If you wanted to download the latest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer you had to jump a few hoops to prove to the Redmond Behemoth that you weren't a lying, cheating pirate. Not any more, the company has removed the Windows Genuine Advantage validation in a bid to increase the number of users of the browser.

Up until now, if you wanted to download the browser you had to go through the "Windows Genuine Advantage" validation to determine whether or not you had a legit copy of Windows XP. But now these restrictions have been removed, making IE7 available to everyone, even those that didn't bother purchasing Windows XP (shame on you!)

Steve Reynolds, Microsoft's IE program manager, said in a blog post that the move was to help the "IE7 installation experience and to make the browser more broadly available".  

"With today's 'Installation and Availability Update,' Internet Explorer 7 installation will no longer require Windows Genuine Advantage validation and will be available to all Windows XP users," he said. 

Internet Explorer 7 was released nearly a year ago, around the same time as Firefox 2, but has not quite had the same success as IE6 did when it was release sometime around the Jurassic period. Of course, Microsoft said that the move will help protect users from threats on the internet and is nothing to do whatsoever with the browser not getting enough market share for Microsoft's liking.

The company has made a few tweaks to IE7 for Windows XP users as well. The menu bar is now enabled by default and as well as this the "first run" experience and product tour have been expanded - if that's your thing. More here.