Slashdot Mirror
EU Accepts Microsoft's Browser Choice Promise
itwbennett writes "Hurrah! The European Commission's antitrust investigation of Microsoft's position in the browser market is over. The EC has accepted Microsoft's commitment to offer users of 'Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 a choice screen through which they can pick the browsers they want to install on their PC,' writes Peter Sayer in an article on ITworld. 'The screen will be offered to users in the European Union and some neighboring countries for the next five years via the Windows Update mechanism. In addition, PC manufacturers will be allowed to ship computers with competing Web browsers, as well as or instead of Internet Explorer.'"
I think that was the point he was trying to make, in an effort to downplay this whole affair. Nothing really changed, in other words.
Additionally, I find it amusing that it's now perfectly fine for computer manufacturers to "ship computers with competing Web browsers, as well as or instead of Internet Explorer," but not for Microsoft to bundle their own browser into software they created.
Really? So you can buy Apple computers with Linux on them or just windows 7?
Apple controls the entire Apple computer market and ship their computers with Safari, Searchlight, Mail, ichat, and itunes. Microsoft can barely get away with including Media player at this point. They had to remove their email and IM programs, and now they have to offer you which browser you want?
Gee... It sounds like I would just buy a mac if i wanted a complete OS with tools out of the box... It sure would be nice if MS provided that... oh they cant by law.
So Legally MS is gimped, and Apple walks away free? How is that fair? Oh right because we hate Microsoft.
And don't forget that Microsoft Update only works with IE, so you have to use it then too... Unless they make changes for it to work with the others.
I think this attitude is exactly the issue. Laws about bundling and compatibility should be uniform; in no case should rules be written that target only one company.
Plus MS is not forcing OEMs or Corporations to create images without Firefox or whatever your browser of choice is, so anyone who wanted to could already have Firefox as the default browser.
If we are talking about the handful or people or small shops that buy a windows CD and install it themselves without a knowledgeable IT person (who could download another browser and install it in about 30 seconds), then yes, they will probably keep IE out of ignorance.
Who cares.
Yep. I've never had a choice but to use IE on my windows machines. Nope, never. That firefox installer I have on a usb key, with the '.exe'? Yeah, that certainly couldn't be for windows...
Preventing MS from telling OEMs that they can't install other browsers is reasonable - MS shouldn't be able to tell them that, but to make it so that MS has put the effort to, what amounts to, advertise for their competators... Why not make Apple do that on their machines? Why not make dell offer the option of non-dell motherboards? Why not make home builders offer the services of alternative plumbing and electrical installation companies, rather than just use their own?
One step in the right direction, but the second took them too far.
Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
After you make your selection, IE 8 gets installed along with a skin to make it appear to be Chrome/Safari/Firefox/etc...
Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!