Thread: XP sp3

les88, don't blame Microsoft for this one. Blame the EU and other anti-Microsoft complainants. My understanding is that the feature was removed to comply with a legal agreement.

Basically, Microsoft had the option of removing the feature, or providing and documenting linkages so that alternative browsers could have the same amount of integration with the O/S.

Microsoft chose to remove the feature.

Having the address bar in the taskbar was seen by the EU as anticompetitive (ie it meant that you must have Internet Explorer installed as IE becomes a core component of the operating system.). It was also seen as anticompetitive in United States v. Microsoft, 87 F. Supp. 2d 30 (D.D.C. 2000).

The issue central to the case was whether Microsoft was allowed bundle Internet Explorer with the Windows operating system.

Bundling was responsible for Microsoft's victory in the browser wars as every Windows user had a copy of Internet Explorer. This unfairly restricted the market for competing web browsers (such as Netscape Navigator or Opera).

Underlying these disputes were questions over whether Microsoft altered or manipulated its application programming interfaces (APIs) to favour Internet Explorer over third party web browsers, Microsoft's conduct in forming restrictive licensing agreements with OEM computer manufacturers, and Microsoft's intent in its course of conduct.

The EU case started in 1993. Citing ongoing abuse of dominant market position by Microsoft, the EU reached a preliminary decision in the case in 2003. In March 2004, the EU ordered Microsoft to pay €497 million.

In February 2008 , the EU fined Microsoft an additional €899 million for failure to comply with the March 2004 antitrust decision.