Microsoft's IE7 Search Box Bugs Google

tessaiga writes "The New York Times reports that Google is crying foul over a new IE7 search box feature that defaults to MSN Search. Although the feature can be modified to use Google or other search engines, Google asserts that "The best way to handle the search box [...] would be to give users a choice when they first start up Internet Explorer 7." Google goes on to assert that the move "limits consumer choice and is reminiscent of the tactics that got Microsoft into antitrust trouble in the late 1990s". I notice that in my version of Firefox the search box defaults to Google, and that the pulldown menu of pre-entered options doesn't even include MSN Search, but Google seems to have been oddly quiet on that front for the many years prior to IE7 that Firefox has made this feature available."

Comments

They don't complain about FF

[plague3106]

Which defaults to Google, without presenting a choice.

A choice, yeah...

[endrue]

"The best way to handle the search box [...] would be to give users a choice when they first start up Internet Explorer 7"

Just like Firefox, huh? FX defaults the home page and the search box to Google but you didn't hear Google saying that users should have a choice then.

- Andrew

What about Firefox?

[rainman_bc]

Shouldn't microsoft cry foul over Firefox defaulting to Google then?

Turnaround is fair play IMO.

Where was google crying for fairness when their special agreement with Firefox to make google search the default home page and the default search engine?

Re:Care to support that accusation?

[byolinux]

Um, care to back that up?

Um, yeah.. what they said :)