Microsoft and the European Union have finally settled their long-running dispute over the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.
It concludes a lengthy tussle with the European authorities, who upheld Opera's complaint that Microsoft was unfairly squeezing rivals out of the market.
The agreement sees Microsoft agree to:
■Send XP, Vista and Windows 7 users a "browser choice" screen that gives them a random selection of 12 browsers to choose from
■Allow PC makers to install the browser of their choice on new PCs and switch off Internet Explorer
■Not "retaliate" against PC makers who choose to pre-install an alternative browser
The measures will allow Microsoft to escape further punishment from the EU, which has already fined the company more than 1.6 billion Euros for antitrust offences.
Microsoft has 13 weeks to roll out the browser choice screen, which will appear via Windows updates on existing PCs. On new PCs, the browser ballot screen will only appear if Internet Explorer is set as the default browser; if a PC manufacturer decides to pre-install Google Chrome, for example, the user will be offered no alternatives.
Users will be allowed to choose from the dozen most widely-used web browsers. However, they won't be barraged with a host of unfamiliar names. "The Choice Screen will prominently display the Final Releases of the five highest ranked web browsers based on usage share in the EEA (i.e. only these browsers will be immediately visible without requiring any user action under typical user settings)," the settlement states.
This is a victory for the future of the web - Opera
"These five web browsers will be displayed in random order each time the Choice Screen is presented. The remaining seven browsers will be displayed if the user scrolls sideways and will also be displayed in random order."
The EU has clearly foreseen the danger of Microsoft stuffing the list with the seven different versions of Internet Explorer: each vendor is allowed only entry on the browser ballot screen. "Other than Internet Explorer, the Choice Screen may not contain any web browser which is based on Internet Explorer’s rendering engine and the development or distribution of which is funded in whole or in substantial part by Microsoft," the settlement adds.
Welcome move
The settlement has been welcomed by Opera, the Norwegian browser maker that kick-started proceedings. "This is a victory for the future of the web," claims Opera's CEO Jon von Tetzchner. "This decision is also a celebration of open web standards, as these shared guidelines are the necessary ingredients for innovation on the web."
Microsoft says it's also pleased proceedings have reached a conclusion. "As we’ve said before, we are embarking on a path that will require significant change within Microsoft," the company says in a statement. "Nevertheless, we believe that these are important steps that resolve these competition law concerns. This is an important day and a major step forward, and we look forward to building a new foundation for the future in Europe."
Microsoft has also given a "public undertaking" that it will share technical documentation and aid interoperability with Windows, Windows Server, Office, Exchange, and SharePoint products
