Microsoft Ordered to Delete Browser

Associated Press / New York Times ^ | January 16, 2009

[reaganaut1]

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union said Friday that Microsoft’s practice of selling the Internet Explorer browser together with its Windows operating system violated the union’s antitrust rules.

It ordered the software giant to untie the browser from its operating system in the 27-nation union, enabling makers of rival browsers to compete fairly.

“Microsoft’s tying of Internet Explorer to the Windows operating system harms competition between Web browsers, undermines product innovation and ultimately reduces consumer choice,” the E.U. said in a statement.

It gave Microsoft eight weeks to respond, adding that the company could defend its position in a hearing if it found that useful.

[stayathomemom]

That was exactly what I was wondering. How do I install an alternate browser without internet access in the first place?

[wolfpat]

That’s true. Those computers were okay if you wanted to learn to program a computer, or if you wanted to hire someone to do software for your specific business. Otherwise they were worthless to the home user.

My first computer was a TRS-80 Model I with 4K of RAM and no disc drive. It didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t want to be a computer programmer.

[sionnsar]

The office where I worked used the CP/M machines just fine. Wordstar and Calcstar were two end-user apps I remember the folks in the front office using.

I worked for the company that made my CP/M machine and believe me, most of our sales were not to programmers or hobbyists.

[AFreeBird]

Yea, I know. I was a CNE too, been working with the stuff since 85. My first cert was actually signed (not stamped) by Ray himself.

The thing is: They actually did some good things for UNIX. Too bad they couldn't do anything with it. Now if Novell could have had MS' marketing, and MS could have had Novell's engineering...

I do like what they've been doing with Linux. SUSE is a great distro IMHO.

[DB]

So it is a crime to tie a browser to an OS and to provide said browser for free....

Strange world we live in these days...

[CaspersGh0sts]

“You want a replacement for IE? Go to the Internet and download it in one minute, and another one minute to install it.”

As I stated earlier, assuming you can get to the internet without IE installed on a new computer...

[Uri’el-2012]

It's not the business of government to tell Microsoft what it can include in its operating system.

Oh Yes it can; it is the EU.

Coming to a city near you at the end of the month.

[Rebelbase]

“Microsoft used its operating system to promote Word which killed off Word Perfect”

Word Perfect was a great program.

[gitmo]

Microsoft should start selling IE and bundling a free copy of Windows.

[gitmo]

I’m using Chrome. Didn’t cost me a penny. EU goons are idiots.

[angkor]

As I stated earlier, assuming you can get to the internet without IE installed on a new computer...

Well indeed you can.

You can configure your TCP/IP settings with the DOS command "ipconfig".

Then you can fire up DOS "ftp" and download Firefox from the Mozilla ftp server:

Index of ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/

Once downloaded via DOS ftp, you install Firefox.

So unless the EU considers MS-DOS under Windows to be "anticompetetive" - or maybe that Windows itself is "a monopoly" - you can indeed make use of many browsers without resorting to IE in any way shape or form, ever.

You can also delete the IE icons from you Windows Deskstop and Start Menu (as I did long ago) and be done with it almost forever.

The EU is fighting an amazingly stupid battle that was decided by the American computer user (aka "the American computer buyer") more than a decade ago, back in the days when there were first several GUIs (VisiOn, etc) and later many browsers (Netscape, Mosaic, etc).

[CaspersGh0sts]

Well indeed you can.

You can configure your TCP/IP settings with the DOS command "ipconfig". Then you can fire up DOS "ftp" and download Firefox from the Mozilla ftp server: Index of ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/ Once downloaded via DOS ftp, you install Firefox.

Oh, I know you can. :) But that's an awful lot of work for your average computer user. And let's face it, forcing someone to go back to MS-DOS is a bit antiquated in today's computer world.

I know we're on the same page. I just think it's absolute foolishness for the EU courts to even be talking in these terms. As so many others have stated, there's no shortage of free browsers out there.

[MarkL]

There were plenty of home computers before Microsoft. My first commercially-built computer was a CP/M machine -- an O/S that ran on different hardware platforms. CP/M-86 lost out to DOS, though, and that's where Microsoft really got its boost.

I disagree. "Home computers" at the time were for hobbyists, NOT what are today's "home users." They were for people who loved technology, wanted to program, business owners, or people who wanted to game. There were some serious parallels between the sort of person who bought a home computer and amateur radio operators.

I wonder if another company would have "stepped up" had Microsoft not come along. But I can say, with all certainty, that it was Microsoft that turned computers into what are for all intents and purposes, small home appliances, that you can pick up just about anywhere, and usable by "the masses."

Mark

[js1138]

Does this mean Apple will have to delete its browser?

[Political Junkie Too]

While they're at it, why don't they demand that TV and monitor makers stop putting speakers in their visual devices because it unfairly harms the speaker manufacturers, like Altec-Lansing and Logitech. < /sarc>

-PJ

[angkor]

OK, glad I could demonstrate some useless geekishness :)

[Nateman]

...link does not work.

Opps! Here is another try

[LexBaird]

The problem with decoupling IE is that it really isn't decoupled. Outlook and Explorer are both intertwined with the functionality as is the desktop and menus. Uninstalling IE on any windows OS since Win95 would render the GUI almost inoperable.

That's the point. By MS making Explorer intertwined with the MSOS, they give Explorer a monopolistic competitive advantage among browsers. You can use Firefox or something, but you can't NOT use Explorer. So, most Mom and Pops won't bother with Firefox.

[Colonial Warrior]

[LexBaird]

. It's sort of like the FTC demanding that automakers not be allowed to install car stereos in new automobiles, because of unfair competition

No, it's more like the car manufacturer making it so your car won't run if you remove the factory stereo, so anyone who wants that spiff Blaupunkt, that doesn't cause the electric doors to randomly unlock when you tune into some stations, has to mount it on the dashboard. Meanwhile, the POS factory stereo sits there and takes up space.