Microsoft offers computer users choice of browsers

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Microsoft offers computer users choice of browsers
10:02AM GMT 01 Mar 2010

UPDATE:

Computer users must now choose which browser they use to surf the internet, after a ruling against Microsoft by the European Commission came in to effect


From today, people running Microsoft's Windows operating system will be presented with a screen asking them to choose which web browser they would like to use. Computer users will be able to choose between 12 different browsers, ranging from well-known browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera, to some more obscure software, such as K-meleon and Sleipnir.

Microsoft was forced to introduce the browser "ballot box" following a ruling by the European Commission that Microsoft's practice of pre-installing Internet Explorer on every new computer was anti-competitive. The Commission accepted Microsoft’s offer of rolling out the ballot box across its range of Windows machines, which it believes will make it easier for computer users to choose an alternative browser to Internet Explorer.

"Millions of European consumers will benefit from this decision by having a free choice about which web browser they use,” said Neelie Kroes, the EU's competition commissioner. Ms Kroes said the ruling would also act as an incentive to rival browser makers to continue developing and improving their products. The ruling remains in effect for five years, and applies across the European Economic Area.

The ballot box will be pushed to Windows users running XP, Vista and Windows 7, via an automatic software update, and will only be shown to computer users who are not already running a different default browser.

The box, headed, "An important choice to make: your browser", will feature Opera, Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer and Firefox in a random order on the first section of the ballot screen. The other browsers, including Flock, Avant and Maxthon, will be listed in a random order on the rest of the ballot screen. There is information below each browser outlining its key features, and a button that allows computer users to easily download and install the browser of their choice.

Some computer experts have expressed concerns that computer users could be confused by the update, and worry that their computer has been compromised by hackers or infected with a virus.

According to web measurement firm Net Applications, Internet Explorer has a 62 per cent share of the browser market, with Mozilla's Firefox browser its closest rival with a 24 per cent market share.

Full list of available browsers

* Avant
* Google Chrome
* Mozilla Firefox
* Flock
* GreenBrowser
* Internet Explorer
* K-meleon
* Maxthon
* Opera
* Apple Safari
* Sleipnir
* SlimBrowser

:source: Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...s-choice-of-br:view: Homepage: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

This only affects copies sold in Europe though right? Doesn't affect any other countries?

I've actually never seen someone use Safari on a PC o.0

As far as I know, yes, this is for PC's sold in Europe only.

I wonder if Apple is being required to do the same. :unsure:

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Originally Posted by Skiz

As far as I know, yes, this is for PC's sold in Europe only.

I wonder if Apple is being required to do the same. :unsure:

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Stupid Microsoft, that's dodgy giving people that option within their browser already, people will just ignore it and start typing in the address bar.

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Originally Posted by Pozarynicoeta

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skiz

As far as I know, yes, this is for PC's sold in Europe only.

I wonder if Apple is being required to do the same. :unsure:

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Stupid Microsoft, that's dodgy giving people that option within their browser already, people will just ignore it and start typing in the address bar.

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Only the non-techy type people, but what if you buy it from a shop or a retailer and already have say IE as the browser?

Also, this is a bad decision letting users choice browsers that are below IE/Opera/Chrome/Firefox/Safari standards....just a hassle to be waiting, and security risks as well for the non-techy person.

Also, IE is still on the computer, it's "just" DEFAULT browser, IE is still there :)

Oh, Rart, I use Safari on PC every now and then.....it's decent/buggy, but I like it.

What I found strange was that is shows the options in IE, but the options for IE in the "ballot" are the same as the others with the option to "Install". :huh:

What I start to wonder is what reprocusion this will have. I an no lawyer by any means, but would google only overing google on there phones not be the same? A Mercedes car dealer only selling extra's made by Mercedes? I think this is a bad call.

Should Microsoft also start to offer VLC when you try to watch a video the first time? This is essentially the same.

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Originally Posted by darkmawl

Should Microsoft also start to offer VLC when you try to watch a video the first time? This is essentially the same.

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Yes! Media Player by itself is unusable for people watching DivX or Xvid, you need 3rd party codecs.

I don't think this is right, people do have the choice to use a different browser if they choose, it's not MS's responsibility to advertise these alternativs to people.

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Originally Posted by PurpleIce

I don't think this is right, people do have the choice to use a different browser if they choose, it's not MS's responsibility to advertise these alternativs to people.

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The problem is though is Microsoft don't make it easy non tech savvy people to run into the and install them.

I can just think of it, after they find the site, they have to click Download then Run and get a dangerous file warning, then they will get an Admin Privileges warning when actually trying to install it.