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EU Accepts Microsoft's Browser Choice Promise

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the so-that's-it-then dept.

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.'"

2 of 336 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Will this "FAIR" decision will include Apple? by Jackie_Chan_Fan · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    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.

  2. Re:Hurray! by ByOhTek · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    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).