Repeating the company's argument for bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, a Microsoft representative said Media Player 8 includes new features that require close integration with Windows XP for optimal performance. "It's bad PR, so why the hell are they hitting themselves in the foot again?" "No matter what the courts say (about the legality of bundling), Microsoft will look like a bully and get called a bully," said Frank Gillett, senior analyst with Forrester research. Some analysts were critical of the move, considering the legal and public relations troubles that were caused by tying Internet Explorer to the OS. The older version of Media Player, version 7.0, will continue to be available as a free, separate download.
However, with Windows Media Player 8, Microsoft is going one step further than it did with Internet Explorer: the newest version of the application will only be available to consumers who upgrade to Windows XP. A similar "tying" of Internet Explorer with the OS in 1996 is credited with helping Microsoft win the browser war against Netscape's Navigator and has been a key issue in the antitrust case that is awaiting a decision by a federal Court of Appeals. Windows Media Player 8 will be bundled with the forthcoming Windows XP-the upgrade to Windows 95, 98, Me and 2000. Microsoft is requiring consumers who want to use the latest version of Windows Media Player to upgrade to the new Windows XP operating system-a move that is reminiscent of the company's controversial decision to tie the Internet Explorer browser with Windows.
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