Tag: EC

The European Commission responded earlier today to the petition submitted by the 'Gang of Six' web browsers seeking "any of a myriad of small changes" to alert users of the 7 browser choices not initially displayed on Microsoft's new European Browser Choice update dialog. In an email to CNet writer Stephen Shankland, EC spokeswoman Amelia Torres writes: "The elements of the Choice Screen were ...

While the count was at three release candidates in two days when I started checking my RSS feeds this morning, it's now up to four. Yes, Opera has dropped the beta tag and is feverishly working toward a final version of Opera 10.50 for Windows. Their site is literally buzzing with activity, from the message boards to the desktop team's blog. Why the rush? What could possibly be so important ...

Starting next month, users in the EU will begin receiving a Windows update which finally implements the browser ballot screen which was approved in December 2009. The update adds a new shortcut to the desktop labeled "Browser Choice" and on Windows 7 it will also replace Internet Explorer on the taskbar if a user happens to have it pinned there. Launching the shortcut opens a window which ...

Back in July, Microsoft thought they had a pretty solid compromise to put before EU regulators with their web browser ballot screen. Concerns were raised throughout the process -- first by Opera and later by Mozilla's brass -- but it looks as though the EU is giving Microsoft the go-ahead. According to Nelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition Policy, the ballot screen will include the ...

Like sand through the hourglass, the browser ballot soap opera continues with a a whole new set of interesting developments. Yesterday, ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley poked around the small print of the Microsoft proposal and noticed existing Windows XP and Vista users are slated to receive the ballot screen via Windows update. From the release: "Microsoft will distribute a Ballot Screen software update ...

Microsoft has signed off on the Windows 7 code, and they've already begun pushing it out to manufacturers. Now if they could just get that pesky little situation sorted out with the European Commission... First they offered to perform an Explorerectomy on the new OS, which would have made it a little annoying for the average user to install a browser on their new system. Not so much for geeks ...

Hey, Microsoft! The EC heard you wanted to make a concession yesterday and were considering stripping IE8 from Windows 7 in Europe. Well, they've got two words for you: Nice try. The Commission's press release this morning states "As for retail sales...the Commission had suggested to Microsoft that consumers be provided with a choice of web browsers. Instead Microsoft has apparently decided to ...

Microsoft doesn't want to be fined like anyone, so they are appealing the ruling on a $350 million fine by the European Commission. Microsoft has since the ruling produced a version of Windows XP that does not include Windows Media Player easing some of the problem, but the EC still says they owe the fine $1.5 million for each day they did not comply with the EC's anti-trust ruling. The bad thing ...