion is that you force IE8 down everyone's throat no matter what to get back to HTML 4.0 compliance and screw everyone who is not compliant. $$$$ yes I get it but damn, its time to fix this problem for good. Why make a switch that allows some of these sites to remain non-compliant.)

OMG, isn't Mauller07 a genie? He runs 2008 server, which is the server version of the bloated Vista on his crappy 4200+ better than with it's domestic version. Pure magic! I bet he has less than 1GB RAM also and integrated graphics. LOL.
Even then, it's not enough. Mr. Jonh Doe will still use IE8 because it's already there and he doesn't know that there is an alternative. Besides the many open source incompatible web sites, due to the use of M$ activeX

I thought that even XP had the option to disable the internet explorer executable, via the same Add/Remove Windows Components function.

The things you learn.

I've got 7 installed on an Inspiron 8200, P4 1.7GHz, 768MB DDR, 30gig partition. It is as fast as XP in general and faster in certain instances. The only catch for me is Nvidia doesn't support the Geforce 4MX/Go series in Vista or 7. Aside from that, it works beautifully.

I've used modded inf's to get 3d functionality, but it locks the system when playing a video unless I use the default 7 video driver.

Windows 7 is what Vista should have been from the start.

The Add/Remove entry only allowed you to remove the desktop and start menu shortcuts.

sounding better & better.

Can't the sell boxes without preloading useless crap like Internet Exploder and other non-functioning demoes? I am tired of having to deinstall the whole shitload every time I get a new box!

I doubt that many average joes would manage to download and install a copy of firefox (or whatever) as their preferred browser, without having IE present to let them do that. Yes, there are ways to download without a browser, but take away the built-in browser, and 99.9% of people would be screwed.

The alternative is what Opera et-al want the EU to force MS to do... preload all of their apps as well. I'll take this option thanks, I don't want no stinking Opera or Safari.

MS are actually going much further with the switch-off stuff... and have blogged about this recently.

http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/03/06/beta-to-rc-changes-turning-windows-features-on-or-off.aspx

Its been so long since I've ever had to "put up" with something I didn't want too... in regards to software that is :P

/Leave Smug linux User