News - Mozilla offers to help EC in Microsoft investigation

[HEXUS]

Open source web browser offers its expertise to European Commission in Internet Explorer case.

Read more.

[0iD]

Aaaah, blessem, how thoughtful ...

[Grey M@a]

Aaaah, blessem, how thoughtful ...

Yeah bless em :/

I suppose they have to do something, if Google gets any further with Chrome I reckon Google could do themselves a favour pulling the donations to Mozilla and continuing with their own browsers

Although I still don't get why they are saying it's unfair that IE is bundled with windows I mean, OS X you have Safari forced upon you out the box, most Linux distributions force firefox on your these days and Windows comes with IE. They are all as bad as each other, if they are going to do one rule for MS and a rule for the rest, they need to make all OS's come browser free imo.

Notice how Opera has kept well out of it, they don't have any OS tie's and they make probably one of the better browsers out there but still they don't moan about an unfair market.

[Subnet1]

This is silly. Of course Microsoft should bundle IE with Windows. If someone buys a PC and have no other computers. How are they expected to download an alternative browser? You need IE installed to be able to download other browsers. Besides, what about Mac OS X and Safari? I'm not defending IE in any way as I am an avid Chrome user but I'm sure that people just like to attack Microsoft.

[Ferral]

Way I see it is that people have the choice to use whatever they want regardless of what is installed with the machine. I installed Firefox for my mother in law but she still prefers to use IE.

This seems to keep popping up and biting MS in the rear every few years!

Isn't IE actually built into the framework of Windows now? You open up Windows Explorer etc and it has address bars for searching and what not.

[Infinite]

Such a low blow from Mozilla, thought they would be better than that.

[scaryjim]

I can just imagine it. I buy a retail copy of Windows 7, set up my wireless network, and decide to download an antivirus and different browser. But ON NOES!!?! I don't have a browser installed in my operating system so I can't browse to the websites to get the download packages!! Maybe Mozilla's plan is to make Microsoft bundle Mozilla with Windows instead of IE?

[Funkstar]

Actually, MS could make configure things that would allow you to download any browser you choose, even presenting you with a list, without haveing "Internet Explorer" available.

All the components of IE would still be there, like the rendering engine, HTTP components, etc. These are needed for Windows update and much of windows itself after all.

On first run, just have a screen appear which is really a page from the MS site asking which browser you would like, they are all available to download, including a small configuration file that enables IE as a full browser.

Job done.

Isn't IE actually built into the framework of Windows now? You open up Windows Explorer etc and it has address bars for searching and what not.

It's not just Windows that would have to be re-written to completely remove IE, Office would, so would many third party apps that rely on the freely available components that are there in every Windows PC. There would also be a problem distinguishing between .NET components and IE I think.

[0iD]

Or just use Opera

[Subnet1]

On first run, just have a screen appear which is really a page from the MS site asking which browser you would like, they are all available to download, including a small configuration file that enables IE as a full browser.

But wouldn't this page be rendered using IE components?

[Funkstar]

But wouldn't this page be rendered using IE components?

Indeed it would. But just because the components of IE are there (to stop a lot of third party software breaking), doesn't mean there has to be a functioning browser.

A bit like having all the ingredients in the fridge, you just have to cook them before they become a meal

(dodgy analogy, but i have the ingredients for a lamb curry in the fridge to make tonight and I'm looking forward to it)

[scaryjim]

Isn't IE actually built into the framework of Windows now? You open up Windows Explorer etc and it has address bars for searching and what not.

It certainly was in earlier versions - 98 and XP in particular. I think it got more separated in Vista. I've not had enough of an explore of 7 to see if it's been divided out any further. I'd much prefer IE to be completely uninstallable - I've seen it corrupted too often and you just can't get rid of it to do a clean install. Very frustrating.

[Zadock]

I don't think its unreasonable for a software developer to integrate a browser developed in house it reduces the chances of any incompatibility. Besides once people have installed windows they have the choice to download and install an alternative browser.

Would also like to point out that Firefox is integrated into the vast majority of Linux distros, and there is a fair few... Mozilla getting a bit greedy I think.

[Funkstar]

And to counter the Mozilla foundation, we have Firefox architect Mike Connor:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/246913/f...h-windows.html

Apparently you can't claim bundling leads to market share with a straight face. So he's claiming that the EU is wrong and should let MS bundle whatever they like?

[superscaper]

Maybe Notepad++ should help the EU investigate the uncompetitive nature of MS by having Windows coming with Notepad pre-installed. Or maybe EA should sue because MS dare to have Solitaire installed which is obviously harming the innovation in the games industry.

Personally I think there's absolutely no case to answer unless MS were precluding the ability of installing third party browsers.

[Biscuit]

I think its a complete load of ****e and the EC should stick their heads up a zebras arse but... having the ability to install firefox from the start would be great. As mentioned before, if done on windows this rule has to apply to the other bought operating systems which have a choice of browser namely O SX. There is litereally no reason what so ever that they can get away with saying microsoft have to do it but not apple.