Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Microsoft, Internet, Explorer, Bully | Themes: The Internet, Software, Laptops and Notebooks, Desktop Computers
The European Commission is requiring Microsoft to offer competitors' browsers to avoid breaching EU competition rules. Eat that you big bully!
So what's the big deal? Why are organizations bullying Microsoft over incorporating Internet Explorer into the Windows operating system? After all, aren't the two natively linked? To answer that, one must go back to the days when the Internet boomed, weaving its web from household to household in the mid-90's, to a time when Netscape and America Online were key components in the new frontier. Now envision all the consumers picking up a brand new computer, complete with a fresh install of Windows 98 and Microsoft's Internet Explorer built right in. How convenient! There's a browser right there on the desktop! Why would anyone want to download another browsing program when there's one right there on the desktop looking shiny and pretty with its big "E" icon.
Now fast-forward a whole decade, and that mode of thinking encompasses most of the population. As of January 2009, Internet Explorer took up 67.55 percent of the browser market (despite anything else I've said in previous articles), with Mozilla's Firefox wandering in at a 21.53 percent share. With Internet Explorer already accessible in Windows, how is that fair to Mozilla? To Apple and Opera? Organizations such as the U.S. Government and European Commission want to put an end to Microsoft's apparent monopoly by enforcing rules that will enable third parties to offer products.
Last month, the EU sent a statement of objections over to Microsoft in regards to bundling Internet Explorer with Windows, its second round with the IT company after forcing Microsoft to pay large fees for bundling Media Player with the operating system. In addition, Microsoft now offers a version of windows without the aforementioned Media Player, and it's highly likely that the company will have to do the same in regards to Internet Explorer... or at least provide means for end-users to try 3rd party browsers via a possible "ballot screen."
"If the Commission's preliminary conclusions as outlined in the recent statement of objections were confirmed, the Commission would intend to impose remedies that enabled users and manufacturers to make an unbiased choice between Internet Explorer and competing third party web browsers," Jonathan Todd, spokesperson for EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, told EurActiv.
The problem with enforcing this kind of rule is that there could be many different browsers in the years to come. At the moment, there are only a select additional few: Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Opera. Who's going to determine what browsers are eligible? How will this be carried out five years from now when there could be ten to fifteen options? It may very well be left up to computer manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Toshiba, or Sony.
Apparently, Microsoft has until mid-March to legally respond to the commission, and may even ask for a hearing, according to EurActiv. "We are committed to conducting our business in full compliance with European law. We are studying the statement of objections," Microsoft said.
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this sounds dumb.
does eu force auto manufacturuer to install / offer tires, radios, ect in their cars from their competitors?
microsoft, apple, linux dist, ect should be able to create the products that they would like and the market should determine who wins,
if a user wants to install mozilla, opera, ect they can, it's easy. people go and install 3rd party software on their machines.
the eu treat people like morons, who can't install what they want on their machines, it's like people are running vanilla windows.
people use ie because it works, if mozilla worked better they would use it, and they do for all the cool addons, more people don't use it because they are happy enough with ie. and google browser just plain sucks, not ready for prime time.
Maybe next the EU will decide that Windows, plural, is a monopoly, i.e., only one Window is acceptable, and make MS offer options for second or more Windows to be open, written by other parties.
OS X has a browser built in............ what about them?
OS X has a browser built in............ what about them?
they won't not linux, not osx, it's only for microsoft. eu doesn't like microsoft, extortion...
The EU sucks. They thing the people are so sstupid that they dont know how to install a decent program like firefox or netscape.
i agree with pocketdrummer, what about the other OS's that have Browsers built in? I think Macs should have to give the users an option to have IE right off the get go if windows will have to do the same.
Microsoft built Windows…. Microsoft includes Internet Explorer as a web browser. I do not see any reason why Microsoft should have to allow a Third party browser into its OS… people can freely download these, they are not restricted.
I don’t see Dell selling their machines with parts from HP… why not?
Windows is Microsoft’s product; they should have the right to choose what they develop! ****Im not a windows fanboy, this is just not right in my opinion, regardless of what companies are involved.
BTW… how come I can’t buy presidents choice @ Safeway?
What about Minesweeper? They only have one version of it, but there are many others online. They should be forced to offer the user the option of which version.
I actually agree with the EU on this one, but the problem is that all other competing browsers are free and available at a simply download. If there was a market for browsers, then this move would make sense: but there isn't. No one is getting rich off a browser.
Maybe MS would be required to host the option of which browser you want: IE, Mozilla, Chrome, Opera, or Safari during the initial setup phase. Then it'd have to carry the browser on the windows disc though, which means royalties to those companies. Its forcing MS to carry competitor products.
Completely retarded.
What a load of crap.
Completely retarded. What a load of crap.
what is? the comments or the eu?
I actually agree with the EU on this one, but the problem is that all other competing browsers are free and available at a simply download. If there was a market for browsers, then this move would make sense: but there isn't. No one is getting rich off a browser.Maybe MS would be required to host the option of which browser you want: IE, Mozilla, Chrome, Opera, or Safari during the initial setup phase. Then it'd have to carry the browser on the windows disc though, which means royalties to those companies. Its forcing MS to carry competitor products.
why increase cost of windows or reduce microsoft profits to give to 3rd parties that can't create product with enough features to cause people to buy them. sounds like socialism to me. red commie bastards.
Argh, what is going on in the European union. It seems all they have time to do is bully Microsoft. Leopard bundles Safari, why is just because they aren't as successful that they get special privileges? People can learn to install Chrome and Firefox; I'd almost understand it if the EU was forcing Microsoft to make its customers aware of these alternatives, but this is truly ludicrous. People keep saying America is becoming more socialist; heres your proof. i don't like to use IE, I'm a Firefox/Chrome man, but this is completely uncalled for. The browser and Windows media player? MEDIA PLAYER? iTunes is far more popular than Media Player, so why isn't Apple charged for it? It sounds as if something is seriously wrong in the EU.
Wait, wait, wait. So if Microsoft bundles a browser with its OS but allows the user to easily install a different one if they want, then that's a monopoly.
But Apple can tell me what apps I can install on my iPhone and then tell me what network to use, and that's not a monopoly? Wha?
I hate what MS has become in recent years (read Vista), but I am with them now. I think MS should offer a bare priced bare Windows for Europe, with no minesweeper installed at all, not even notepad. And I'd love to see europeans scratching their heads trying to figure out how to download the competition's minesweeper with no minesweeper installed in the first place. Or they could go for the normal priced normal windows all the rest of the world uses.
I don't get it. It's as if the EU CC doesn't realize that companies gave up on trying to sell browsers back in the 90's.
Microsoft killed that market by including a free browser pre-installed in Windows, but the damage is done now. With IE and Firefox both free, who cares which browser people choose?
I don't see why Microsoft should not be allowed to bundle IE with Windows. I feel for Microsoft here. If i were on their position, i'd be pissed. They are the one who make Windows and they can put anything they want in there. EU has no right telling them what to do for some lousy reason like 'browser monopoly' or anything like that.
The user can install 3rd party browser very easily. Download, run the installer, and that pretty much it. If Microsoft deliberately make life difficult for other browsers (such as not allowing any browser other than IE to be installed in Windows), the EU may have a legitimate beef. But since they don't, well, the EU is better off taking care of more pressing matters than telling Microsoft what to do with it's operating system.
ALL I want to know is can you unistall it. Last thing I would EVER want is googles browser on my pc and I cant ditch it. As for this ITS ALL M$ fault. Get real. If there was a better browser then more people would use it. Fan boys aside Ive used many and most suck.
So, as far as I know, competing browsers are...free. So by not including them in Windows, what exactly is Microsoft preventing them from having, a bigger market share % to show off? Also pretty sure that if people actually want opera, firefox, etc, they have the skills to type said address into IE and download it for themselves. Microsoft does nothing to hinder their installation, wtf is the point of this EU?
I'm with jsloan, communist sons of bitches... People wonder why the world is goin to hell? It's because the powers that are waste their time worrying about stupid shit like what mother f***** internet browsers are or are not packaged with Windows instead of more important matters.
Crap more add-on software for me to deal with.... I hate all this crap cause everyone that buys a computer cause they don't know how to build one will be calling me with MORE problems...... I hate OEM's...... I now have someone to blame, thanks EU.
I'm with jsloan, communist sons of bitches... People wonder why the world is goin to hell? It's because the powers that are waste their time worrying about stupid shit like what mother f***** internet browsers are or are not packaged with Windows instead of more important matters.
yeap, while the bankers run off with our hard earned money... credit card interest up to 30% can you say usury, econimic, finanical slavery. plus they keep the profits we pay for the loses. doesn't the eu have something better to do, like bail out the failing eu states... the good thing with the collapse maybe their wont be an eu...
I'm with jsloan, communist sons of bitches... People wonder why the world is goin to hell? It's because the powers that are waste their time worrying about stupid shit like what mother f***** internet browsers are or are not packaged with Windows instead of more important matters.
Perhaps they really don't have anything better to do. You never know.. Haha.
I hate what MS has become in recent years (read Vista), but I am with them now. I think MS should offer a bare priced bare Windows for Europe, with no minesweeper installed at all, not even notepad. And I'd love to see europeans scratching their heads trying to figure out how to download the competition's minesweeper with no minesweeper installed in the first place. Or they could go for the normal priced normal windows all the rest of the world uses.
I agree. They should only offer ONE version of Windows in the EU. It will be the same price as Vista Ultimate, but it includes NO MS software. No notepad, Wordpad, Media Player, Media Center, Movie Maker, or Outlook Express.. I would prefer Microsoft just stop selling and supporting Windows in the EU. It wouldnt take more than a few days for them to change their minds seeing as how every single business in the EU has a Windows Domain.
Forgot my /rant tag.
I think MS has a monopoly on MS PAINT by including it as the only painting program on their OS. I think they should be forced to include Corel Painter and Photoshop on all their OSes for competition.
Just because its bundled with the OS doesn't make it free. I'd wager that most people here would purchase a cheaper version of windows without IE, if offered, and use firefox or whatever instead. Thus saving a few dollars to pimp out their hardware some more.
That said, 95% of the population wouldn't have the skills to download firefox without using IE, so its a moot issue anyway.
The only reason I can think of why EU is doing this because they're comprised entirely of old farts who cannot even distinguish their heads from their behinds. Or may be they are too damn smart in trying to find every opportunity to extort Microsoft million or billion of dollars. They did it before and will continue to do so now and in the future. I agree with others about Microsoft selling only one vanilla version of Windows to the EU.
I think MS has a monopoly on MS PAINT by including it as the only painting program on their OS. I think they should be forced to include Corel Painter and Photoshop on all their OSes for competition.
haha i agree... for free!!
I think my Copy of Vista64 Ultimate should come with a Virtual machine OSX for free.
I also think they should remove the Calculator... Texas Instruments should be suing MS, how is it fair?!
Meh IE is garbage but who cares?
I mean if MS made windows to not allow you to install other browsers then this would be a real problem, but its not. How retarded can you be? Do we really want our OS's to come bloated with 5 more browsers that we would only end up using one of?
This is rediculous tell EU to shove it
Its there product not EUs
EU is crying like a little baby I want I want I want