Opera files antitrust suit against Microsoft

Microsoft accused of stifling competition, who'd have thought it?

Microsoft seems to forever remain in court, particularly in the EU, and web browser maker Opera is looking to make that trend continue as it announced today that it has filed a complaint against Microsoft to the European Commission.

The complaint accuses Microsoft of abusing its position by bundling Internet Explorer with its Windows operating systems. Opera argues that with Windows being such a dominant platform, web designers are forced to build websites with Internet Explorer in mind and that provides a distinct reason for consumers to opt to use Internet Explorer.

In an official statement, Opera states it "requests the Commission to obligate Microsoft to unbundle Internet Explorer from Windows and/or carry alternative browsers preinstalled on the desktop". Not content at stopping there, Opera insists that Microsoft should be required to adhere to "fundamental and open Web standards accepted by the Web-authoring communities."

We're sure we haven't heard the last of this court case and we can only hope it doesn't end up with a new version of Windows for the EU: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium-ish Browserless Edition.

Official press release: Opera files antitrust complaint with the EU

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It brings to mind the question: how would you download a replacement browser if you haven't got a browser to search for a replacement with?

i'd certainly say it's true that web designers are forced to code with IE in mind, rather than the recognised standards. I've spent countless hours fiddling with particular pages within a web-application that work fine within Firefox and Opera, to work with IE and it's maddeningly self-indulgent approach to CSS and JS.

Whether or not it can be argued that they're being non-competitive by bundling it will be an interesting argument. Is there any kind of agreed thought as to how other web-browsers would be made available to the user? Presumably the primary method of delivery of alternative browsers is through download off the web (requiring some kind of browser to start with), making it a bit odd to remove it from the installation of windows in the first place.

Surely it wouldn't be Microsoft's responsibility to chase the developers of alternative browsers for distributions of their software to include into their OS install package? Indeed who would make the decision the the software was mature enough to be considered as a proper alternative to IE?

It is true enough that the OS should be modular enough to allow for bundled apps to be swapped out for third party applications however it should be more down to the user to seek out alternative applications. I might be missing the point a bit here.

I loathe IE with an absolute passion and I would wholeheartedly recommend an alternative to anyone who cared to ask, however I don't see how (excepting providing the facility to remove and replace IE) that it could be sensible to rule that microsoft should unbundle IE entirely. Taking it to the extreme, you're then giving most third party developers the precedent to argue that any software bundled with an OS should be un-bundled and alternatives provided. e.g. being pedantic, some third party chap comes along and claims MS is being anti-competitive because the function of their ‘calculator’ app is already covered by the bundled calculator app.

I like the Linux approach that you can essentially strip an OS of any unwanted features and completely specify the components you like but in reality, the majority of users out there will stick with the in-built stuff because they don't know any better and I don't see how we're ever going to see a ruling that'll prevent bundled apps.

Blademrk
It brings to mind the question: how would you download a replacement browser if you haven't got a browser to search for a replacement with?

exactly, i remember reading about the eu forcing ms to unbundle wmp and such free programs in its eu win xp cds. stupid really, why would I want to download realplayer or something else when wmp is just fine. and yea back then i questioned on how would they download if they had no ie to start with but in that article it said that they should include “Other browser software” instead of ie…

although i agree with them complying to css standards. when i was designing a website that was a nightmare. went back to tables in the end.

I really hope that Microsoft win this case..

Think about it, the average user purchases a Windows based system because they want something that works and does most standard things out of the box. They don't want to have to consider the merits of 30 different web browsers, 100 different office applications or 10 different ways to protect against viruses,

In the PC market, compition ISN'T good for the typical PC consumer because it makes things more complicated than they need to be!

The one part of the lawsuit that I think has merit, is that IE doesn't conform to standards that everyone else agrees with. Microsoft shouldn't have an automatic veto on any development of programing standards, it's a bit like the USA saying to NATO “sorry, we're gonna invade Iraq whether you want us to or not because we have the biggest army”.

Is apple not guilty of the same abuse for bundling Safari with OSX?

Opera files antitrust suit against Microsoft

Microsoft accused of stifling competition, who'd have thought it?

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