Re: More fun: VB install forces IE install

[Steve Cohen <stevecoh@mcs.com>]

Brett Glass wrote:

> Yet more fun while installing VB. During the installation, any user who
> does not have Internet Explorer installed is presented with a dialogue box
> which says:
>
> "The Installation Wizard has detected an out of date version of Internet
> Explorer. Visual Studio comes with the latest version of Internet Explorer
> 4.01. This updated version of Internet Explorer 4.01 is an essential
> component of Visual Basic 6.0 Professional Edition and installation is
> required."
>
> The "Next" button refuses to work unless you agree to install Internet
> Explorer.
>
> What's especially ironic, however, is that the message claims that IE 4.01
> is a component of VB. Microsoft has been claiming, in court, that it's a
> part of Windows. Well, Mr. Bill.... Which is it? Perhaps this question
> should be posed by the DoJ in the pending court case.
>
> --Brett Glass

Same thing is true of VC++.  Reason is because all the online help
documentation is written in HTML.  Many developers will tell you that the
WinHelp system in VC++ 4.x was a lot cleaner and more efficient than the HTML
monstrosity they introduced in 5.0.  This probably indicates only that what
they released in 5.0 simply wasn't ready for prime time; in principle
HTML documentation seems like an excellent idea.  Witness Sun's.  However, as
usual, open standards aren't "good enough" for Microsoft..  It has to be
THEIR HTML, which only works right under THEIR browser, oops, OS.  Gotta
eradicate that "cross-platform disease".

I haven't tried 6.0 yet; I would hope they'd have fixed some of the bugs.

I think they can get away with bundling IE with VB or VC without violating
their claims that IE is part of OS.  Doesn't Microsoft claim only that IE is
integral with Win98, not Win95?  Since VB is supported under Win95, they'd
say they have to include IE for those users.