What's not in Windows 7? Windows Movie Maker, Windows Mail, etc

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

What's not in Windows 7? Windows Movie Maker, Windows Mail, etc

by Brad Linder Nov 3rd 2008

There's been a lot of talk over the last few days about new features that will be included in Windows 7. There will be a new taskbar, improved window behavior, and less annoying User Account Control prompts. But there are a few things that won't be included in Windows 7 that had been part of past versions of the operating system.

Microsoft will stop bundling Windows Movie Maker, Windows Mail, and Windows Photo Gallery with the operating system. Those applications will still be available as free downloads, but you won't have them out of the box. Instead they'll be part of the new Windows Live suite of desktop applications which we first looked at in October.

To be honest, it would probably make more sense to keep bundling these applications with Windows. After all, when you install OS X, or most Linux distributions you get a mail application and some sort of photo management software. But Apple and Linux distributors haven't faced the same kind of anti-trust pressures that Microsoft has in the past. While Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player will still be bundled with Windows 7, it's likely that the company is avoiding a whole batch of lawsuits by offering free downloads of other software.

via ZDNet

Tags: windows-7, windows-live, windows-live-mail, windows-movie-maker, wndows-photo-gallery

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Jason said 11:21AM on 11-03-2008

Plus this allows them to update those programs more frequently as well... It would be nice to get new features in those apps without Windows being updated to SP1 or SP2, etc... with them as Live apps they can be updated whenever they want. GOOD MOVE ALL AROUND

macgeekjew said 1:49PM on 11-03-2008

why would they need to update the entire os just to update the one app? apple doesn't require a full update of os x just to update mail or iphoto, and they're still bundled.

xxdesmus said 11:33AM on 11-03-2008

Microsoft is in a lose-lose situation. If they include the apps like they want to they will get crap for including free competing software. If they don't include these apps they will get crap because Apple does. So I guess the question could be what makes Apple so special? Why don't they have the same problem? Market share is not a good enough excuse for why Apple has to play by different rules.

Rajesh said 11:55AM on 11-03-2008

But Brad it will be better if they include only the essential components. otherwise they are unnecessary installs for people who do not want it or who have something better than those.

mko said 11:59AM on 11-03-2008

Seriously EU made Microsoft to release a verison of XP without WMP.
Everybody criticizes IE for being bundled with Windows.
Is there a Mac OS X version without iTunes.
Is pushing Safari on Mac is less monopolystic (is that a word :p )

Rajesh said 12:05PM on 11-03-2008

simple...Apple still doesn't have the market share in EU to to attract their criticism...

Karen said 12:16PM on 11-03-2008

You don't get it brad, the point of unbundling the apps is because they are no longer tied to the operating system so they steadily can be improved & updated over time.

With those apps bundled into Windows they can only be updated by a service pack release and not only that it is confusing to users to have duplicate applications like Windows Gallery and Windows Live Gallery or the messenger that was built into XP but was replaced by Live Messenger.

Unbundling clears the whole mess up and makes a path for Microsoft to you know actually improve those applications which is what users want.

Brad Linder said 12:21PM on 11-03-2008

There's nothing preventing Microsoft from updating an application just because it ships with the OS. After all, Microsoft has regularly pushed out updates for Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player without waiting to release a Service Pack or new operating system. And Ubuntu Linux ships with Evolution for email management and Firefox as a web browser. But when new versions of those applications are released, you can download updates from the Ubuntu repositories.

The reason anti-trust regulators have gone after Microsoft is because the company holds the dominant market share and when Microsoft bundles an application with the operating system it can be seen as anti-competitive behavior because most less tech-savvy users won't go out and replace those apps. You could certainly make a case that unbundling these apps provides a lighter version of the OS which can be installed more quickly and which won't include features that many people don't need. But Microsoft will continue to ship Windows Media Center with Windows 7, and that's certainly a feature that many people don't use.

Travisvn1 said 12:21PM on 11-03-2008

Every one complained that MS includes IE in their OS. How would you download another browser if IE wasnt installed to get you to the other browsers website? It's not like you can run over to best buy and get a free firefox cd

Koolio said 12:48PM on 11-03-2008

Use hyper terminal or BBS over 14.4kbps modem like 15 years ago.

Hussain Andaryas said 6:04PM on 1-12-2009

"Say less and say it right!!!" and you DID IT!
You are so right! I totally agree with you. I have hardly commented on online forums or boards but could not resist to thank you for your wonderful comment? I am using almost all of the browsers but honestly, I still rely on IE. Just see how those other browsers will handle things as simple as NetFlix, Adobe Flash etc.

Rajesh said 12:29PM on 11-03-2008

OMG...I have never heard of this argument before...lol

DanGarion said 1:19PM on 11-03-2008

I think another reason to unbundle Windows Mail, is because of the proliferation of Webmail. In my work, most people utilize webmail nowadays because of the advances that most systems have taken in the last couple years (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.). I think this was just the next step.

whiskey said 1:19PM on 11-03-2008

At last... I knew they would make this move and I think is for the good.

Why? Let's just remember Windows Vista mail program... Oh, no, it was great... It's what Outlook needs to become if you ask me. But, why keep it on Vista if there's a better one from Microsoft on the net? Windows Live Mail is better than plain old Windows Vista Live Mail simply because it would let you get your Hotmail. Ok, many power users might not find this attractive simply because they like Yahoo or Gmail offerings better, but there are a lot of users that are content with Hotmail.

It was a Windows flaw that seems to be very well on it's way to get fixed.

quanta said 2:12PM on 11-03-2008

They don't want to be caught with a bunch of people using ancient versions of Windows Messenger and Outlook Express, and all the security headaches that entails.

I wouldn't be too surprised if MS compensates by making Windows Live Installer a tighter part of "Welcome to Windows" and Microsoft Update, if not the actual Windows 7 installer itself.

Christian said 3:19PM on 11-03-2008

I think this is a smart move so that installing the OS would be faster. What confused me is that, in vista, they came with this bundle but yet they have a Live version available for download, I prefer the live version but now ending up having two programs of each in my system.

Vista's Windows Mail was so plain and the new Windows Live Mail has so much more functionality.

RG said 3:20PM on 11-03-2008

Just because Apple is not as big as MS doesn't make it any better or less evil. The argument for un-bundling for antitrust reasons applies only to Firefox's (opensource, freeware, etc) of the world but Apple benefits too. The same rules should apply to Apple, and just for good measure I will add ..... IE>>>>Safari

Mysterius said 4:29PM on 11-03-2008

Microsoft should make sure that the option to install Live apps is a prominent feature of Windows 7, else many users may be confused as to why their pictures can't be opened, email can't be received, etc.

I fully support alternatives to these apps (Picasa, webmail/Thunderbird, *please somebody come up with a good movie tool*), but I definitely think ordinary users should have an easy way to get such tools if they need them. Therefore, I hope Microsoft makes it easy for users to find these Live apps when they need them.
I fear that otherwise non-savvy reviewers may wonder why Microsoft's great new OS "Windows 7" can't even open their image files...

Matias Korhonen said 5:10PM on 11-03-2008

Never mind if they're bundled or not, at least make it possible to remove all the crappy little MS applications if I want to. Or have an alternative install procedure where you get more fine grained control over what gets installed.

Bolivar Baez said 5:11PM on 11-03-2008

So i wouldn't be able to watch pictures right out of the box?

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