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Under terms of the European settlement, Microsoft will...send ballot screens ...to 100 million users of Windows XP, Vista and 7 operating systems in Europe who

Under terms of the European settlement, Microsoft will...send ballot screens ...to 100 million users of Windows XP, Vista and 7 operating systems in Europe who have set Internet Explorer as their main browser. Why only to those who have IE as their default? If they really want to be fair, they should let everybody get a fresh choice about which browser to use. I mean, if it makes sense to let current IE users choose to go to Firefox or Chrome, why doesn't it also make sense to let Firefox users choose to go elsewhere (even to IE!)?

bensummers 17y ago
The aim is to remedy Microsoft's abuse of their Windows monopoly position, which resulted in a large number of IE users. Therefore, offering only to IE users is fair as well as practical.
- CWuestefeld 17y ago
  The aim is to remedy Microsoft's abuse While I agree that this is, in fact, what's happening, I submit that this is the wrong approach. The UE folks believe that they've identified a market failure in the web browser market, ostensibly resulting from MS's unique position as OS supplier. Is the better approach to addressing this failure to (A) punish the entity that is benefiting; or (B) try to change the dynamic to alleviate the market failure? Punishing Microsoft doesn't ensure that the market will continue to operate properly in the future. It seems to me that if the goal is to fix a market failure, then the solution is to ensure that OS suppliers can't force browsers onto people. They would want to be sure that everyone gets to make a choice, regardless of the browser they currently use. In fact, I'd think that this should apply regardless of OS as well. That is, Linux distributions that bundle Firefox should be required to include a browser-chooser as well, so those Linux users can also make a choice.
  - pohl 17y ago
    if the goal is to fix a market failure, then the solution is to ensure that [this particular OS supplier] can't force [its own browser] onto people. If you had phrased it this way, I would have agreed with you. I don't think the EU cares (or should care) if Microsoft required Firefox, or even what any other OS supplier required. Their remedy seems to address the right problem, from my perspective. If the EU believes that there is a market failure, then they probably also believe that those who are already running something other than IE are already aware of browser choice. It is only those people who are running IE that may be living in ignorance of other browsers. It feels like a very targeted remedy.

bensummers 17y ago

The aim is to remedy Microsoft's abuse of their Windows monopoly position, which resulted in a large number of IE users. Therefore, offering only to IE users is fair as well as practical.

CWuestefeld 17y ago
The aim is to remedy Microsoft's abuse While I agree that this is, in fact, what's happening, I submit that this is the wrong approach. The UE folks believe that they've identified a market failure in the web browser market, ostensibly resulting from MS's unique position as OS supplier. Is the better approach to addressing this failure to (A) punish the entity that is benefiting; or (B) try to change the dynamic to alleviate the market failure? Punishing Microsoft doesn't ensure that the market will continue to operate properly in the future. It seems to me that if the goal is to fix a market failure, then the solution is to ensure that OS suppliers can't force browsers onto people. They would want to be sure that everyone gets to make a choice, regardless of the browser they currently use. In fact, I'd think that this should apply regardless of OS as well. That is, Linux distributions that bundle Firefox should be required to include a browser-chooser as well, so those Linux users can also make a choice.
- pohl 17y ago
  if the goal is to fix a market failure, then the solution is to ensure that [this particular OS supplier] can't force [its own browser] onto people. If you had phrased it this way, I would have agreed with you. I don't think the EU cares (or should care) if Microsoft required Firefox, or even what any other OS supplier required. Their remedy seems to address the right problem, from my perspective. If the EU believes that there is a market failure, then they probably also believe that those who are already running something other than IE are already aware of browser choice. It is only those people who are running IE that may be living in ignorance of other browsers. It feels like a very targeted remedy.