EU may force Microsoft to bundle Firefox with Windows




Posted by final kaoss

How about IE to do Windows Update if this goes through in the EU?

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/27/eu-may-force-microsoft-to-bundle-firefox-with-windows


Quoted post: Chakkaradeep Chandran on 27 January 2009

Just as Internet Explorer 8 goes RC1 we have the European Commission's anti trust considering forcing Microsoft to bundle Firefox with future versions of Windows as per the Microsoft's quarterly filing with the U.S Security and Exchange Commission.

The European Union(EU) recently accused Microsoft of breaking antitrust laws by including the company's Internet Explorer (IE) browser with the Windows operating system. The outcome may require Microsoft or other computer manufacturers to install Firefox or other browsers (Chrome, Opera and Safari) by default alongside Internet Explorer on new Windows-based PCs.

Microsoft reported that while computer users and OEMs are already free to run any web browsing software on Windows, the Commission is considering ordering Microsoft and OEMs to obligate users to choose a particular browser when setting up a new PC. Such a remedy might include a requirement that OEMs distribute multiple browsers on new Windows-based PCs. Microsoft may also be required to disable certain unspecified Internet Explorer software code if a user chooses a competing browser.

The filing further notes that non-compliance would see the EU impose a significant fine based on sales of Windows Operating Systems in the European Union. Microsoft has two months to respond to the charges, after which the EC will make its final ruling on the matter. The software company can also request a hearing and says it's considering this alternative.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

90% of the people who have windows don't even know what the **** firefox is.




Posted by BLUNTMASTER X

i imagine a lot of people would boot up their new PCs for the first time and assume firefox was another one of those ****ty shovelware packages that come with premade PCs




Posted by Trigger


Quoting Vampiro V. Empire: 90% of the people who have windows don't even know what the **** firefox is.

I think that's part of the charm. Consumers that don't educate themselves often learn things by having them put in front of them - this is why "shovelware" exists in the first place.

I'm all for the idea. If it causes even a small portion of users to switch to an alternative browser, whether it be Firefox or another competitor, that can't be all that bad.



Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

I don't even see why it's necessary. Half the point of using firefox is for the extensions and add-ons and that's far beyond many windows users.

Plus, hasn't this come up before a few years ago? I know MS was taken to court over IE being packaged with windows and nothing came of that.




Posted by Speedfreak

But...they're both free. Why is this a problem?




Posted by Fate

Hope it's not Firefox they bundle or I'm going to have to switch browsers. One of the reasons IE isn't my preferred browser is because it's not nearly as secure as Firefox is and the folks at Mozilla catch vulnerabilities faster. Also, Firefox's add-ons are pretty slick.

I'm more excited about Fennec on my cell phone.
:)




Posted by Synth2012

The hand out Firefox pins at my school.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

You have a lame school.




Posted by Synth2012

Yeah right. That makes my school sweet.




Posted by Vampiro V. Empire

Maybe four years ago