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EU Wants Multiple Browser Bundling On New PCs

Posted by timothy on from the pushy-paternalism dept.

An anonymous reader writes with a link to Ars Technica's report that "the EU is considering forcing Windows users to choose a browser to download and install before they can first browse the Internet, according to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required). While the latest Windows 7 builds let you uninstall IE8, 'third-party browser makers like Opera, Mozilla and Google are pushing for tough sanctions against Microsoft. The EU would rather have a "ballot screen" for users to choose which browsers to download and install as well as which one to set as default. The bundling requirement might end up becoming a responsibility for manufacturers.'"

6 of 464 comments (clear)

  1. Bah Humbug by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wont anybody think of the users. I dont want to have to make choices thats why I use Windows in the first place.

  2. Re:This could get (even more) stupid by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

    Except that, really, the Emacs option should be in the "Which Operating System Do You Want?" selection.

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    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  3. Be careful what you wish for by plusser · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wonder whether as a result of this policy that IE6 becomes one of the many different browser options, just to keep happy those businesses with legacy code that wont work on anything else!

    Now that really would cause Microsoft a headache - competing with its own lack of standards...

    Not that many web designers will be happy with this though!

  4. Re:That's not a fucking monopoly. by Jurily · · Score: 4, Funny

    You can't force them to support other browsers, hell, they could only support internet explorer if they wanted to.

    Your choices:

    Internet Explorer 8 (Recommended)
    AOL Explorer
    Lynx

  5. Re:The EU is still beating this dead horse? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know what would really be a monopolistic practice? If they made the hardware and then forced you to use their operating system on their hardware. Thank god that doesn't happen.

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    You are welcome on my lawn.
  6. What's next... by HigH5 · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...forcing Linux distros bundling Internet Explorer?

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    Ceterum censeo Microsoft esse delendam.