MIG-31

REDMOND, Wash. — June 8, 2005 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the timetable for availability of Windows® XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N, the two versions of the Windows operating system created as part of the company’s compliance with the European Commission’s decision of March 2004.

Originally released to computer makers in January 2005, the latest versions of the XP operating systems without Windows Media Player follow further clarifications from the European Commission. These products will be made available to computer manufacturers on June 15 in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, and will be available to other distribution channels, including the retail and volume licensing channels, on July 1.

The remaining language versions — Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese and Swedish — will be available to computer makers on July 1 and to other distribution channels on July 15.

As is the case with existing versions of Windows, computer makers and end users can install other media players with the software.

Microsoft provided CDs with both products to the European Commission early last week.
_______________
Source: Microsoft Press Release

__________________

ChrisW

Just where are these people demanding a version of Windows without the free Windows Media Player? How does this free media player keep people from downloading and installing other free players? And why was it worth speding a fortune litigating this? What's next...removing the free zip file extractor from XP?

caqde

I goes under the idea. Why should I have it if I don't need it. Imagine buying a car where you could not remove the speakers or indash player and to put the one you want in there you had to install it below. Wouldn't this be rediculous. Well that is Microsoft windows for you. I remember when I installed Windows 3.1 I was given the option of what I did and didn't want installed during the installation. There was 100's of options not 0 like today. Heck the add/remove components section was much bigger on that version of windows than this one.

Well along with what I mentioned above. Some people believe in freedom including me. I don't want IE or WMP or MovieMaker or tetris or all this other useless junk. I don't need it why should it be taking up space on my system. (I know it's only a couple of megs but I want those megs.)

I would also remove that zip extractor I don't like it.

__________________
AMD Phenom II X4 925 AM3/ Giga-byte MA790XT-UD4P
XFX HD5770 1GB / 2x2GB of GSKILL DDR3 10666 8-8-8-23
Samsung SH-S182D DVD-RW drive / Samsung SH-S222A DVD-RW drive
Western Digital 7500AACS(Primary)/Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 320gb(Secondary)/Western Digital 3200KS 16MB 7200rpm SATAII HD(Secondary)
Fortron AX500-A PSU / CoolerMaster CMStacker
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum EX / Creative Inspire 6600 6.1 speakers
Samsuugn T200HD 20" LCD Monitor / Logitech Internet 350 Black Keyboard
Logitech MX510 Mouse