Microsoft offering alternative web browsers?
Discussion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8537763.stm
It says the EU reckon MS are "abusing their market position" and they said on the radio it was "unfair" to makers of other browsers that MS only offered IE bundled with their PCs. Am I missing something here, or is this total crap? It's MICROSOFT internet explorer, on a MICROSOFT PC, how is that abusing market position? When you buy a Ferrari, you expect it to be full of Ferrari stuff, not cobbled together bits of old Fiats. Oh wait...
But still, the point is valid.
It says the EU reckon MS are "abusing their market position" and they said on the radio it was "unfair" to makers of other browsers that MS only offered IE bundled with their PCs. Am I missing something here, or is this total crap? It's MICROSOFT internet explorer, on a MICROSOFT PC, how is that abusing market position? When you buy a Ferrari, you expect it to be full of Ferrari stuff, not cobbled together bits of old Fiats. Oh wait...
But still, the point is valid.
RobDickinson said:
SO microsoft cant supply a basic function of a modern operating system without including competitors versions in a product they sell.
Very f
ked up. You want more market share earn it. If its a better product you will.
No , this is just effectively a plea-bargined fine for MS and it just gives the user the choice to download and use an alternative browser.Very f
ked up. You want more market share earn it. If its a better product you will.Just to put the basics in place.
Microsoft were offered the option of creating aversion of Windows with NO browser integrated at all in order to end the EU litigation. They said they could not do it because IE was so integrated. Hence a deal was struck to offer ALL browsers.
This started in the late 90s so it's been going for over a decade now.
Microsoft were offered the option of creating aversion of Windows with NO browser integrated at all in order to end the EU litigation. They said they could not do it because IE was so integrated. Hence a deal was struck to offer ALL browsers.
This started in the late 90s so it's been going for over a decade now.
lestag said:
it just gives the user the choice to download and use an alternative browser.
Such a shame they dont have that option already. This is just plain stupidity and a waste of peoples time and money.Are they going to force microsoft to bundle alternates for media player, movie maker, Visual studio, office?
RobDickinson said:
lestag said:
it just gives the user the choice to download and use an alternative browser.
Such a shame they dont have that option already. This is just plain stupidity and a waste of peoples time and money.Are they going to force microsoft to bundle alternates for media player, movie maker, Visual studio, office?
Taking a car analogy, if the Ferrari had a fuel gauge that showed the Shell logo, a satnav that automatically led you to the nearest Shell garage as soon as the light came on then you may be closer to the IE & MS situation.
Engineer1 said:
The automatic defaulting to IE meant that lots of companies got stuffed as new users would automatically end up using IE
... The mainstream media reporting around this issue all seems to highlight the commercial factors (which in fairness is what the EU claim to be wanting to sort out)... However, the bigger picture IMHO is that the great thing about the internet has always been it's openess... Having to code sites around the shoddy adherence to standards offered by IE (thanks to it's huge popularity - one would be have to be mad to ignore IE when coding a website) is a both PITA for developers and ultimately holds back what is achievable across different browsers...More competition within the browser market can surely only promote better adherance to the standards, which in the long term can only be a good thing for developers and consumers alike!
Edited by Ultuous on Tuesday 2nd March 10:21
dpbird90 said:
It's MICROSOFT internet explorer, on a MICROSOFT PC, how is that abusing market position?
Since when did Microsoft start making PCs? They make operating systems, applications and development tools.I am currently using a Microsoft Operating System on a Dell PC and using Firefox as my HTTP client. I have Microsoft Visual Studio running, but that's an application.
An HTTP client is not an integral part of an operating system, it is an application. It should not be integrated into the operating system so tightly that it cannot be removed, that's just appalling design.
onomatopoeia said:
RobDickinson said:
Are they going to force microsoft to bundle alternates for media player, movie maker, Visual studio, office?
Do they bundle Office and Visual Studio when you buy the operating system at the moment?I thought not.
garyhun said:
Man-At-Arms said:
garyhun said:
Windows with NO browser integrated at all
so how do you install a browser without a browser ?FTP ?
i can see a lot of support calls from Mr Average i can't see my faceache page
Man-At-Arms said:
garyhun said:
Man-At-Arms said:
garyhun said:
Windows with NO browser integrated at all
so how do you install a browser without a browser ?FTP ?
i can see a lot of support calls from Mr Average i can't see my faceache page
garyhun said:
Then you would have picked up one of those freebie disks from every internet supplier in every shop. Remember this was 10 years ago plus. It's actually not relevant today as much but it's taken this long to get agreement.
Took less than 2 years to get an agreement http://www.opera.com/press/releases/2007/12/13/Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff