Microsoft finally confirms Windows 7 licensing for Europe

UK laptop and netbook owners who have pre-ordered Windows 7 E at the discounted upgrade price now look set to receive the standard, full, edition of the operating system.

The change is the result of Microsoft's decision to can the Europe-only Windows 7 E — and its announcement that it will instead sell the same version of the operating system in Europe as it will worldwide.

Windows 7 E was a version of the operating system that lacked Internet Explorer, developed in response to the European Commission's anti-trust investigation into Microsoft. By removing the web browser completely, Microsoft hoped to avoid any further accusation of abusing its position to force Internet Explorer upon Windows users.

The excision of Internet Explorer caused other problems, though. Microsoft claimed that the browser is so deeply rooted in Windows that it was impossible to produce a browser-free version of Windows 7 that could be used to upgrade earlier versions of the operating system — versions that have Internet Explorer built-in.

Microsoft's solution was to remove the upgrade option from Windows 7 E, forcing users to reinstall their applications following its installation. As a sweetener, Microsoft offered the full version (i.e. no previous Windows licence required) of Windows 7 E at a discounted price that would normally only be used for upgrade editions. In other words, European customers could get Windows 7 E on the cheap.

The EC wasn't happy with the decision to sell an operating system without any web browser at all, though — after all, how do you download a web browser without a web browser? So, Microsoft withdrew its Windows 7 E plans last week and will now sell the same version of Windows 7 in Europe as it does worldwide. The plan, however, is to offer users a choice of web browser download as part of the installation process — though this idea is still subject to EC approval.

The good news for anyone who has already grabbed the cheap Windows 7 E pre-order is that they'll now still get a full version of Windows, rather than be downgraded to a (now-feasible) upgrade edition. According to a story by PC Pro , Microsoft has confirmed that: "Users who have pre-ordered a full license to Windows 7 will be able to receive that license".