Win7 Build 7048: IE8 Is REMOVABLE
I couldn’t believe this when I saw it, but it’s true. Internet Explorer 8 is fully removable in Windows 7 build 7048. I believe this fully squashes the case that the EU has against Microsoft?
As you can see in the above screenshot there is a new entry for Internet Explorer 8, if you uncheck it, IE8 will be removed from the operating system. Want proof? Try it for yourself:
Here are some instructions courtesy of Bryant
- Enter the Control Panel and look at “All Control Panel Options”
- Click “Programs and Features”
- In the left sidebar, click “Turn Windows Features On or Off” (you will be thrown a UAC prompt if you elevated UAC)
- Wait for the list to load.
- Look for Internet Explorer 8 in the list and uncheck it.
- Click OK. You will see a prompt notifying you of a reboot.
- The machine will reboot once, configure things, and reboot again.
As you can see above, currently it just deletes iexplore.exe, which I hope will be revised in future builds, but all references to IE are removed from the OS (see second shot), so my bet is that deleting these files would not harm anything, but then again I could be wrong.
So there you have it, step in the right direction for Microsoft? And a quick solution to the EU’s argument against them? Time will tell.
70 Responses to 'Win7 Build 7048: IE8 Is REMOVABLE'
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The question now is, do programs that rely on Internet Explorer for web page rendering work after uninstallation?
A good example is Steam.
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March 4, 2009 at 5:43 am
Jug:
Chris, I would guess so, and that’s why only iexplorer.exe is removed, in terms of “physical” files. Other software relying on IE/Trident as the rendering engine needs MSHTML.DLL in the System32 folder, and I would assume that one is intact. For good reasons — removing that file would cause havoc and break lots of third party software.
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March 4, 2009 at 6:44 am
Stu:
I’ve always wanted to be able to uninstall IE from my machine, however some programs do still embed it and I’ve always thought it would be a great idea is MS created an api so that you could simple embed another rendering engine for example gecko, webkit etc… and those engines implement the embedded browser api so they then provide consistent features and any program would just load the default browser’s engine.
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March 4, 2009 at 8:27 am
[...] is being reported by those with build 7048 of Windows 7 that IE8 appears in the “Turn Windows features on or off” control panel dialogue. [...]
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March 4, 2009 at 8:41 am
Internet Explorer 8 z możliwością usunięcia (Windows 7 Build 7048)…
Raz po raz odżywa w co większych portalach informacja o sporze pomiędzy Microsoftem a Komisją Europejska dotyczącą Internet Explorera załączanego, jako jedyna i domyślna przeglądarka internetowa w systemach Windows. Temat jest dość inter[…..
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Chris, you bastard
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March 4, 2009 at 9:21 am
Steinramp:
Hasn’t IE been an option under “Turn Windows Features On or Off” sicne XP?
And tbh I really don’t see the point in removing IE entierly from Windows since so many 3rd party programs depend on it, and doesn’t have the option to change default browser.
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March 4, 2009 at 12:06 pm
This seems to do the same thing as removing access to Internet Explorer from within the “Set Program Access and Defaults” control panel item. Removing Internet Explorer doesn’t necessarily have to mean removing the entire Trident engine, just the browser itself. It’s like deleting Safari.app in OS X, WebKit is still there and other WebKit-based apps can still use the framework.
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March 4, 2009 at 1:11 pm
[...] And uninstalling is not exactly what Microsoft is allowing Windows 7 users to do with IE8. In fact, IE8 can be “turned off” via the Turn Windows features on or off dialog box, which can be accessed by means of the Control Panel, All Control Panel Options, Programs and Features, and Turn Windows Features On or Off in the left task pane (via Chris123nt). [...]
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March 4, 2009 at 1:56 pm
AeroXperience » Blog Archive » Internet Explorer 8 can be removed from Windows 7:
[...] Comments Internet Explorer 8 can be removed from Windows 7by Win7 Build 7048: IE8 Is REMOVABLE at Chris’ Repository of KnowledgeInternet Explorer 8 can be removed from Windows 7by 0.2 » Internet Explorer 8 potrà essere [...]
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Can you tell us (and post a screenshot) of what happens, if you remove IE that way, when you type a URL in Windows Explorer title bar?
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March 4, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Zab:
what a shit looking OS
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March 4, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Ed Bradford:
I run 7048 in Virtual PC 2007 and it runs fine. It is slower than XP though.
I unchecked the “Internet Explorer” box and 15 minutes later, the operating
system had rebooted itself and completed enough installations and
configurations to be back to a useful state and IE8 was completely gone. -
March 4, 2009 at 5:19 pm
[...] in Win7 Build 7048 IE8 is removable. In related news, the EU softens monitoring of [...]
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March 4, 2009 at 5:31 pm
[...] compilación 7048 de Windows 7 filtrada en las redes P2P permite la eliminación de Internet Explorer 8. La única beta que ha liberado Microsoft es la 7000 y desde ésta se pasará directamente a la RC. [...]
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So lets get this straight (since I havent had the “pleasure” of Windows 7 yet)
You can completely remove IE8? Yes?
But since Win 7 is a polished Vista, IE 7 is still an integral part of the OS?
Please can someone explain then how the EU will be satisfied with this? Unless Im wrong MS is still bundling IE with Windows (albeit an earlier version) and the issues of anti-trust still stand.
In my opinion Microsoft are going to have to do more than this to meet the EU’s decision. It also begs the question, whats the next package bundled with Windows that will be targetted by the EU?
It isnt a secret I am a Linux user, however even I take no delight in the EU meddling with Microsoft in this way. UK’rs have already seen anti-trust getting involved with Utility providers. Instead of it creating fair competition it was a nightmare for consumers (IMO)
I remember our phone call provider that seemed to change on a whim, the plethora of bills and constant arguing over who was providing my calls, why my provider was changed without my permission and why was my bill so extortionate when I hadnt made many calls.
With experiences like those, I have very little faith that this decision will be of benefit to anyone. People are switching to Firefox (for example) on their own, and I think further complicating the PC market for users who may not be IT “savvy” is simply asking for trouble.
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March 4, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Tesseract:
so… then how do you browse the Internet to, for example, download firefox?
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March 4, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Microsoft Enables Users to Cut IE8 From Windows 7 | Knowledge’s Blog:
[...] to postings on Chris’ Repository of Knowledge and AeroXperience, the 7048 build of Windows 7 — a version that has not been released to the [...]
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March 4, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Microsoft Allows Removal Of IE8 From Windows 7 | Knowledge’s Blog:
[...] to postings on Chris’ Repository of Knowledge and AeroXperience, the 7048 build of Windows 7 — a version that has not been released to the [...]
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March 4, 2009 at 8:20 pm
[...] 7048, shows a way to disable IE8 in the Remove Windows Features dialog (above), according to two separate [...]
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March 4, 2009 at 8:25 pm
photomaniacal.com » Blog Archive » Windows 7 Has an IE8 Removal Option: Reports:
[...] 7048, shows a way to disable IE8 in the Remove Windows Features dialog (above), according to two separate [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 12:20 am
syockit:
Stu:
In other words, you want other rendering engines installable as shared library. There will still be problems as to how engine versions should be dealt with. Even difference in minor versions may cause rendering glitch.
Not only that, since many applications still depend on MSHTML.dll, you’ll find that there’s no chance to remove the engine at all.
Or you want the application to choose which engine to use? Then it will be a burden on developers to make sure it looks right on each of them (just like writing web pages).elmimmo:
Since Vista, Windows opens the default browser for internet urls typed in explorer address bar.Goblin:
Actually, non-’IT savvy’ people shouldn’t bother at all what kind of browser they’re using, but seeing how non-IE browsers just don’t work on some sites, you’re right; it is asking for trouble. But eventually we have to face this trouble. Unless the browser market share sees drastic change, companies won’t move from building IE-specific websites.Tesseract:
You can trust that computer vendors won’t be stupid/cruel enough to sell computers without preinstalled browsers. -
March 5, 2009 at 12:50 am
» Windows 7 to allow IE disabling Australian Broadband Deals:
[...] Holmes, build 7048 of Windows 7 includes Internet Explorer as one of many Windows components that can be turned on or off via a “Windows Features” dialog box. The control panel exists in the public beta [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 3:22 am
[...] 7048, shows a way to disable IE8 in the Remove Windows Features dialog (above), according to two separate reports.This panel exists in prior versions of Windows, and not just 7, and allows users to remove [...]
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Quote “Actually, non-’IT savvy’ people shouldn’t bother at all what kind of browser they’re using,”
Agreed, but if they are forced down the road of choosing by the EU’s “good intentions” it wont make their life easier.
I have personally never found a site which has issues with Firefox and would suggest to such a site that the matter would need resolving since its not just the Linux users who are using it and youre instantly removing a growing part of your audience.
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[...] Holmes, build 7048 of Windows 7 includes Internet Explorer as one of many Windows components that can be turned on or off via a “Windows Features” dialog box. The control panel exists in the public beta [...]
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[...] блоггером была установлена возможность удаления IE из [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 9:20 am
Windows 7 dejar que se desinstale el Explorer 8 (Aparentemente) - Foro3k.com:
[...] de las alternativas a Windows. La compilacin 7048 de Windows 7 filtrada en las redes P2P permite la eliminacin de Internet Explorer 8. La nica beta pblica que ha liberado Microsoft es la 7000 y desde sta se pasar directamente a [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 9:28 am
[...] init6 on Mar.05, 2009, under Windows According to this blogger, IE8 is now able to be removed from the latest leaked build of [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 10:32 am
Windows 7 will allow you to disable and remove IE8 | Slothminds:
[...] almost could not believe my eyes when I read about this! According to Chris Holmes and aeroxp.org, Microsoft will give users the ability to disable and delete Internet Explorer 8 in [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 12:53 pm
int19h:
> Can you tell us (and post a screenshot) of what happens, if you remove IE that way, when you type a URL in Windows Explorer title bar?
It will open the URL in the browser configured as system default, just as it did since Vista. This is regardless of whether you have IE8 installed or not.
What will happen when there’s no other browser on the system is an interesting question.
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March 5, 2009 at 4:03 pm
[...] seu blog, Chris Holmes dá instruções passo-a-passo para quem quiser testar o processo que desabilita o IE8 no Windows 7. Leia [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 4:05 pm
[...] Sembra che con Windows 7 si potrà disinstallare Internet Explorer. [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Freetracking.org » Microsoft may let Windows 7 users turn browser off:
[...] Holmes, build 7048 of Windows 7 includes Internet Explorer as one of many Windows components that can be turned on or off via a “Windows Features” dialog box. The control panel exists in the public beta [...]
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March 5, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Steven White:
I seem to remember that after the antitrust trial, when Microsoft was appealing its punishment, Bill Gates himself went to court and said that IE was so deeply hooked into Windows that it would be impossible to remove it.
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Maybe the solution will simply be to bundle firefox with Windows.
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March 5, 2009 at 8:57 pm
[...] In putinele ore libere care le-am avut in ultimele zile am tras cu ochiul pe unele site-uri straine care scriu mai des despre Windows 7 (blog-ul de referinta Chris’ Repository of Knowledge)! [...]
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March 6, 2009 at 4:29 am
[...] Chris’ Repository of Knoledge ci fa notare come nella build 7048 di Windows 7 sia possibile rimuovere IE8. Ora la domanda è: perchè la Microsoft è passata dal proteggere esasperatamente il suo browser a permettere di disinstallarlo? che ci sia di mezzo la minaccia dell’UE? e poi, sarà davvero così o è solo una pia illusione? staremo a vedere.. Bookmark and Share: sociallist_31e3bd3f_url = ‘http://imaniacs.altervista.org/?p=323′; sociallist_31e3bd3f_title = ‘Windows 7: IE8 sarà disinstallabile?’; sociallist_31e3bd3f_text = ”; sociallist_31e3bd3f_tags = ”; (No Ratings Yet) Loading … [...]
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March 6, 2009 at 6:01 am
[...] presión que la Unión Europea lleva haciendo sobre Microsoft durante años está teniendo efectos. Aquí y aquí tenéis más [...]
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March 6, 2009 at 10:00 am
Windows 7 Has an IE8 Removal Option: Reports | Student Tech News:
[...] 7048, shows a way to disable IE8 in the Remove Windows Features dialog (above), according to two separate [...]
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March 6, 2009 at 6:09 pm
[...] seu blog, Chris Holmes dá instruções passo-a-passo para quem quiser testar o processo que desabilita o IE8 no Windows [...]
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March 6, 2009 at 11:44 pm
John Halubek:
… and when they make the whole operating system removable, all will be right with the world again! Until then:
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda1
Die Microsoft! Die!
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March 7, 2009 at 12:12 am
Boycott Novell » IRC: #boycottnovell @ FreeNode: March 6th, 2009 - Part 3:
[...] Open Source Eyeballs Really Work? < http://chris123nt.com/2009/03/03/…; [...]
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March 7, 2009 at 10:44 am
theotherchris:
Personally, I don’t mind IE being on my computer, taking up hard disk space. As long as I don’t have to see, hear, smell it….that’s fine with me. Firefox is able to handle just about everything that I have tried to look at or use….
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March 7, 2009 at 9:31 pm
dennys:
Isto é algo de bom para um SO pois posibilita a escolhado usúario de escolher qual navegador deseja usar.
E num ambiente corporativo para alguns setores os quais não há necessidade de haver o IE no SO
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March 8, 2009 at 12:08 am
How to Uninstall/Remove Internet Explorer 8 from Windows 7 build 7048 | Digital Guru info:
[...] in Windows 7 Build 7048 as its part of Windows 7 RC branch. Here is one interesting finding from Crise holmes and Braynt (Windows 7 Tester), Internet Explorer 8 Can be Uninstalled and removed from Windows 7 [...]
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March 8, 2009 at 1:20 am
[...] Windows 捆绑销售的“反托拉斯 ”活动，微软迈出了重要的一步。 最近 Chris Holmes 和 Bryant Zadegan 指出 IE8 能够从 Windows 7 build 7048 中删除，之后，Jack [...]
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March 8, 2009 at 3:53 am
Microsoft Confirms IE8 Can be Removed from Windows 7 | google android os blog:
[...] the recent findings by Chris Holmes and Bryant Zadegan that IE8 can be removed from Windows 7 build 7048, Jack Mayo, group program [...]
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March 8, 2009 at 5:07 am
The Engineering Team makes Windows 7 even more Customizable | yoursoftwarelink.com:
[...] Windows Internet Explorer 8 being an optional component in the leaked build 7048 discovered by Chris Holmes and Bryant of [...]
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[...] 1 2 3 4 5 [...]
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March 8, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Microsoft Confirms IE8 Can be Removed from Windows 7 | Blog.FareedWarrad.Com:
[...] the recent findings by Chris Holmes and Bryant Zadegan that IE8 can be removed from Windows 7 build 7048, Jack Mayo, group program [...]
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March 8, 2009 at 10:14 pm
spencer:
Can you then update Windows 7 with Fire Fox, in the past you could not
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March 8, 2009 at 10:49 pm
PUBLIUS:
Now, we just need to scream at webpages that do not use HTML compliant source. Those still using MS IE unique code should be banned from the internet.
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March 9, 2009 at 1:17 am
Chris_V:
For all those individuals who are asking how you can browse the internet. This function is to allow PC Makers/corporations to develop a build with IE7 uninstalled and with another choice of browser available (firefox..etc).
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March 9, 2009 at 6:49 am
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) Release Candidate (RC) launched by Microsoft | TEC(hnology) NERD:
[...] that Internet Explorer 8 is fully removable in Windows 7 build 7048. (See a post by blogger – Chris ). You can recall that Microsoft had a long term dispute with European Commission over [...]
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March 9, 2009 at 10:00 am
BLS:
Hey Chris,
Two post ago, you went into a rant about how you are in techbeta but you don’t have access to any other build than public bits, now you are publishing stuff from 7022 and 7048 builds… what’s up with that?
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March 9, 2009 at 10:06 am
Chris123NT:
@BLS Yes, we do not have access to anything newer than 7000 through the techbeta. Therefore I resorted to alternative means to gain access to newer builds.
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March 9, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Muziic turns YouTube into rich source for songs (AFP) — But As For Me:
[...] Win7 Build 7048: IE8 Is REMOVABLE at Chris’ Repository of Knowledge [...]
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March 10, 2009 at 8:37 am
[...] Veja em:http://chris123nt.com/2009/03/03/win7-build-7048-ie8-is-removable/ [...]
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March 11, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Windows 7 Build 7084 To Offer Option To Remove IE8 | Windows 7 Fans:
[...] changes with the new build of Windows 7. According to recent reports that can be found here and here, the Windows 7 Build 7084 has the option to remove Internet Explorer [...]
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March 14, 2009 at 6:33 am
Gintulis:
But as with software are directly linked to the IE, it simply will not work.
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March 24, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Windows 7: IE8 disinstallabile. E’ l’inizio di una nuova era? « Marco e Massimiliano’s Weblog:
[...] Come evidenziato dal blog “Chris’ Repository of Knowledge“, la neo-trapelata build 7048 dell’attesissimo Windows 7 nasconde un piccolo-grande segreto che [...]
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April 12, 2009 at 1:57 am
Да уж спорно, поспорил бы с автором…
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April 21, 2009 at 11:23 am
[...] Microsfot, come già detto e segnalato (si vedano anche le immagini indicate nel precedente mio post), ha pensato di inserire la facoltà tecnica, per l’utente, di [...]
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May 13, 2009 at 6:12 pm
[...] may recall a couple of months ago I made a post outlining the fact that Internet Explorer 8 is a removable component in Windows 7. What I didn’t mention though, is that there are many other components that can be removed [...]
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Опять-таки побочная проблемка. Вряд ли она кому-нибудь мешает, мне например как то все равно
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June 15, 2009 at 5:02 am
[...] del sistema operativo, la mancata installazione del browser mediante operazione di spunta [cfr. immagini] ha comunque reso le proprie osservazione agli addebiti sollevati a suo carico, seppur dopo taluni [...]
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June 15, 2009 at 5:22 am
[...] del sistema operativo, la mancata installazione del browser mediante operazione di spunta [cfr. immagini] ha comunque reso le proprie osservazione agli addebiti sollevati a suo carico, seppur dopo taluni [...]
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July 3, 2009 at 8:33 am
litemninyuszika:
It was a bad step from Microsoft — as I said at another post —, they did it because of EU.
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July 11, 2009 at 7:03 am
[...] in Windows 7 Build 7048 as its part of Windows 7 RC branch. Here is one interesting finding from Crise holmes and Braynt (Windows 7 Tester), Internet Explorer 8 Can be Uninstalled and removed from Windows 7 [...]
March 4, 2009 at 12:50 am
Chris: