Microsoft will offer users in the European Union with a choice to select their own Internet browser when they install Windows 7. Microsoft announced this to be compliant with European Union’s legislation that prevents market monopoly.
When users install Windows 7 for the first time, they will be displayed with a “ballot” screen which will offer them the choice installing the top five browsers in the market. These browsers are Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Google’s Chrome and Apple Safari. When a browser is selected, the browser will be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website and installed on the user’s system. Microsoft announced that the five browsers were chosen based on the overall market share during the last six months.
Microsoft is awaiting judgment from EU before this feature is integrated into the future versions of Windows 7. The move was welcomed by the EC which says it is the result of “extensive discussions”. The ballot screen will also be available to PC manufacturers using the E-version of Windows 7.
The E-version of Windows 7 is a special version which excludes Internet Explorer. This version will be released to the countries of the European Union. The version was created in response to EC allegations that Microsoft was harming the market by bundling Internet Explorer 8 with Windows.
Earlier in 2005, Microsoft released versions of Windows Xp called “N Editions” to European Union (EU) countries. The N Editions were designed to satisfy an EU antitrust ruling against the software giant which stipulated that Microsoft must ship a version of Windows XP that did not include Windows Media Player (WMP) or any associated files.
Editor’s Note: Someone asked, “How can anyone install Firefox (or another browser) if Windows 7 is released with no Internet Explorer?”
–> It is not always necessary to have a browser to download and install files from the Internet. Microsoft may use some java like application based on Silverlight or something else that will allow the user to download and install the browser of choice.