The European Commission has finally accepted the proposal from Microsoft that will provide a pop-up during the first Internet connection so that the user chooses a browser.

From early 2008 to late 2009

The announcement concludes an investigation and discussions that began in January 2008 ("Microsoft and the European Union: the return") follows a complaint by Opera, which felt that the default installation of Internet Explorer Windows was an abuse of dominant position in Redmond.

Initially, Microsoft had planned to sell Windows 7 without IE8 to met the Commission had made its objections in January 2009 ("The EU against Microsoft: the new episode"). Windows 7 E was beneficial to the Europeans who benefited from advance orders to buy a full version at the price of a version update.

The problem is that Windows 7 E quickly proved unsatisfactory since the installation of a browser was, is difficult for people without access to a computer or a USB key allowing them to download the executable of their choice or pay, because he had to buy the CD installation of its free browser, a roof for a measure to promote competition is the consumer ("Install a browser on Windows 7 E).

It is therefore understandable why Windows 7 E has been abandoned in favor of a window allowing the user to choose his browser and install automatically. Initially, the options were arranged alphabetically, but responds to complaints of Mozilla and Opera, which met behind Safari and IE, Microsoft has decided that the classification would be random.

Firefox Will he finally prevail?

The Commissioners have officially announced they were satisfied with this measure to be put in place next March and will last for at least 5 years. It remains now to see the impact it will have on market share of browsers while Firefox has already surpassed IE in some countries of Eastern Europe like Hungary.