Windows 7: EU investigation of Microsoft over browser choice moves forward

Brink · 18 Sep 2012

Quote:

Antitrust regulators are said to be moving ahead in investigating Microsoft's failure to provide a browser choice screen on PCs in the EU.

Bloomberg is reporting European Union antitrust regulators are moving ahead with their investigation of Microsoft's failure to fulfill its obligation to provide users with Web-browser choice.

Bloomberg cited in a September 18 report "two people familiar with the matter" claiming that the EU is preparing a formal complaint.

Read more at source:
EU investigation of Microsoft over browser choice moves forward: Report | ZDNet

Gornot · 18 Sep 2012

Seriously, is this **** ever going to stop?

Brink · 18 Sep 2012

Tell me about it. I really don't see what is so hard for users to download and install whatever browser they want to use instead of Internet Explorer that the EU must regulate it???? Microsoft doesn't prevent users from doing this, or make you use Internet Explorer. I don't see how this is an antitrust issue.

bej · 18 Sep 2012

Realize this is not about MS, or IE, it's about CONTROL. This is what Socialist countries do. The arguement above is to rational. When your political system is based on subject/object control the idea of choice has no place.

brummyfan · 19 Sep 2012

This is really farcical and utter waste of time and money by the EU, may be they don't have anything else to do.

LittleJay · 19 Sep 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by brummyfan

This is really farcical and utter waste of time and money by the EU, may be they don't have anything else to do.

Yeah, solving the fiscal mess they are in isn't a big enough problem in itself.

ignatzatsonic · 19 Sep 2012

I agree it is ridiculous, but who can possibly believe this quote from Brink's link regarding why it happened:

"Microsoft admitted quickly it had failed to offer the browser ballot screen since February 2011. The Redmondians cited a a "technical error" led to the browser ballot update not being included in the store-shelf version of Windows 7 with Service Pack 1."

stephens · 19 Sep 2012

As an Englishman I wish we had EU choice, never mind browser choice.

The population get no vote on the EU because vested interests might not like our choosing.

How ironic.

bobafetthotmail · 21 Sep 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

Tell me about it. I really don't see what is so hard for users to download and install whatever browser they want to use instead of Internet Explorer that the EU must regulate it???? Microsoft doesn't prevent users from doing this, or make you use Internet Explorer. I don't see how this is an antitrust issue.

The issue is that the average user is too dumb to understand that "internet explorer icon" isn't TEH INTERNET, but just window's integrated browser.

So unless you say "hey you can have other things too" they won't notice.

It was like that for IE 6 and thanks god XP is slowly dying so we are finally getting rid of that beast (most webmasters hate it, lots of good reasons).

And so much things are sold over sheer ignorance (*cough* tablets *cough*).

Quote:

Yeah, solving the fiscal mess they are in isn't a big enough problem in itself.

Because the Antitrust guys pestering Microsoft could do wonders in fixing fiscal issues right?

Dwarf · 21 Sep 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by stephens

As an Englishman I wish we had EU choice, never mind browser choice.

The population get no vote on the EU because vested interests might not like our choosing.

How ironic.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Incidentally, are the EU going to target Apple for the same reason? I know that they include Safari as the browser on Macs and other computers that they manufacture, but can users of said computers choose to install and use an alternative? Don't think so - which kind of makes the EUs stance against Microsoft absolutely ridiculous. Or is Apple a subsidiary of the EU (or the other way round) ?

Windows 7: EU investigation of Microsoft over browser choice moves forward

EU investigation of Microsoft over browser choice moves forward problems?