EUROPEAN COMMISSION DOESN’T LIKE WINDOWS MINUS BROWSER
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
12.06.2009 20:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Microsoft Corp. will reduce users’ choices by making
a separate version of the Windows 7 operating software for Europe
that does not include its Internet Explorer Web browser. European
officials think, that consumers should be offered several browsers
to choose instead of removing the only one.
EU stated earlier that the software maker’s practice of selling
Internet Explorer as a part of Windows violates its antitrust
rules. The EU ordered Microsoft to separate the Web surfing software
from its PC operating system. The preliminary decision came after
a yearlong investigation into complaints from a competitor browser
maker, Norway’s Opera Software ASA, which said Microsoft’s practices
resulted in an unfair distribution advantage. Since then, Mozilla
Corp., which makes the Firefox browser, and Google Inc., have signed
on as third parties against Microsoft in the case. Oracle, Sun and
IBM also joined Opera.
Microsoft’s browser is the most widely used worldwide, but Firefox
is gaining in popularity and Google, the top Web search provider,
has released its own Web browser, Chrome.
In a previous antitrust case the EC found the company had violated
competition rules by bundling its media player software with Windows
and by making it difficult for competitors’ programs to communicate
with Microsoft’s.
Opera has not liked Microsoft’s decision. The corporation is certain,
that consumers should be offered a choice and since sanctions will
be applied only in Europe, Associated Press reports.