That old antitrust story again...
Microsoft has a history of strategically monopolizing the browser sector in the computing world, among others. Presumably in keeping with recent antitrust action against the corporation from the European Commission, as previously reported, their latest OS, Windows 7, is featuring a first-time option to all but completely remove Internet Explorer, meaning a couple of clicks and a restart and your browser of choice will always be opened by default.
Apparently Mozilla -- makers of the ever-popular Firefox -- and Opera are not satisfied, however, still maintaining IE is given an unfair advantage due to it being the included browser by default. Mozilla's chairperson Mitchell Baker explains:
"Our initial review suggests this is a blatant use of the Windows operating system to change the market dynamics of browser usage. What we've seen so far is a clear example of why and how Microsoft's Windows monopoly damages competition in related products."
Opera were the ones who complained to the Commission over Microsoft's anti-competitive tactics, leading to a provisional finding against them. Their chief technology officer Hakon Wium Lie says they'd like to clear the air:
"This issue highlights the problem with the browser market. It's certainly something we would want to discuss."
Microsoft has stated the software, newly in the release candidate stage and previously in beta, was "only a test version aimed at a limited audience of experienced computer users" and the final experience will be different.
The proposed solution is to offer rival browsers as well as IE. Should this come to fruition, our suggestion, specifically (which is not to say this isn't asking too much), would be to offer a choice upon first installation, featuring a concise "preview" of each browser, instead of having three or more installed by default.
We look forward to seeing how this situation turns out in the final version of Windows 7; some headway should be made on June 3 following a meeting in Brussels.
In the meantime, what are your opinions? Are Mozilla and Opera's demands reasonable?
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Imagine how ridiculous if a TV remote company was angry at Samsung because Samsung remotes come with Samsung TVs by default.
To be clear, I'm not sure if this is too demanding of Mozilla/Opera..that's why I asked you.
Thank you, we would prefer if you used IE anyway.
ie8 has just started walking the roadmap that firefox has laid out and has walked again and again to achieve masterful elegance.
Secondly, let us focus on what is good for the consumer citizen and not what is good for the Corporations i.e. all of them, Mozilla, Microsoft alike.
And perhaps what is good for the consumer may be an absolutely level playing field in the browser market.
Sure, let's have the Mozzila website start advertising and offering IE for download.
The whole idea is silly. No corporation should be forced to advertise and/or support another corporations' products.
mozzilla guys you have a better browser so dont worry
I'm an xbox 360 user but i think microsoft should ask you if you'd rather play on a ps3 every time i turn it on. lol.
Is is very bad for consumers and for the market, when monopoly in one field is used kill competition in another field.
By the correct merits of quality and price IE is the worst of the 5 major web browsers, it does not support many technologies and standards, and forces the web not to use them. Web is hold few years back because of IE.
A browser is definitely not something which belongs with an operating system, so allowing Microsoft to include a browser means using monopoly power to extend the market and gain another monopoly. That is illegal in the US and EU.
That means, Ubuntu, Apple, whoever can pretty much include ANYTHING they want with their operating system, but Microsoft is not allowed to do that.
Is that really so hard to understand, Microsoft apologists?
I also think that it should be an option, but a lot of the installing options are just left at default so it won't make much of a difference.
and tbh, most of you/us wouldn't have FF if it wasn't for IE which is thankfully installed as an easy internet portal for us to download good browsers
So Mozilla and Opera don't really bhabe a leg to stand on.
Does it really make sense to people that, as mass media claims, Mozilla and Opera both want their browsers offered on initial Windows install by default? With the number of browsers out there, this would get ridiculous quickly, and no one with any brains would agree to it. Why not include Safari, Chrome, Konqueror, K-Meleon, Flock, Amaya... by default as well?