EU drops Microsoft browser charges

[WriteDown]

Source: AP

BRUSSELS – The European Union said Wednesday it is dropping antitrust charges against Microsoft Corp. after the company agreed to give Windows users a choice of up to 12 other Web browsers.

Under the terms of the deal with regulators, Microsoft will avoid further EU fines if it provides a pop-up screen that lets European users — from March — replace Microsoft's Internet Explorer or add another browser such as Mozilla's Firefox or Google's Chrome.

This will also allow computer manufacturers to ship PCs without Internet Explorer in Europe.

Neelie Kroes, the EU's competition commissioner, said it was an "early Christmas present for more than hundreds of millions of Europeans" who stood to benefit from having "effective and unbiased choice" between Microsoft's Internet Explorer and competing browsers.

"The (European) Commission has resolved a serious competition concern for a key market for the development of the Internet," she told reporters.

"It is as if you went to the supermarket and they only offered you one brand of shampoo on the shelf, and all the other choices are hidden out the back, and not everyone knows about them," she said. "What we are saying today is that all the brands should be on the shelf."....

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091216/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_eu_microsoft

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Somebody explain this to me: How many browsers can you use on the Mac OS? And perhaps a better question: My iPhone which is basically a mini-computer allows no other browsers to be used; why is it exempt? I am just puzzled by these rulings.

[Freddie Stubbs]

1. Because Microsoft is bad, Apple is good

[WriteDown]

2. What was I thinking?

:)

[comtec]

3. Actually there are a couple alt browsers for the touch

I have two on my ipod.
But I can't get a direct version of firefox which annoys me.

[WriteDown]

4. Yeah....I've been wanting opera for my iPhone for a while because safari is junk....

It will never be approved by Apple though.

[onehandle]

5. The difference is explained in the article. IE (which most people hate anyway) is system tied.

From the article you posted:

In January, the EU charged Microsoft with monopoly abuse for tying its browser to the Windows operating system software used on most desktop computers — this, they said, was an "artificial distribution advantage" that rivals didn't have.

Kroes said a lot of Internet content was specially adapted to Internet Explorer. since the browser was present "on virtually every PC in Europe." Other software makers complain that this caused technical problems that made it hard to use other browsers.
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In Mac OS X, Safari is not integrated into the system. So you can use many browsers with no problems. And as for the iPhone, unlike here Apple is required to sell it unlocked and available to multiple providers. It's the U.S. that lets corporations get away with murder.

On edit: Yes there are not yet any other dedicated browsers approved for the iphone, but there are many apps that you can surf through as you are using the app. Eventually, Apple will allow other dedicated browsers. I believe that background processes are coming and that will open up the iPhone to much, much more.

[WriteDown]

6. I'm using firefox right now and have been for years..

so I still don't understand the complaint exactly. Can you use IE in OS X?

Your quote: "Eventually, Apple will allow other dedicated browsers. I believe that background processes are coming and that will open up the iPhone to much, much more."

What leads you to believe this? The iPhone has been out for years now and there is no evidence this will ever be allowed.

[onehandle]

7. Microsoft stopped making IE for the Mac years ago. Their choice.

It's been out for years?

Two years, five months. That's not that long.

Apple goes slow. That's one of their secrets to success.

And no, there's no evidence. And there was no evidence that Apple would allow in app micro-sales.

Then poof. There it was. A built in competitor.

[WriteDown]

8. Hmm....

What about Opera?

Yep, years. :)

I just disagree that Apple will ever allow another browser on the iPhone. Same goes for google voice which I've been craving.

[jayfish]

11. Can You Imagine What Would Happen If MS Had An Application Approval Process?

Redmond would be a smoking cinder by now. If they tied Windows to MS hardware (as Apple does with OSX) Redmond would simply cease to exist.

Jay

[WriteDown]

12. True...

There does seem to be a level of inequity.

[comtec]

9. I always thought apple on the bleeding edge was the secret of their success

make up your mind!

[WriteDown]

10. I guess they go slow on the bleeding edge?

:shrug: