Windows A la Carte – The EU Version
Saturday, January 17, 2009 at 06:09PM That’s what the next version of Windows would be called if the European Union had their choice. On Friday, the European Union sent Microsoft a Statement of Objections saying that the inclusion of Internet Explorer in windows is a violation of European completion law. Read the MS statement here.
Imagine if when you got your new computer and all it had was the operating system kernel and everything else you had to download one component at a time. If you can apply this logic to the browser, what’s next? Media player, security services, well why not, there’s 3rd party vendors offering those as well.
The irony is pick your favorite operating system today from Apple’s to Linux variants don’t they all include some browser out of the box? Isn’t that just an expectation?
NY times cited Opera Software being upset because of the bundling but my thought is shouldn’t you be allowed to bundle what ever you want if it’s your operating system? In the recent past, Microsoft has made steps to open up and make more than I would make available if it was me. For example, they have the Open Specification Promise that makes many of the specs available. If Opera wants to bundle their browser maybe they should build an operating system! I wonder if they would have the same opinion then.
What do you think, should the major operating system vendors be ordered not to include a browser?
Reader Comments (3)
I agree with you, MS should be able to put in the OS what they want, the thing is. The rules change when you have a monopoly. Apple and Linux don't have one. MS does so that's why the rules changed.
I think its hideous when IE can't be shipped anymore, There is an option to make for example FireFox the default. OEM's can even ship FF as default when they want.
What's next? Ultredit going to court for removal of Notepad?
The question is not if Windows should have a browser or not. The question is what kind of browser Windows should have, by default. Microsoft has been ignoring web standards for years, hoping to move the web towards their own proprietary technologies instead of a standard-based world. This is an abuse by a monopoly and the EU is right in pursuing them.
Windows could easily add a standards-based browser instead of IE -- I'm sure Opera, Mozilla or Apple would be happy to supply one.
Imagine you get your plain vanila Windows OS installed on your desktop or laptop. The first thing you would like to do is download a internet browser... Now here comes the tricky thing... How would you download a new browser if there is no browser software installed?
This reminds me of an old joke:
Guy in restaurant: Waiter, can you taste my soup?
Waiter: Why, is it cold?
Guy: No, please taste my soup.
Waiter: Why, is it too salty?
Guy: No, please taste my soup.
Waiter (getting annoyed): Why, is it too hot?
Guy: No, please taste my soup.
Waiter (really annoyed): OK, give me your spoon.
Guy: aha....