Windows 7 SP1 "technical error" violated Microsoft's antitrust deal

[nsane.forums]

Microsoft didn't offer the EU "browser ballot," says a fix is in the works.

The European Commission is investigating Microsoft's failure to offer European users of 28 million Windows 7 PCs a choice of Web browsers, which Microsoft is required to do under a December 2009 antitrust agreement.

Windows PCs on which Internet Explorer is the default browser are supposed to notify users that they don't actually have to use Microsoft's browser. Instead, users are explicitly told they can choose the likes of Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Opera through a "browser ballot" screen:

The browser choice screen displayed to European Union users of Windows.

Microsoft lived up to its commitment on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and the original version of Windows 7. But when the first service pack for Windows 7 was released in February 2011, the browser choice screen had been stripped out—apparently by accident. The EC announced today that it has opened a proceeding against Microsoft and that the company could face sanctions including a fine of "up to 10 percent of its total annual turnover."

Microsoft has issued a statement admitting the mistake, saying, "Due to a technical error, we missed delivering the BCS software to PCs that came with the service pack 1 update to Windows 7." Microsoft began looking into the problem in July of this year, after the European Commission notified the company of reports that some users weren't getting the browser choice screen. Microsoft is already rolling out the browser choice screen to affected users through its Windows update process and says it expects to "substantially complete distribution of the BCS software to the PCs we initially missed by the end of the week."

Besides fixing the problem, Microsoft has retained outside counsel to conduct a formal investigation into how the technical error happened. A report will be provided to the European Commission. Microsoft has also offered to extend by 15 months the time in which it is required to offer European users the browser choice screen. Currently, the requirement is set to expire in December 2014.

"We understand that the Commission will review this matter and determine whether this is an appropriate step for Microsoft to take," Microsoft said. "We understand that the Commission may decide to impose other sanctions."

View: Original Article

[sanjoa]

Yes! A technical error. Are you kidding?? That was made because they want everybody to use IE instead of other browsers.

[T4C Fantasy]

the comission shouldnt even have a right to do this, lets make all linux and mac users have this bcs software aswel to make it fair.

[manju]

linux users, dependind on the distro chosed, comes with a browser or two (caixa magica kde comes with konkeror and offer's firefox on caixa magica (portuguese ubuntu based distro)). microsoft doesn't give you any choise out of the box, unless IE, wich it is used to pop-up that alert choise windows....

[myidisbb]

im sorry but im with microsoft on this. this is the biggest bs ever. if you are too stupid that you do not know you can use a different browser on your computer you shouldlose the right to vote.

microsft really needs to tell the EU to FFO KUF

[DKT27]

1. I totally support EU's browser ballot. Think it this way: would IE, which is probably the second most unsecure and targeted software EVER, be used as much as it was if EU's browser ballot existed everywhere in the world? Why criminals targeted it? Because not only it was most used, it was, note: was, very easy to find holes in it. Internet would have been in a better place if people, noobs specifically, knew that there were other browsers out there. Even if we don't blame IE, options are always better.

2. SP1 was released on Feb 2011, that is 18 months ago, and no one noticed it? No M$ nor users?

3. I'm ready to give M$ benefit of doubt, however, I still don't buy that no one from M$ actually knew what had happened, that, for 18 months.

[johndoe]

there actually are a lot of windows users out there who are ignorant of the fact that there is such a thing as alternate browsers available besides the IE6/7/8/9 which came pre-installed on their box. then there may be users who are aware of such a thing as an alternate to IE but are unaware of how to or why actually they should switch to another browser when the piece of shit that came pre-installed works just fine (or so they think ;))

there actually are also people around that purposefully go around installing various toolbars on their browsers (IE or otherwise) :D

also, not to defend anyone (MS or IE), there are claims that IE9 has come a long way since IE6 in terms of stability and safety/security and is worthy of being used as the main browser on a windows pc

[myidisbb]

i can tell you the usa government and its states do not like IE 9. i think it turns off some of their spying etc

[heyheyhey007]

I doubt this was just a "technical error", sneaky M$ thought they could pull a fast one. Instead of making a browser worth using just make the competition disappear.

[eqagunn]

Those problems Microsoft is facing with WMP and IE simply shouldn't be there.

I mean, it's their OS, and because of that, they should have right to ship their products with it.

It's should be up to users to search for alternatives by themselves if they need them so bad.

It's like you are producing a car, and shipping it with your own seats.

And now because of god knows what reasons, you are supposed to ship seatless car,

with a note that there are other seat maker out there. Simply said, it's stupid.

Those users who are not aware there are other browsers out there won't be any happier by being informed of the mentioned.

All they need from their browser is for it to be able to open their favorite news site, and the one they are used to does exactly that.

[DKT27]

What if the seat is very very uncomfortable? What is being done here is that before installing the car seats, users are given an option.

[eqagunn]

I agree, this is a positive thing for users as they are being given an option.

But manufacturer is the one being bullied here, and the only reason is because their sales are so god-damn high.

Yes, I understand this is here to give other developers a chance, but they are doing quite fine without it, and thus this is unnecessary.

I'm going to quit this conversation now before others proclaim me Microsoft fan boy, I don't want that. :D

[johndoe]

DKT is right, the seats installed by said "car manufacturer" are particularly uncomfortable, thorny in fact ;)

While I've never personally encountered the browser choices/selection dialog pictured in the first post, never having used the EU version of windows, what that does is, in essence, inform the car's buyer that you have purchased a car without seats preinstalled but that seats are available for you free of cost made by various different manufacturers and if you would be so kind as to pick which one you would like, we would gladly install it for you! :)

Also, IMHO, it would actually be beneficial for non-EU Windows end-users as well since, like I said in an earlier post, quite a few users are not that tech savvy to be able to install a third-party browser... but opting to do something that would benefit end-users would be very un-M$ like ;)

[Olexijl]

Simply bookmark http://www.browserchoice.eu in your Google bookmarks or elsewhere... Or go to http://94.245.114.253