The new screen, seen here, will pop up for any European Windows (XP/Vista/7) user who has IE set as their default browser, starting around March 1st.
It randomises new choices for web browsers in an impartial manner, offering direct links to download. It’s like Microsoft is saying, “Hey, it’s cool, you can take Firefox to the dance. I mean, I handle all of your day to day tasks, like boring spreadsheets, plus I’m awake 24/7 keeping things running for you, keeping you safe. Oh, and remember that time we played Call of Duty all weekend? And we saved the world together? And you cried? I’d never felt as close to you as I did that moment. I thought that meant something. I thought that I meant something, to you.”
Actually, Microsoft really should add that message after users make their selections, just so the European Commission labels guilt as an anti-competitive practice. [Microsoft on the Issues via TheRegister]
rick
Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 2:17 AMi don’t understand why the EU is making microsoft do this. hopefully it doesn’t happen in the usa. anyway somebody has already started a petition to microsoft to not do it:
http://www.petitiononline.com/t647lf75/petition.html
Wok
Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 7:29 PMMeh, makes me want to use IE.
Nothing stopping someone from customising Windows…
matt
Monday, February 22, 2010 at 3:17 AMwhat about all those people who bought a mac? that came with mac osx? that came loaded with itunes as the default music player? where was the ballot screen to select foobar instead? or winamp?
or wheres my ballot screen to let me select whether I wanna install linux or windows on my new Dell PC? this would be closer to the problem after all, and what MS originally got done with AntiTrust(tm) for.
this is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard, and i’m just glad not a cent of my tax dollars funds these idiots.
olearymo
Monday, February 22, 2010 at 12:02 PMWell said matt (you always have good points mate) – this is just another example of how Apple can get away with anything.
I’m sure the EU representatives are rockin’ to their free iPods right now.
Just sayin’ is all.
jack
Monday, February 22, 2010 at 12:29 PMit’s a bit reactionary and a little nosey, but i can understand why they did it. just look at how microsoft held the web back with ie6′s automatic (windows xp) market share. when vista came along, no one wanted to upgrade so many people were still using xp & ie6 for a long time. it’s still a headache for web designers & developers around the world.
apple hasn’t received much attention about their practices because (despite the coverage ratio on giz) mac market share is still really really small (yes, that’s no excuse, but the EU doesn’t appear to deem it enough to act upon).
George Kinsman
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 3:24 AMThis is Microsoft trying to play nice. You may remember a while back when the EU gave them some pretty hefty fines over the inclusion of windows media player in XP, causing them to release an ‘N’ version to be sold in the EU sans WMP. Since then, every version of windows has been released as an ‘N’ edition as well, also without WMP.
If you understand the concepts behind antitrust, then this ruling is quite simple to understand. Given the market share of Internet Explorer in the EU, the EU have found it anti-competitive to be bundled with Windows, and decided to create another different SKU of windows that lacks a web browser.
OSX/Linux don’t have this problem since they have minute market shares compared to windows, however the fact that the iPhone browser Safari uses google without possibility of adjustment; combined with its increasing market share could lead to a similar situation.
There is no other reason for this behaviour, except as noted. Matt, your points are quite ignorant and I’m glad your not a windows user.