WebBrowser instance in Windows 7?

[Tom Whittaker]

I want to embed a web browser within a Windows application form, but
I'm concerned that there may not be a browser associated with a
WebBrowser instance when Windows 7 launches: when IE is no longer
bundled with Windows.

Does anyone know what is going to happen?

Will Microsoft continue to ship a browser component that can be used
with the WebBrowser class?

Or, are we going to have to start treating a browser as an installer
prerequisite: meaning, install one if one is not already installed.

 

[Peter Duniho]

I want to embed a web browser within a Windows application form, but
I'm concerned that there may not be a browser associated with a
WebBrowser instance when Windows 7 launches: when IE is no longer
bundled with Windows.

Does anyone know what is going to happen?

I don't think anyone even knows for sure if there will be versions of
Windows 7 that literally have no Internet Explorer in them. In June, they
said the Europe versions of the OS wouldn't have IE (e.g.
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/ne...-shipped-in-europe-sans-internet-explorer.ars).
But then at the end of July, they said it would (e.g.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10301299-56.html).

But whatever happens, surely the underlying browser DLL will still be
there. Windows 7 includes .NET 3.5, and .NET 3.5 must include the
WebBrowser control. I think you can safely depend on the usual
prerequisites for your .NET programs being sufficient.

Pete