Folks seem surprised that Microsoft is admitting that it has no plans to continue to do separate versions of Internet Explorer post IE 6, service pack 1.

I'd actually be more surprised if Microsoft were going to perpetuate IE as a standalone browser.

Check Out the Slashdot Discussion on the Death of Standalone IE

Microsoft spent a lot of time and energy during the Department of Justice antitrust case to "prove" that Internet Explorer and Windows are inextricably joined. In the end, the feds went along with Microsoft's argument. So, how would it look if Microsoft continued to market IE as a standalone product, after it claimed it was not?

Last fall, Microsoft has spelled out (not so plainly) its plans to phase out support for IE on its Windows Lifecycle site.

Try Deciphering Microsoft's IE Phase-Out Plan Here

Despite these facts, it is Microsoft Program Manager for IE, Brian Countryman, who being fingered as the bearer of the bad IE news. In a May 7 Microsoft TechNet chat, Countryman restated what he seemed to think was the obvious: "As part of the OS, IE will continue to evolve, but there will be no future standalone installations. IE6 SP1 is the final standalone installation."

Read the Infamous TechNet Chat With Countryman For Yourself

But Countryman also added this little factoid: "Legacy OSes have reached their zenith with the addition of IE 6 SP1. "Further improvements to IE will require enhancements to the underlying OS."

To me, this quote is what's really interesting. I'd predict that IE is just one of the technologies about which Microsoft will make this claim.

I can see it now: Want further improvements to Windows Media Series? No problem — just move up to Longhorn. Microsoft Reader? It is so tightly entwined with Longhorn that you need to buy a new operating system to get any new functionality. Ditto with Windows Messenger.

On top of this, think about the whole raft of new features that are rumored to be part of Longhorn when it hits in 2005.

There's the digital-photo software, a la Picassa, which Microsoft is expected to build into Longhorn. Don't expect to be able to buy it without upgrading. The next-gen Natural User Interface (NUI) search technology that Microsoft is working to embed in Longhorn to help the company "out-google Google." I don't expect to see NUI anywhere other than embedded deep inside Windows (as well as in Office, SQL Server and a few other Microsoft products) in the future.

What's your take? Is IE just the first of a growing number of Microsoft technologies Microsoft will cease offering as non-embedded, standalone releases? And how will this impact your buying decisions, going forward? Write me at mswatch@ziffdavis.com and let me know what you think.