Years ago, when Microsoft started adding Internet functionality to Windows, it all made sense. First came the TCP/IP network protocols that formed the underpinnings of the modern Internet. Then came Microsoft's own web browser, Internet Explorer (IE), inspired by the success of Netscape and using code from Netscape's own Mosaic-based foundation. Over time, other Internet-based features and technologies appeared at a rapid rate, including email and newsgroup solutions, instant messaging, and more. Other OS makers, including Apple and the Linux community, began adding Internet features to their own products, aping Microsoft's design.

And then it all came to a crashing halt. Well, at least for Microsoft it did. Alternatively graced and damned by Windows' dominant market share, Microsoft came under antitrust fire from a various governments, most famously in the US and Europe. Over time, the company removed a number of Internet-oriented features from Windows, and, with Windows 7, for the first time, it's even giving consumers the option of removing its flagship IE browser.