Opera: Microsoft's 'minor tweak' of Windows 7 not enough (ARNnet)

[News]

Opera Software, the Norwegian browser maker that sparked an antitrust investigation into Microsoft business practices in Europe, remains dissatisfied with its rival's move to dump IE8 from Windows 7.

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[PcBoyGeorge]

Will oprea shut up. No one what their chappy slow browser and hardly anyone will download it so they should shut their mouths.

 

[ickymay]

what Hakon Wium Lie, Opera's chief technology officer, is asking for is "Opera wants the EU to order Microsoft to insert a ballot screen into Windows; the screen would offer users several browser choices that would then either be activated -- if all were pre-installed on the machine -- or downloaded and installed."

If microshaft where being truly helpful with this then they would have setup the option suggested by Hakon Wium Lie and the European Commission, instead of withdrawing browser support completely, acting like a petulant child

 

[cybercore]

Opera Software, the Norwegian browser maker that sparked an antitrust investigation into Microsoft business practices in Europe, remains dissatisfied with its rival's move to dump IE8 from Windows 7.

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Opera files EU antitrust suit against Microsoft:

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as I see it Opera "says Microsoft is abusing its dominant position in the desktop PC market by offering only Internet Explorer as a standard part of Windows, and hindering interoperability by not following accepted standards with IE." and wants "to force Microsoft to unbundle IE from Windows, or include other browsers as a standard part of its operating system. It also wants it to require Microsoft to adhere to industry standards with its Web browser.

The issue of standards is seen as important because if all Web browsers do not use the same standards, Web site developers are likely to design their Web sites to work with the most widely used browser, which is Internet Explorer. That gives people a disincentive to use other browsers."


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I use Opera as my primary browser which I prefer to all other browses, but from this article I can't see the grounds for accusations : Microsoft makes its OS for which it charges money, and it indeed must incude a browser and other necessary components. Then, it is up to a user to install other 3rd-party alternative products, and as long as Microsoft does not discriminate other developers, it can hardly be accused of anything. Again, I can't see how Microsoft can loose this case.

 

[ickymay]

I guess the argument is more that microsoft are exploiting their position as the OS developer to also push their browser in the same way BMW cars might try and force you to use a certain tyre or radio on their cars ??

 

[PcBoyGeorge]

Well if they are mean enough to make microsoft remove IE. When they know more users like IE than opera. They should make apple remove safari from macs and firefox from linux. Just let ms use IE and if users want to switch they can.

Good job any new pcs you buy will have IE preinstalled.

 

[Josh the Nerd]

So Opera's complaining that the rendering engine is still there. Would they prefer users be forced to choose IE in order to run apps that need Trident?