Ask HN: Why Windows never bundle pdf reader, flash and java runtime?

2 pointsgaiusparx3 comments

Whenever I have a fresh Windows installed, the first software to installed are Acrobat Reader, Flash and Java runtime. On my Mac these software comes with the OS. Is there any history why Microsoft don't or can't bundle these software? Thanks

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I thought they did bundle Flash? In earlier years they did anyway.

Java they did include, but their own non-standard Windows tied version that broke the portability aspect. Sun sued them and won, so they stopped doing that and built C# instead.

PDF only relatively recently became an open standard and when they tried to bundle it (though with Office, not windows) Adobe pointed to their shenanigans with Java and threatened anti-trust to prevent them from doing so. I think part of the threat was that Microsoft was already pushing a PDF competitor called XPS so had something to gain by sabotaging PDFs compatability.

you might find this helpful, prepackage a bunch of standard windows programs to install all in one go.

http://ninite.com/

Thanks for this info.

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