EU anti-trust matters

[silverj]

Hi All

One more while I'm in the mood to shamelessly ask questions. I remember reading about the EU anti-trust stuff and Windows 7 and at one time there was going to be no browser installed with Windows 7 at all, with the special Euro versions of Win7.
Then this was modified such that the user was to be offered a browser choice screen, so he/she could select the browser of choice.

Having just been installing Win 7, I'm surprised to see that I get IE installed by default, with no browser choice at all.
Have the EU rules been ignored completely by MS, or have I missed something? Why can I STILL not have an Internet Explorer free windows? (At least nominally, I don't care if it is still there in the background.)

Yours frustratedly,
silverj

 

[Kougar]

I believe only users outside the US are prompted to choose their own browser during the initial bootup. You can still remove IE8 completely or install any browser you want.

 

[davehc]

As Kougar says. It is still free choice. You can browse and read the history of the legal issue, but in the end Microsoft won the argument and supplied a working OS with immediate and automatic access to the web, on an overall International basis. It is your privilige to disable IE entirely and install your own Browser.

 

[silverj]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I am in Europe and so thought I would be getting this new ballot screen, that's all.
However, on doing some more reading, it seems that there were further developments this month; the bureaucrats in the EU seem as slow as ever and haven't accepted the browser ballot proposal yet. If it is eventually agreed, it will be pushed out through Windows Update!

Should you be interested in the PCWorld link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/173298/microsofts_ballot_screen_may_not_close_antitrust_case.html

It seems you were right davehc - Microsoft won in the end, as always!

 

[Kougar]

SIlverj, thanks for the link!

Last I heard it was a done and done deal and all wrapped up... after reading your link I'm simply appalled... it's just absurd. Given the EU legal requirements of a delay for comments + Microsoft's 8-week window to implement the final signed-off agreement, it will be next year before anything is actually done. Longer if any more changes must be made and more comments taken.