The press has mostly died off with the Microsoft EU issue but that doesn't mean it's not still there and still moving forward toward some end that we can't yet see.
Mozilla, all of the other browser vendors, toolsmiths, and every Web users have a deep stake in the outcomes. Mozilla can help amplify your voice, but only if you join the discussion and tell us what you think.
That discussion is happening at Mitchell Baker's weblog and I strongly encourage you all to read each one of these posts and offer your thoughts. This is too important an issue for all of us to be sitting on the sidelines when we could be playing a role in shaping the outcomes.
We’ve had a reasonably full discussion of the harm to browser innovation and competition caused by Microsoft’s activities. It’s time to turn to the question of an effective response from the EC. There’s already been a lot of back and forth on possible remedies ....
EC: List of Potential Principles
This post is a list of potential principles derived from the various discussions so far, plus a clarifying example or two for some of the principles. In subsequent posts I’ll say a bit more about each potential principle and how it might be ....
EC: Principle 1: Respecting Previous Choice
Principle: Microsoft must not undermine consumer selection of non-Microsoft browsers.
Rationale: Once a person has chosen Firefox or Opera or another browser this choice should be respected. Neither Windows nor IE should use the presence of IE to ....
As I look at this principle (”Windows can’t provide a technical advantage to IE”), I’m sure that there will be a set of comments asking (a) why can’t Microsoft do whatever it wants with Windows, and (b) if there are limits on Microsoft, what about Apple? So I’ve added this post to ....
EC Principle 2: Windows Must Not Provide a Technical Advantage to IE
Microsoft has used Windows to make competition in browsers difficult in a variety of ways that aren’t obviously apparent to a consumer. These techniques are generally apparent only to other developers. Some of these will seem small when considered alone. But taken together these add up to ....
EC Principle 3. Windows must enable people to choose other browsers
Some examples of what this might mean in practice summarized below from the earlier post.
* Option to download other browsers must be presented when a user is updating IE or Windows.
* IE may not become the default browser except in specified legitimate circumstances.
* Windows must ship ....
EC Principle 4: Microsoft’s financial and other incentives to distributors must be browser-neutral
Microsoft has also used a range of techniques to encourage the distribution channel (often known as “the OEMs” for “original equipment manufacturers”) to ship IE. The OEM distribution channel is a funny thing. When I started working in this industry I assumed that the OEMs would pay software vendors for the right to distribute a ....
EC Principle 5: Microsoft must educate people about other browsers
One of the results of the Windows / IE integration is that millions of people believe that the “blue e” icon IS the Internet. They are unaware of of Microsoft’s control over their online lives through this blue “e” or that they have additional choices. This principle asserts that Microsoft should participate in correcting the ....
Over 90% of the personal computer operating systems in the world are Windows. As a result, application developers often use Microsoft tools to help write programs that work with Windows, and with related technologies or products that are integrated or often used with Windows. Microsoft has a history of using its tools to lock out other ....
This potential principle has received the most criticism from the Mozilla community to date; there appears to be little support for this principle as a basis from legal requirements from the EC. This is quite different from ....
This really is important and I hope you all will spend some time to think about it and contribute to the discussion.
