Microsoft has updated the IE7 installer, removing the need for Windows Genuine Advantage validation. The move is designed to make IE7 “available as broadly as possible to all Windows users,” according to a Microsoft blog entry.
It is possible that the WGA validation was prompting users to choose an alternative browser. By removing this hurdle Microsoft may be attempting to improve its market share, which has been eroded considerably over the past couple of years.
IE’s chief-rival, Firefox, last month reached 400 million downloads.
The move also means that those users who have a pirated copy of Windows will be able to install IE7 without a problem. The company seem to believe that capturing market share, even amongst illegal users, is now a higher priority.
The XP version of IE7 also has an updated MSI installer to make large-scale deployment easier, and an updated online tour.
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