Opera Software states UK downloads of its Opera 10.50 web browser have improved by 85% since Microsoft made its 'browser choice screen' available.

The "web browser choice screen" was available in March, and is part of a suggestion by the software developer to help settle the EU's antitrust study, which was flashed by a complaint filed by the Norwegian browser developer in December 2007.
The screen provides twelve different browsers -- a mix of popular programs like Firefox, Google Chrome and Opera, along with lesser-known browsers likes Sleipnir, Green Browser, Maxthon, Avant and Flock.

It is available to Windows computers that use IE as the default browser through the Windows Update system, which is used to offers security patches.

"This verifies that when users are given a real option on how they select the most important part of software on their PC, the browser, they will try out alternatives," said Hkon Wium Lie, CTO at Opera. "A multitude of browsers will make the web more standardized and easier to browse."