European Commission accepts Microsoft's browser ballot proposal

 

Gallery

Posted on 17 Dec 2009 at 18:53

Microsoft and the European Union have finally settled their long-running dispute over the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows, following Opera's complaint that Microsoft was using Windows' dominant position to unfairly squeeze rivals out of the browser market.

The software giant agrees to send Windows XP, Vista and 7 users a "browser choice" screen that gives them a random selection of 12 browser to choose from, while also allowing PC manufacturers to choose which browser they want to install on new PCs and turn off Internet Explorer. Moreover, it must not "retaliate" against PC makers who choose not to install Internet Explorer in favour of one (or more) alternatives.

The agreement allows Microsoft to escape from further punishment from the European Commission, which has already fined the software giant more than 1.6 billion Euros for antitrust violations.

Microsoft has been given 13 weeks to deploy the browser ballot screen, which will appear via Windows Update on existing computers. On new machines, the ballot screen only appears if Internet Explorer is set as the default browser; if the PC manufacturer decides to install an alternative, such as Firefox, the user will be offered no alternatives.

While the choice of a dozen browsers sounds like a rather irritating prospect, you won't be greeted with a host of unfamiliar names. "The Choice Screen will prominently display the Final Releases of the five highest ranked web browsers based on usage share in the EEA (i.e. only these browsers will be immediately visible without requiring any user action under typical user settings)," said the settlement.

"These five web browsers will be displayed in a random order each time the Choice Screen is presented. The remaining seven browsers will be displayed if the user scrolls sideways and will also be displayed in a random order."

What's more, the EU has also made provisions which prevent Microsoft from filling the list with different versions of Internet Explorer, as each vendor is only allowed one entry on the ballot screen. "Other than Internet Explorer, the Choice Screen may not contain any web browser which is based on Internet Explorer's rendering engine and the development or distribution of which is funded in whole or in substantial part by Microsoft," the settlement states.

Opera, the Norwegian browser vendor who originally filed the complaint at the Commission, welcomed the news. Jon von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera, said that "this is a victory for the future of the web. This decision is also a celebration of open web standards, as these shared guidelines are the necessary ingredients for innovation on the web."

Microsoft was also pleased to have reached a conclusion. "As we've said before, we are embarking on a path that will require significant change within Microsoft," read a company statement. "Nevertheless, we believe that these are important steps that resolve these competition law concerns. This is an important day and a major step forward, and we look forward to building a new foundation for the future in Europe."

Author: Tim Smalley