MS to allow for a Web Browser Ballot in their OS

[Eastcoasthandle]

Initially it was thought that no browser would be offered in the EU however according to an article from Ars Technica MS has agreed to what the EU proposed and will offer a browser ballot. How this will work is that a screen would allow users to choose from several different browsers. Browsers such as Google, Mozilla, Opera, etc maybe be included but the article doesn't say for certain. The article also indicates that MS's cooperation is in relation to yesterday's earnings announcement. You can read more about it in the link above.

[orangekiwii]

i'd like this in the Us version as well

[HuffPCair]

i'd like this in the Us version as well

+1

[ex2cib]

i still think this is stupid. 90% of the people will still install IE because its all they've ever used.

[Heinz68]

I say why only in Europe? If 90% people want to install it the option is still there. Well at least in Europe.

[denice25]

Initially it was thought that no browser would be offered in the EU however according to an article from Ars Technica MS has agreed to what the EU proposed and will offer a browser ballot. How this will work is that a screen would allow users to choose from several different browsers. Browsers such as Google, Mozilla, Opera, etc maybe be included but the article doesn't say for certain. The article also indicates that MS's cooperation is in relation to yesterday's earnings announcement. You can read more about it in the link above.

thanks for the link!!!

[Serra]

Somehow I just don't see them allowing Chrome unless they absolutely have to. It's the best answer for a bad situation for MS though, hopefully this will keep those monopoly-monkeys off their back.

[faster3200]

i still think this is stupid. 90% of the people will still install IE because its all they've ever used.

The less people that use IE, the better. Still... 100% correct. People who currently use IE will continue to do so, since they don't know better.

On the plus side, EU users won't have to have IE on their comps.

Who wants to bet that MS will have IE8 as a "recommended" update anyways?

[oohms]

I keep IE installed for compatibility reasons, both for programs and some websites that still refuse to work properly with other browsers (internet banking sites)

[zanzabar]

what we need is a choice of installing IE6, IE7, IE8 and the MSN browser. and i would be pissed if safari installed stock since it has bonjor with it and i would not want anything from google with the OS.


and i would guess that the next step if this works is to make the sun JRE come with the OS (since .net is an unfair advantage) and just imagine when windows has its user base and the exportability of OSX

[Chumbucket843]

this whole browser argument is a waste of time. the majority of people have a p4 use ie6 and are perfectly happy. all they do is watch youtube go on facebook and check e-mail.

[STEvil]

I use Firefox for most stuff, Opera for other stuff, and IE for whatever either of them mess up.

[faster3200]

this whole browser argument is a waste of time. the majority of people have a p4 use ie6 and are perfectly happy. all they do is watch youtube go on facebook and check e-mail.

IE6 only has about 15% of the browser market and that is because of corporations on Windows XP who are too lazy to update. On tech related sites IE6's market share drops dramatically to around 5% or less thankfully. It has poor support for CSS, transparent .png, and javascript, which EVERY website uses (or should) at least one of. MANY hours are wasted developing code specifically for IE6. Not to mention how much of a pain it is to use it.

None of the IEs are favorable imo, but IE6 is the worst.

Luckily Firefox has about 47% market share while all the IEs only have 41%. A positive change towards progress .

[villa1n]

I use Firefox for most stuff, Opera for other stuff, and IE for whatever either of them mess up.

+1

[saaya]

i still think this is stupid. 90% of the people will still install IE because its all they've ever used.

and? does this cause them any problems? not at all...
so why is this stupid?

it gives other browsers a fair chance, thats all they asked for and thats what they deserve imo... and its lame that this will only be done for european versions of the os and not worldwide...

[zanzabar]

and? does this cause them any problems? not at all...
so why is this stupid?

it gives other browsers a fair chance, thats all they asked for and thats what they deserve imo... and its lame that this will only be done for european versions of the os and not worldwide...

it dose set up MS with a problem since they will be shipping insecure browsers like chrome and safari. the only thing that saves them is that they are sub 5% market share once people have more choices and esier access it will make them targeted and then MS will be blamed.

[G.Foyle]

it dose set up MS with a problem since they will be shipping insecure browsers like chrome and safari.

As if Internet Explorer was 100% secure.

[ex2cib]

and? does this cause them any problems? not at all...
so why is this stupid?

it gives other browsers a fair chance, thats all they asked for and thats what they deserve imo... and its lame that this will only be done for european versions of the os and not worldwide...

just wait for that first website they visit that NEEDS IE to run.

right then and there, most people will scrap whatever other browsers they have been using and go back to IE.

seriously, you think this will give other browsers a chance?

Doing this really won't bother the younger generations, its some of the older people that are entirely resistant to any change at all. They dont want to have to learn anything new.*


* and to all those that fall into this age range here, you're in a special demographic that actually cares to know facts

[Motiv]

just wait for that first website they visit that NEEDS IE to run.

right then and there, most people will scrap whatever other browsers they have been using and go back to IE.

seriously, you think this will give other browsers a chance?

Doing this really won't bother the younger generations, its some of the older people that are entirely resistant to any change at all. They dont want to have to learn anything new.*


* and to all those that fall into this age range here, you're in a special demographic that actually cares to know facts

It will cause all European sites to make sure they are complient with the major browsers.

To be fair, I haven't come across a website in Europe for a long long time, that doesn't work with Firefox or Opera.

To turn your point around, what happens if they load up IE and come across a website that only works in Chrome?

[Smartidiot89]

Microsoft isn't allowed to include its own software in its own OS = stupid 'nuff said.

Firefox can compete so whats the problem. Get your act together Opera, if Firefox can so can your company.

[zalbard]

Microsoft isn't allowed to include its own software in its own OS = stupid 'nuff said.

Firefox can compete so whats the problem. Get your act together Opera, if Firefox can so can your company.

QFE.

[>HyperlogiK<]

As if Internet Explorer was 100% secure.

You mean 'as if it wasn't the worst of the big three by some measure'.

Microsoft isn't allowed to include its own software in its own OS = stupid 'nuff said.

Monopolies are dangerous and sometimes the legislators need to curb their activities = nuff said.

[SoulsCollective]

Firefox can compete so whats the problem. Get your act together Opera, if Firefox can so can your company.

Firefox can compete because it "got a break". Mozilla and FF were practically unheard of three or four years ago, even though early versions were publicly available way back in 2002. IE had a near-absolute monopoly. Due to snowballing word-of-mouth, suddenly everyone knew about FF, and FF could capitalise on a reputation as a browser other than IE - it became "cool" to use FF.

Now that it's out there and in the wild, Opera will have no such luck - you can't excite people about a third browser, only an "underdog" competitor to a titan with an absolute monopoly.

[Salavat23]

Monopolies are dangerous and sometimes the legislators need to curb their activities = nuff said.

How is it dangerous if IE is no longer the market leader?

[Pontos]

Monopolies are dangerous and sometimes the legislators need to curb their activities = nuff said.

Bundling IE with Windows is not a monopolistic act per se. And now giving the user a screen to actually choose a browser makes it less so.

If i make a program and want to include a plug-in for free within the package, why would someone stop me to do it?

The real problem is the end user. They will use and keep whatever is tossed on them at first. In this case that is IE, WMP, Outlook Express, and in some cases even Movie Maker and Paint.
It is their lack of will (or sheer laziness) to look for better alternatives or for one more suitable for their needs what made IE the most used browser for years (Netscape and Mozilla suite era mainly).