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Filed under: News, Microsoft, Browsers

EU approves Microsoft's browser ballot screen for 5-year stint

by Lee Mathews Oct 7th 2009

Back in July, Microsoft thought they had a pretty solid compromise to put before EU regulators with their web browser ballot screen. Concerns were raised throughout the process -- first by Opera and later by Mozilla's brass -- but it looks as though the EU is giving Microsoft the go-ahead.

According to Nelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition Policy, the ballot screen will include the twelve most popular browsers in the EU. To make the cut, a browser must be among the top dozen in usage share in the EU territory.

Kroes' spoke favorably of Microsoft's efforts:

The Commission's preliminary view is that Microsoft's commitments would indeed address our competition concerns.

Microsoft's proposal in particular recognises the principle that consumers should be given a free and effective choice of web browser. It would empower all current and future users of Windows in Europe to choose which browser they wished to use. It would therefore have a direct and immediate impact on the market.

Does this mean we won't be hearing any more about this issue? Likely not. First and foremost, the deployment is being considered "market testing" at this point. On top of that, not much has changed since Opera first complained about the ballot screen and the install process also isn't as simple as Mozilla wanted it to be.

The approved screen will include "more information" buttons for each browser and download links, but that seems to have been enough to satisfy the EU. Microsoft has indeed enabled users to make a choice - figuring out how to get another browser completely installed is going to be up to the end user.

At least for now. The EU has included a review clause so the commission can ensure the ballot screen is "working properly" over the next five years.

Tags: ballot-screen, browser-ballot, competition, ec, eu, internet-explorer, monopoly

Filed under: Fun, Games, Web

Monopoly City Streets turns Google Maps into a game board

by Jay Hathaway Sep 9th 2009


Monopoly is a beloved board game classic that's sold plenty of copies thanks to licensed city-specific editions of its game board, and there are also various electronic and online versions of the game, but none of that compares to Monopoly City Streets. For City Streets, Parker Brothers has used Google maps to create a live, global game of Monopoly with real cities as the game board. Yes, that means that you can own (almost) any street in the world.

The building possibilities are also beefed up, with castles and skyscrapers. Chance cards have changed a bit, too: now they're used to build hazards on your competitors' property. To counteract hazards, you have to get a bulldozer card. With all of this building and demolishing, Monopoly City Streets sounds more like a hybrid of Monopoly and Sim City than a straight-up Monopoly game. Maybe, as the game's website claims, this will be epic fun. If nothing else, this is one time Google can be glad to hear its name in the same sentence as "monopoly."

The game opens today at 6 p.m. GMT / 1 p.m. EST, so you'd better be ready if you want to be one of the first players out of the gate and snap up your favorite property.


[via AppScout]

Tags: game, google maps, GoogleMaps, monopoly, monopoly city streets, MonopolyCityStreets, parker brothers, ParkerBrothers

Filed under: Business, Microsoft, Browsers

Microsoft, OEMs forced to bundle Firefox, Chrome by the EU?

by Lee Mathews Jan 27th 2009


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?

Tags: european-commission, legal, monopoly, windows

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Web services, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!

Google doesn't like Microsoft's bid for Yahoo

by Romeo Wahed Feb 4th 2008

Flickr: candescenceGoogle's David Drummond adds his two cents on the Microsoft proposal to acquire Yahoo, and well, let's say he's not too pleased about the situation. He raises the issue that the Internet was founded on "openness and innovation" and worries that this "hostile" maneuver by Microsoft may be an attempt to close the Internet in a way similar to how Microsoft has exerted its influence in the PC market in the past.

In particular, he points out that Microsoft and Yahoo combined have a large share of the web-based email and IM market, and that if the deal goes through Microsoft may try to limit users from using competitor's services. Which granted, may be something that Google would have had to worry about back in, say, 1998, but does it really have to now?

Interestingly enough, Microsoft feels the same way - stating that Google already gets most of the world's paid search revenues and therefore thinks that in order to create an upset, combining forces with Yahoo is the only way to increase competition on the online marketplace.

It may be that this is payback for all the fuss Microsoft made about Google's acquisition of DoubleClick, or just a nice way for Google to align itself with all that is open, good, and innovative, while framing Microsoft as a dark force that will cast a shadow over the world with its monopolistic claws. But, like the folks over at Silicon Alley Insider said, the chances that Microsoft will establish a monopoly online or anywhere else is highly unlikely (Apple, Linux, um, Google?).

Ultimately, for the end user, this is going to be a good game to watch as the industry big shots continue to step on each other's toes. Worst case scenario, we get some more applications and services as a result of these companies wrestling for market share.

[via Silicon Alley Insider]

Tags: acquisition, google, microsoft, monopoly, yahoo

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