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Also, Google paid to have their browser installed through the installers of other companies software, by default. For instance, by default, the installer for A
by GeekyBear 8y ago
Also, Google paid to have their browser installed through the installers of other companies software, by default.
For instance, by default, the installer for AVG's free antivirus program would install Google Chrome and make it the default browser.
- dmix 8y agoI don't see any problem with doing a few partnerships like these. Even with some major companies. Firefox could easily do the same. It's only a problem when you squeeze out competition by doing exclusive contracts with all major distributors in a particular distribution channel.
- WorkLifeBalance 8y agoBut only you can leverage your monopoly on search to know exactly which products are worth having those contracts with.
- GeekyBear 8y agoI'd say that sneaking an install of your product onto people's computers when they are not expecting it is exploiting a dark pattern. However, the point was that Chrome didn't mysteriously gain market share solely based on some sort of technical superiority. Google paid to gain market share with the sorts of clueless users who click next during install wizards without reading anything.
- joering2 8y agoMy point was Google didn't pay anything to gain the market share because they advertise Chrome on their frontpage, something neither Firefox, nor IE, nor Opera nor Safari, nor anyone else in that matter could do.
- GeekyBear 8y agoFrom an antitrust law point of view, using your monopoly status in one area as a weapon against the competition in other areas is something that likely gets you in trouble. Although, it helps to remember that in the EU, you don't need nearly as big a market share before their competition law kicks in and places restrictions on your behavior, so things that you can still get away with in the US can be quite illegal in the EU.
- josteink 8y agoThey paid to have it bundled as a drive-by install in other popular software, spyware-style.
- codedokode 8y agoMozilla probably doesn't have so much money to pay for installing their browser.
- gkya 8y agoIf Mozilla is honest to its premise it can not do such a thing.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]