Microsoft to ship Internet Pack with IE8 in Europe

Earlier this month Microsoft announced European retail versions of Windows 7 will not include a web browser, and this week the company revealed it will ship a free "Internet Pack" for Windows 7. These DVDs will include the Internet Explorer 8 browser but also the Windows Live Essentials applications:

The Windows 7 Internet Pack will also include Windows Live Essentials, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft who was briefed by Microsoft on its plans. "There'll be some sort of display at retail," said Rosoff, who added that retailers would either give away the Pack or charge a nominal fee to cover the cost of the media.

Windows Live Essentials is a pseudo suite that includes the Windows Live Mail desktop e-mail client, Live Messenger, Live Movie Maker and other software from the "Live" line. Many of the programs were bundled with Vista, but Microsoft dumped them from Windows 7; instead, users must download Essentials after the fact.

Additionally, Microsoft will provide instructions on how users can download IE8 via FTP download by using the operating system's file manager.

Source: