Microsoft to offer browser choice with Windows 7

 

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Posted on 27 Jul 2009 at 08:33

Microsoft will offers users a choice of five different browsers when they first install Windows 7, as it seeks to ward off EU legislation.

The new system will present users with a "ballot" screen when they first install Windows, offering the choice of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Chrome and Safari. Each will link off to the manufacturer's website, allowing users to download the latest version of the browser.

Microsoft claims to have chosen these five browsers based on overall market share during the last six months.

The software giant is waiting on the EU to pass judgement on the plans before it rolls them out to future versions of Windows 7. The company will also offer the ballot screen as a software patch to PC makers who are currently installing the E versions of Windows 7 on their machines.

The E versions of Windows 7 ship without Internet Explorer 8, and were Microsoft's response to EC allegations that it was harming competition by bundling Internet Explorer 8 with Windows 7.

"We believe that if ultimately accepted, this proposal will fully address the European competition law issues relating to the inclusion of Internet Explorer in Windows and interoperability with our high-volume products," says Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith in a statement.

"This would mark a big step forward in addressing a decade of legal issues and would be good news for European consumers and our partners in the industry," he concludes.

The move was welcomed by the EC which says it is the result of "extensive discussions".

It was also met with approval by other browser makers, with Opera - which brought the original complaint - claiming: "We think this could actually work out. It is important that users be given a genuine choice among browsers," says CTO Hakon Wium Lie.

However, Mike Davies, senior analyst at Ovum, believes the move is something of a parlour trick on Microsoft's behalf: "It doesn't matter to Microsoft one way or the other. It can produce this version for the EU and let the rest of the world default to Internet Explorer," he tells PC Pro.

"Even if it released this version around the world, most people are likely to stick with Internet Explorer because it's what they're used to in their offices. Anybody who wanted to switch to another browser would do so anyway. That's not a significant proportion of the public. Microsoft's been very clever with this."

Davies also doesn't believe the ballot list is the panacea is first appears to be: "Microsoft has decided to put in Opera and Firefox and Chrome, but what happens when a little start-up company asks 'what about us?' And how are they being ordered on the ballot list. The first browser on the list will have a big advantage, and if they're listed alphabetically you can expect Opera to be renamed Aardvark overnight."

Author: Stuart Turton