First published tonight on Windows7News.com – Paul Thurrott, who’s kindly let me use some screenshots, let’s face it he’s really a nice guy who doesn’t start arguments by using the A word any more than I do     has today published the first screenshots of Windows 7 E edition for Europe.  You can read it here, just come back and carry on reading this site afterwards.

Now, first things first.  FINALLY people who live in the UK don’t have to stare at a screen that claims the first language of people in the USA is English when they install windows any more    That’s gotta be a plus.

But, and this is where it gets serious.  With the current build, and let’s not forget this thing doesn’t go to RTM for another couple of weeks, but it IS just a couple of weeks which isn’t very long, there’s no way to download a browser at all.

When you install a fresh copy of Windows 7 the action centre, spelt with the “r” before the “e”    will give you several options for downloading anti-virus software.  But this is NOT available for browsers in the current builds.

I would imagine, nay hope, that Microsoft are just talking to Google, Opera and Mozilla about permalinks for their browsers so they can do this.  If they don’t however there’s not only no way to download a browser, but also no way to download anti-virus software.

This needs to be fixed straight away, otherwise retail consumers, and many buying PCs with Windows 7 pre-bundled, will face a disastrous situation.  And how many of them will know how to get the browser and anti-virus software at all?

So Microsoft need to come out right now and reassure European consumers that the action centre will indeed provide the links they need, and that this option will also be added to the welcome centre.  If not, any money we save with the new E edition pricing might as well be put towards a Mac.