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EU: Microsoft Must Offer Competitors’ Browsers
February 23, 2009
Posted by: Glyn Moody
The EU-Microsoft tussle seems to be moving much faster than I expected:
The European Commission will require Microsoft to give users of its ubiquitous Windows operating system the opportunity to choose between different Internet browsers to avoid breaching EU competition rules, the bloc's antitrust spokesman told EurActiv.
The question, of course, is how that might be done. Here's one suggestion from Brussels:
To this end, Microsoft will be obliged to design Windows in a way that allows users "to choose which competing web browser(s) instead of, or in addition to, Internet Explorer they want to install and which one they want to have as default," Todd explained.
A possible solution could be to present Windows users with a so-called "ballot screen" from which they would choose their browser.
Assuming all this happens, the interesting question is: how can open source best exploit this? Clearly, having the option to install Firefox, say, is useless unless people know what it is.
The implication is that we need another massive campaign – perhaps spearheaded by SpreadFirefox – to ensure that people understand the choices they will have.
What do you think?
Microsoft promises new browser will be more secure than Firefox or Chrome
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About the author
Glyn Moody Glyn Moody's look at all levels of the enterprise open source stack. The blog will look at the organisations that are embracing open source, old and new alike (start-ups welcome), and the communities of users and developers that have formed around them (or not, as the case may be).
Comments received
Spoom said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Microsoft will put in a screen in the OOBE wizard that has the majority taken up by a large IE icon and the features, benefits, and (ugh) safety of IE, a large, prominent link that says "Yes, please use Internet Explorer as my default browser." and a small, barely noticeable link beneath it that says "Other browsers..." that nobody other than people who already know about Firefox will ever click.
In any case, are they going to mandate that they have to include popular alternatives? Because otherwise, they could simply offer Links, or Netscape 1.1...
dgoemans said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
dude... i'm all for open source and try to promote it where i can, but seriously u sound like an immoral business tycoon when you say "how can open source best exploit this". i'm not going to say microsoft are suffering ( produce a better browser and people will use it ), but giving consumers a choice between a few big browsers ( Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari *gag* ) would be more than enough. Open source is not a crusade, its a mentality, stop giving open source enthusiasts a terrorist image.
Glyn Moody said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
@dgoemans: I don't think so. I think that the more market share open source browsers hold, the better for all of the ecosystem, and thus the better for *all of us* - even IE users. So the logical question is to ask how can we help promote open source browsers in general, and in this particular case.
dgoemans said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
@Glyn Moody, don't get me wrong, i'm pro open source and agree that promoting free ( as in speech ) software is the best way forward for free and commercial products. I know first hand that companies strive from using quality open source products in their commercial software. However your wording makes open source enthusiasts seem devious and nasty toward business, and this shouldn't be that case. I am an open source enthusiast who works in a very commercial field and it upsets me to see so much fear of open source because of some people making open source appear to be a crusade. I feel very strongly about open source maintaining a scientific image instead of veering into the religious field.
Glyn Moody said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
@dgoemans It's probably the word "exploit" which has some negative connotations. I meant it purely neutrally, as in how can we help open source given this new development.
dgoemans said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
@Glyn Moody, fair enough. no offense meant, i just feel that open source needs to be taken seriously, and the zealous attitudes of some do tend to get in the way.
Glyn Moody said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
@dgoemans None taken.
Soubrause said on Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Because people don't have a choice now? firefox didn't come on my Windows CD but I still have it and it's even my default browser. It would be more worthwhile requiring the computer manufacturer to install an alternate browser since users that can't figure it out as is aren't installing windows to begin with. Oh and why does this only apply to MS and not apple? They bundle a browser with their OS and it's tied much deeper than IE.
We need to make them include another calculator program too, nobody bought mine because windows already has one built in.