Thread: Microsoft recommends another IE browser

Microsoft has given the European launch of its system inviting users to choose a browser other than Internet Explorer. Accessible from Windows Update, it is the realization of negotiations with the European Commission.

Epilogue
The Commissioners had accepted the proposal from Microsoft last December and Redmond had until mid-March to deploy this device. Ahead of schedule, the firm has already started shipping the latest encouraging users to choose a browser.

Microsoft reminds you that you have the choice
Specifically, software is downloaded from the module to update Windows. It installs and detects what is your default browser. If the program discovers it is Internet Explorer, it will open a window offering you to choose from a variety of browsers. Note that the first five results (Chrome, Opera, Safari, Firefox and IE) are displayed in random order, as are seven others that are not visible from the first glance since it is necessary to scroll page.

Microsoft installs third-party browser
If your default browser is not Internet Explorer, Microsoft will not launch the program and nothing will happen. The updates applies to Windows XP, Vista and IE 7 and remove the Quick Launch toolbar, but users wishing to send their browser will do it manually.

It is possible to start the installation of a third since the browser window or choose to access additional information about each software. It should now see if this will affect the market share of browsers.


Microsoft already criticized
In all cases, Microsoft has been criticized for using the domain name browserchoice.eu giving less confidence microsoft.com and could deter more careful in using this window, treating as an ordinary pop-ups. The code that displays the first five random choices is also discussed and browsers are not treated the same way.

Indeed, Internet Explorer, Chrome is more likely to land in the top three. It is for example in the third position twice as Safari, which is very often the fourth and fifth IE falls mostly. The same code running on Firefox, give different results. In principle, each choice should occupy a given position in only about 20% of cases.

The problem is that developers who designed the choice did not use a confirmed algorithm to make a random outcome, but have used the function Math.random () and fill the table sequentially "(0, 1, 2, 3, 4). Though, in practice, this system is not as well-organized as algorithms like Fisher-Yates shuffle because of problems related to sorting data.