EC, Opera and Mozilla weigh in on browser-less Windows 7

 

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Posted on 15 Jun 2009 at 12:53

Following Microsoft's proposal to remove Internet Explorer from Windows 7 in Europe, it's no surprise to see the European Commission, Opera and Mozilla weigh in on last week's news.

"I don't think what Microsoft announced is going to restore competition, said Hakon Wium Lie, Opera's Chief Technology Officer, in an interview with Reuters. "I don't think it's going to be enough, I don't think it will get them off the hook."

Mitchell Baker, Chairman of the Mozilla Foundation, suggested that Microsoft will tie some of its Windows co-op marketing money for OEMs to Internet Explorer bundling. In a blog post, he said: "it's impossible to evaluate what this means until Microsoft describes - completely and with specificity - all the incentives and disincentives applicable to Windows OEMs."

Microsoft's intentions leaked out last week shortly before the European Commission is due to make a decision on antitrust charges brought against the software giant in January by rival Opera Software. Microsoft's rival claimed that it abuses its dominant position by bundling Internet Explorer with Windows which, Opera says, protects it from head-to-head competition from other browsers.

The European Commission quickly responded to the leaked memo, stating that Microsoft was now offering the user less choice instead of providing more as it requested. "Consumers should be offered a choice of browser not that Windows should be supplied without a browser at all. . . Rather than more choice, Microsoft seems to have chosen to provide less," read a statement.

It's easy to see why Opera and Mozilla in particular take issue with Microsoft's plans for European versions of Windows 7, but we don't believe Microsoft should have to ship Windows with third party browsers as long as it's easy for the user to install a competing browser without penalty.

Moreover, if Mozilla and Opera Software want Microsoft to offer the user a choice of browser when they start Windows for the first time, when will we be given the opportunity to choose our search provider when we first start Firefox and Opera? After all, both currently default to Google because the two companies have deals in place with the search giant, who pays for search queries generated by the search box in both browsers.

Author: Tim Smalley