Microsoft to Offer "Ballot Screen" to Pacify EU Regulators?

Microsoft to Offer "Ballot Screen" to Pacify EU Regulators?
December 5, 2009

Microsoft is believed to be revising a planned antitrust settlement with European Union regulators following a plethora of complaints by browser makers that Microsoft isn't playing fair. As a result, Microsoft agreed to changes on how consumers select Internet browsers on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. Sources familiar with the situation have reportedly stated that the modifications could allow the EU to resolve the matter possibly by the end of next week.

Lately, Microsoft's struggle to work things out with EU regulators has reminded a lot of people of the lyrics from Katy Perry's popular song Hot N Cold: "You're hot then you're cold. you're 'yes' then you're 'no.' you're in then you're out. You're up then you're down."

Indeed, there has been no shortage of "directional changes" as the details get ironed out. But according to a report this morning on Apple Insider, the process may finally be close to completion thanks to the emergent talk of a "ballot screen" to remove concern of unfair advantages.

"The modified agreement offers Windows users a "ballot screen" that will randomly list the five top web browsers. Users would be given the option to select a browser that will then be downloaded from the Internet."

Initially, the European Union's antitrust claim originated from the absorbed theory that Microsoft's inclusion of Internet Explorer in Windows was "an abuse of Microsoft's stance in the market."

"Concerns were raised by Opera, Google, and Mozilla over the planned ballot concept when it was first announced due to plans to have the browsers listed in alphabetical order. This would have placed Apple's Safari browser first. "More competition in the browser space will mean greater innovation on the Web and a better user experience for people everywhere," Google spokesman Bill Echikson reportedly said."

According to data presented by Apple Insider, Internet explorer now captures 63.62% of the market. Firefox claims 24.72 and Safari remains a distant third with only 4.36 percent.

:source: Source: Microsoft to Offer "Ballot Screen" to Pacify EU Regulators?

Lol, when katy perry was quoted on this i *facepalmed.* Her music is so terrible, so many better choices.