We've all heard the anti-trust tirades before, but the EU just doesn't want to let up on Microsoft. They're not happy with claims that OEMs are "free to include other web browsers." Nope. That just won't cut it.

The answer: more bloat for the end user! Yes, the European Commission is considering forcing OEMs to distribute alternative browsers with their systems. As someone who works in the retail computer business, I cringe at this news.

Don't get me wrong - I load Firefox on every system I build, if for nothing else but backup when a customer overloads IE with toolbars and rogue ActiveX controls. But that doesn't mean I'd want a government body forcing me to install software that I might not otherwise.

Let's think about this for a minute, EU guys.

Windows also includes some other things that have competitors: Wordpad, Paint, Media Player, Defender, and Remote Desktop Connection, to name a few. Does that mean that a new PC will have to include Jarte, AbiWord, Gimp, Paint.Net, WinAmp, VLC, GOM Player, Media Monkey, AdAware, SpyBot, MalwareBytes AntiMalware, Kerio, Comodo, ZoneAlarm, PC Anywhere, VNC, TeamViewer, and a slew of other apps whose functionality Microsoft has built in to Windows?

Where does it end?

And why do I get the feeling that, ultimately, the consumer is going to get the short end of the stick?