Microsoft gives free Windows 7 to invitation-only testers

Microsoft will give free Windows 7 Ultimate  to invitation-only tester to show thanks to Windows 7 Beta Tester.  This is 180 degree turn from early statement that members of the Windows Technical Beta Program would not be receiving a complimentary copy of Windows 7.

Is this good? – IE free Windows 7

Consumers in Europe probably will see IE free Windows 7 sooner or later.  Reacting to antitrust concerns expressed by European regulators.  Microsoft plans to offer a version of Window 7 in Europe that has IE removed.  This is called Windows 7 E. Micrsoft  try to appease European Commission (EC) regulators who are mulling possible remedies in the ongoing Opera-Microsoft browser-bundling case in the European Union.

Is this good? For consumers, it is not a big deal. They will see other browsers installed when they purchase new PC with preinstalled Windows 7.  OEM manufactures won’t ship new PCs without any browser.

For browser software companies, it is a chance to get more market share. That is Opera has been struggling for.

For developers, it is hard to say at this point.  Starting from Windows 95, IE has been the “must have” browser in Windows.  So many desktop application is dependent on browser library – shDocVM.dll, which is the core component of IE browser. If this were removed in Windows 7 E, then the software dependent on WebBrowser control will not work properly. That would be a nightmare for developers.

Is Microsoft late?

There were many discussions about Microsoft ad-supported Office 14 available next year.  One point is that Microsoft is 5 years late to offer free version of products. Is that true?

I don’t see this as Microsoft arriving late. I see it more as Microsoft waiting until the right time. They will no doubt make more money selling the product, than presenting ads on it. I imagine Microsoft have been waiting for the right metrics in the market share before offering the ad supported version.

Not to go off topic, but I see this as a way of clawing back users who have moved to OpenOffice or other free office suites. Making something has to be better than making nothing.  If Microsoft can get these users back to the MS office, they will keep the leading position.

OpenOffice still can not compete with Microsoft Office from user experience and functionality perspective. They used to be an alternative if users can’t afford to or not willing to buy office products. OpenOffice has been successful because of its “free” strategy. But it will lose its advantage if free Microsoft Office available. Unless OpenOffice can make money either from ads (ad-supporte OpenOffice?) or whatever other ways to do better marketing and product improvement, I don’t know how OpenOffice can compete with Microsoft Office next year