PC makers that ship Windows XP with icons on the desktop will have to include at least three Microsoft-mandated icons: MSN, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player.

Initially included with Windows XP, after Version 7 of the software, it became a paid product if used without an MSN Internet access subscription. See MSN.

While the software leviathan's Internet Explorer easily reaches MSN, other browsers--such as Opera, Mozilla and some versions of Netscape--run into trouble.

Users can protect themselves by disabling active scripting in Internet Explorer or by not using MSN Messenger, which is software offered free by Microsoft and is a standard part of Windows XP.