PC makers snub Windows sans media player

Four major PC makers have no plans to sell the media-player-free version of Windows, which Microsoft was ordered to offer by Europe's competition commissioner.

Microsoft will make an updated version of Window XP N available on Wednesday, but none of the computer manufacturers that ZDNet UK spoke to are considering preinstalling it on desktops or laptops.

Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Fujitsu Siemens all said they have no firm plans to install Windows XP N, citing a lack of customer demand. A Dell representative added Tuesday that customers expect to have a media player included.

"Dell will continue to offer European customers Microsoft's Windows operating systems including the Windows Media Player utility on Dimension desktops and Inspiron notebooks," the representative said.

"Customers purchase computers expecting them to come equipped with the capability of playing back digital media files, and it's our obligation to meet this need. (Windows XP N will) not (be offered) at this time. We'll monitor the market to see if XP N is in high demand."

Lenovo, which last month completed its purchase of IBM's PC division, and HP expressed similar sentiments.

"At this time, HP has no plans to support Windows XP Professional Edition N on commercial notebooks in 2005," said an HP representative.

A Lenovo representative said: "At present we have no plans to preinstall Windows XP N on desktops and laptops. We will continue to monitor customer demand going forward."

The only company that conceded it may preinstall Windows XP N was Fujitsu Siemens, which said it would do so on request. "We will not preinstall as standard," said a Fujitsu Siemens representative. "It will only be on special requests, and we have had no such request from any of our customers to date."

Acer, another PC manufacturer, has been unable to provide a comment on this issue during the past week.

The lack of interest from computer manufacturers for Windows XP N raises questions over the effectiveness of the EU's antitrust ruling, particularly the fact that Microsoft has been allowed to offer Windows XP N for the same price as the standard version of Windows XP.

A European Commission representative was reluctant to comment on the issue. "Given that Windows XP N has not even been shipped yet, it is too early to start drawing conclusions," he said.

Microsoft said it bears no responsibility for making PC manufacturers use Windows XP N.

"Microsoft has made these products available through its standard distribution channels," a company representative said. "Whether or not customers or distributors offer this product in Europe is a decision for individual computer manufacturers, enterprise customers and retailers."

One of Microsoft's rivals in the media player market, RealNetworks, criticized Microsoft earlier this year for failing to provide a fully functional version of Windows that is unbundled from Windows Media Player.

RealNetworks declined to comment on the updated version of Windows XP N.

[SystemsJunky]

The EU is in it for the cash...Typical

Typical EU BS. There was no reason in the first place to remove WMP. If you dont like WMP, use iTunes or winamp or one of the other million media players out there..Complete idiots...Totally..Knowone is going to buy this...all that time fighting MS over this deal is just plain greed...Nothing more.

[SystemsJunky]

The EU is in it for the cash...Typical

Typical EU BS. There was no reason in the first place to remove WMP. If you dont like WMP, use iTunes or winamp or one of the other million media players out there..Complete idiots...Totally..Knowone is going to buy this...all that time fighting MS over this deal is just plain greed...Nothing more.

[bobby_brady]

Media Player is Okay, better than Real

I agree that computer makers are foolish not to include it. The EU courts are a bunch of idiots.

[bobby_brady]

Media Player is Okay, better than Real

I agree that computer makers are foolish not to include it. The EU courts are a bunch of idiots.

[Earl Benser]

It would be nice....

... to have MS provide just a high quality OS, complete and
capable of being a truly superb OS for the PC. Then MS could
provide all the independant supporting apps they liked to run
with the OS. And the user could chose now or later to install or
uninstall those apps, as the user sees fit.

And maybe MS could use the same basic approach with it's big
scale applications, too. A core Office Suite, with lots of
supporting power functions to be added or removed as the user
chooses

Then the EU would have no complaints. Security would be so
much better, and MS would have products it and the users could
really be be proud of.

That would be nice....

[Earl Benser]

It would be nice....

... to have MS provide just a high quality OS, complete and
capable of being a truly superb OS for the PC. Then MS could
provide all the independant supporting apps they liked to run
with the OS. And the user could chose now or later to install or
uninstall those apps, as the user sees fit.

And maybe MS could use the same basic approach with it's big
scale applications, too. A core Office Suite, with lots of
supporting power functions to be added or removed as the user
chooses

Then the EU would have no complaints. Security would be so
much better, and MS would have products it and the users could
really be be proud of.

That would be nice....

[randalllewis]

Windows EU Edition

This is what happens when lawyers design products. The battle over the name of this unwanted product was also silly. It should be called "Windows EU"

[randalllewis]

Windows EU Edition

This is what happens when lawyers design products. The battle over the name of this unwanted product was also silly. It should be called "Windows EU"

[wazzledoozle]

Would be more relevant if...

There was any real competition for Windows Media player.
Real is a joke, Winamp is bloated, and Itunes is extremely DMR/propriety restricted.

I rip/burn, and keep track of all my music with WMP 10. Very useful and to the point program, plus I can control my music from the start menu when minimized (big plus).

[wazzledoozle]

Would be more relevant if...

There was any real competition for Windows Media player.
Real is a joke, Winamp is bloated, and Itunes is extremely DMR/propriety restricted.

I rip/burn, and keep track of all my music with WMP 10. Very useful and to the point program, plus I can control my music from the start menu when minimized (big plus).

Well what do you know...

It turns out that MS knows more about what it's customers want than EU regulators do.

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle.

Well what do you know...

It turns out that MS knows more about what it's customers want than EU regulators do.

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle.

[technewsjunkie]

MS Secret: MOST PEOPLE USE DEFAULTS

THIS is why it's a problem.
MOST PEOPLE are NOT Techies! They do not know enough to
explore software alternatives/choices.

[technewsjunkie]

MS Secret: MOST PEOPLE USE DEFAULTS

THIS is why it's a problem.
MOST PEOPLE are NOT Techies! They do not know enough to
explore software alternatives/choices.

[Stormspace]

The Real reason

All of this was about media player companies not being able to make money on their products, not about any savings, so by restricting the OS to not have a built in media player it was the hope of the EU to make people go out and buy one (or download one...ad supported I suppose).

However there are two problems that have occurred here to completely invalidate the EU's ruling. First, WMP is still available to Windows N customers for free and second, there is no price break for buying the OS without it.

The only block competing MP companies have now is the inconvienence of downloading WMP after they've purchased the OS. Prolly as a download they'd get with the first round of security patches. So once again MS dodges the Anti-trust bullet.

[Stormspace]

The Real reason

All of this was about media player companies not being able to make money on their products, not about any savings, so by restricting the OS to not have a built in media player it was the hope of the EU to make people go out and buy one (or download one...ad supported I suppose).

However there are two problems that have occurred here to completely invalidate the EU's ruling. First, WMP is still available to Windows N customers for free and second, there is no price break for buying the OS without it.

The only block competing MP companies have now is the inconvienence of downloading WMP after they've purchased the OS. Prolly as a download they'd get with the first round of security patches. So once again MS dodges the Anti-trust bullet.

[cfj03]

Just like Nokia s60 or even s40 phones destroy Moto phones-esp the RAZR

Look the average person has not the time NOR THE DESIRE to spend hours a day looking for the coolest apps, browsers, whatever. I know that Nokia s60 phones, like the bulky 6620, KILLS any Moto phone out there. But people DON'T WANT TO SPEND TIME DOING THAT(researching a browser or phone). They just want it to work.

I think the problem is that, no offense, geeks design things and assume everyone spends time like they do. If you have kids, a wife, friends, a HOT girlfriend or a job that doesn't let you play with phones or pcs all day you don't spend enough time with phones or pcs to dedicate separate time to configing this or that.

And at the end of the day, why would anyone pay for a browser, remember when Netscape was selling their browser-I do, when MS gives it for free.

[cfj03]

Just like Nokia s60 or even s40 phones destroy Moto phones-esp the RAZR

Look the average person has not the time NOR THE DESIRE to spend hours a day looking for the coolest apps, browsers, whatever. I know that Nokia s60 phones, like the bulky 6620, KILLS any Moto phone out there. But people DON'T WANT TO SPEND TIME DOING THAT(researching a browser or phone). They just want it to work.

I think the problem is that, no offense, geeks design things and assume everyone spends time like they do. If you have kids, a wife, friends, a HOT girlfriend or a job that doesn't let you play with phones or pcs all day you don't spend enough time with phones or pcs to dedicate separate time to configing this or that.

And at the end of the day, why would anyone pay for a browser, remember when Netscape was selling their browser-I do, when MS gives it for free.

MIcrosofts brilliant plan

whats the first thing anyone who has half an idea dooes when they first connect thier new pc to the net.

Run windows update.

"Oh I dont have media player let me just click the box and download it."

Microsoft just managed to get real networks to spend $$$$$$$$ and hundreds or thousand of man hous. Which would have been better spent on product development. Then people like me would not load real player in its absolute minimum. BEcause we feel that there are other products that do a better job. The only reason I use realplayer is for the of web site I go to that streams real player. On websites like www.triplej.net.au that give me a choice I ALWAYS choose MS mediaplayer

MS is big enough that the leagal bill matters not and and they know that they can tie up the opositions time and effort in leagal action. When MS product developement team goes on merily developing the next version of its software.

What does the N stand for in Win XP N , Neutered?

MIcrosofts brilliant plan

whats the first thing anyone who has half an idea dooes when they first connect thier new pc to the net.

Run windows update.

"Oh I dont have media player let me just click the box and download it."

Microsoft just managed to get real networks to spend $$$$$$$$ and hundreds or thousand of man hous. Which would have been better spent on product development. Then people like me would not load real player in its absolute minimum. BEcause we feel that there are other products that do a better job. The only reason I use realplayer is for the of web site I go to that streams real player. On websites like www.triplej.net.au that give me a choice I ALWAYS choose MS mediaplayer

MS is big enough that the leagal bill matters not and and they know that they can tie up the opositions time and effort in leagal action. When MS product developement team goes on merily developing the next version of its software.

What does the N stand for in Win XP N , Neutered?