15 May 2006 | Author: R. Green
This is bad news for Google who have claimed that Microsoft had deliberately made it difficult for users to change the browser settings which come embedded in IE7. "Changing the search engine may be simple by Microsoft's standards," claimed a statement from Google, "But if it were truly simple, users would be able to change the default with one click - and that change would be sticky. Microsoft could have easily designed it that way. Instead, they've built it so users have to go through multiple steps to choose a search engine."
Following a review of Windows Vista and IE7, the Justice Department announced that they felt that the new systems did respect the default choices of users and the computer manufacturers and were in fact, contrary to claims, easy to change.
The issue of which search engine is default is extremely important to the likes of Google and Yahoo! as the new ruling means that, as IE is by far the most widely used browser around the world, most consumers using IE will probably continue to use the default Microsoft search facilities integrated into the browser when looking for online content. This will vastly increase the number of potential targets for Microsoft controlled advertising streams, and taking away vast potential revenues from the other search providers.
Other browsers such as Firefox and Safari use Google as their default, however these have not come under fire as traditionally they have made it easy to change the defaults to other search engines and they are not placed in the unique position inhabited by IE - which automatically comes bundled on new computers along with the Windows operating system.
The Justice Department has also just closed another investigation after an accommodation was reached between Microsoft and the complainant regarding other antitrust complaints against Windows Vista - principally concerning the ease with which computer manufacturers are able to customize the "first boot" experience within Vista to promote non-Microsoft based enabling technology.
Although these represent significant victories for Microsoft, they are still not out of the water when it comes to antitrust legislation. The Justice Department has recently sought to extend the settlement terms over a previous antitrust case, and is still highly critical of the company due to the industry monopoly of the Windows operating systems and for their "foot-dragging" over making information available to companies interested in licensing the communications protocols, although some significant steps are being made.
Microsoft off the hook?
Over the past few months Microsoft has been the centre of a lot of unwanted attention regarding anti-trust issues surrounding much of its new or soon to be released software. Finally, however, there is some good news for the workers in Redmond as the US Department of Justice has now said that it can see nothing wrong with the latest incarnation of Microsoft's internet browser IE7 using their own search engine as the default.This is bad news for Google who have claimed that Microsoft had deliberately made it difficult for users to change the browser settings which come embedded in IE7. "Changing the search engine may be simple by Microsoft's standards," claimed a statement from Google, "But if it were truly simple, users would be able to change the default with one click - and that change would be sticky. Microsoft could have easily designed it that way. Instead, they've built it so users have to go through multiple steps to choose a search engine."
Following a review of Windows Vista and IE7, the Justice Department announced that they felt that the new systems did respect the default choices of users and the computer manufacturers and were in fact, contrary to claims, easy to change.
The issue of which search engine is default is extremely important to the likes of Google and Yahoo! as the new ruling means that, as IE is by far the most widely used browser around the world, most consumers using IE will probably continue to use the default Microsoft search facilities integrated into the browser when looking for online content. This will vastly increase the number of potential targets for Microsoft controlled advertising streams, and taking away vast potential revenues from the other search providers.
Other browsers such as Firefox and Safari use Google as their default, however these have not come under fire as traditionally they have made it easy to change the defaults to other search engines and they are not placed in the unique position inhabited by IE - which automatically comes bundled on new computers along with the Windows operating system.
The Justice Department has also just closed another investigation after an accommodation was reached between Microsoft and the complainant regarding other antitrust complaints against Windows Vista - principally concerning the ease with which computer manufacturers are able to customize the "first boot" experience within Vista to promote non-Microsoft based enabling technology.
Although these represent significant victories for Microsoft, they are still not out of the water when it comes to antitrust legislation. The Justice Department has recently sought to extend the settlement terms over a previous antitrust case, and is still highly critical of the company due to the industry monopoly of the Windows operating systems and for their "foot-dragging" over making information available to companies interested in licensing the communications protocols, although some significant steps are being made.
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