Microsoft has issued an updated Internet Explorer (IE) 7 release that no longer requires Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation in order to download. They removed the controversial Windows Genuine Advantage validation requirement in the Internet Explorer 7 installation process, thus opening the experience to users of all versions of Windows, including pirated ones.When it instituted the requirement in 2006, Microsoft said rights to IE7 was one of the rewards for being legal. It changed its mind Thursday, saying the move is in users' best interest.A number of security updates and improvements over its predecessor also are included in the IE 7 update, among which are an integrated phishing filter, visible menu bar by default, tabs and improved handling for AJAX.The updated IE7 will be available on the Windows Download Center in eight initial languages. Additional languages will be added as they become available.Users running systems in English, German, Japanese, French, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese will be able to download the new Internet Explorer 7 at the time of this announcement. Versions for Finnish, Arabic, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Turkish, Czech, Hungarian, Greek, Hebrew are planned for late October or early November release.
