Microsoft proposes retrospective browser ballot

Stephen Withers
Monday, 27 July 2009 05:33

IT Industry - Development

In any case, the proposal allows Microsoft to provide "Consideration to any OEM with respect to any Microsoft web browser where that Consideration is commensurate with the absolute level or amount of that OEM’s development, distribution, promotion, or licensing of that web browser."

It is also free to enter into joint ventures that limit the resulting technology to Microsoft's operating systems or web browsers.

On the other hand, Microsoft would be disallowed from "providing Consideration" in return for an OEM not supplying or promoting a competing browser. Nor would the company be allowed to retaliate against an OEM for "developing, using, distributing, promoting or supporting" a competing browser.

A mock up of the ballot screen lists (in order) Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Opera, with room for additional browsers. Each browser is represented by a 150 by 80 pixel image and a description of up to 20 words.

The proposal is that it will provide a horizontal list of "the most widely-used web browsers that run on Windows with a usage share of equal to or more than 0.5 percent in the EEA as measured semi-annually by a source commonly agreed between Microsoft and the European Commission", providing that not more than ten browsers are listed, that each is actively offered by its vendor, and only one browser will be listed per vendor.

The five most widely used browsers will be prominently displayed, but participating vendors must agree to allow the installation of their browser without including any additional software in the same download.

The ballot screen is a web page, so it can easily be changed without altering Windows. The plan is to update it monthly.

Interestingly, the ballot screen does not apply only to Windows 7. Microsoft's proposal includes a plan to use Windows Update to deliver the ballot to existing European users of XP and Vista between three and six months after the EC adopts the proposal. It would be delivered to Windows 7 users from the date of the new operating system's general release or within two weeks of the EC's decision.

Subsequent PC client operating systems would include the ballot screen from the day they are generally available.

What's the EC's initial response? And what is Microsoft proposing with regard to interoperability? Find out on page 3.