Mozilla’s non-profit mission is focused on self-determination and individual empowerment. We believe that people should have the opportunity to participate in the Web on their terms and that they should have the information they need and the technology choices available to them to ensure that their experience of the Web is under their control.
This week, as part of their settlement with the European Commission, Microsoft will begin rolling out a "browser choice screen" to all Windows users in the European Economic Area. This choice screen will be delivered by Windows Update and will offer people in Europe the opportunity to learn about the different Web browsers available to them and provide a convenient mechanism to download any of a dozen different Web browsers.
But let's not forget that the browser choice screen is just one part of Microsoft's agreement with the EC and beyond that its roll-out represents just one small step to restore self-determination and individual empowerment for users in just one part of the world. This is clearly a positive development, but we've got a long ways to go in helping people the world over understand that they do have the opportunity to participate in the Web on their terms.
On that front, Mozilla has just launched a new program called Open To Choice where we'll be talking with the world about why choice matters. I hope you'll join us in commenting, blogging, or tweeting about this important issue and that together we can make a difference in the lives of the billion or so people online who haven't given any real thought to what the Web can be and how they can help make it so.
