Many already suspected it (after all, nothing has changed in this "browser" since version 5.0 and only very few things since version 4.0), but now it's official: Now that Microsoft controls most of the browser market, they abandoned their product. Future versions (which will most likely be exactly the same as the "current" one again, just like you're used to from Microsoft) will only be available with a new OS, you won't be able to download the browser individually. Since the vast majority of all computer users never upgrade the default browser which came with their operating system anyway, I'm positive this decision won't have any negative (or positive, depending on your point of view) influence on the browser's market share.

It will have a positive impact on the new version of Windows market share, though. Here is how it works: Microsoft introduces a new tags or web applications that would be properly rendered only in a new version of MSIE. They convince a few major sites to use the tags and applications. Instead of upgrading the browser, people would have to upgrade their OS.

There are some real-world examples already. For example, the Expedia Web site does not work in my Opera. If there weren't other possibilities, such as Orbitz and Travelocity, I would be forced to use MSIE to get my travel tickets.

That's actually very likely. With certain aspects of "Longhorn" not being too popular, it could even be a countermeasure