The European Commission is considering forcing Microsoft to distribute rival browsers as part of Windows, the software maker disclosed in a regulatory filing on 22 January.
As part of its quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission filed on Thursday, the software maker offered more details on the Commission's statement in which it objected to Microsoft's inclusion of a browser in Windows, saying it could violate antitrust law.
Microsoft said that the Commission is considering forcing computer makers, known as original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, to offer multiple browsers with new Windows PCs.
"While computer users and OEMs are already free to run any web-browsing software on Windows, the Commission is considering ordering Microsoft and OEMs to obligate users to choose a particular browser when setting up a new PC," Microsoft said in the SEC filing. "Such a remedy might include a requirement that OEMs distribute multiple browsers on new Windows-based PCs. We may also be required to disable certain unspecified Internet Explorer software code if a user chooses a competing browser."
Microsoft noted that the Commission is also seeking to "impose a significant fine based on sales of Windows operating systems in the European Union".
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The company reiterated that it will have the opportunity to respond in writing in the next two months and, after that, could also request a hearing.
Microsoft also confirmed that a Commission investigation into Office may still be ongoing.
"In January 2008, the Commission opened an additional competition law investigation that relates primarily to interoperability with respect to our Microsoft Office family of products," Microsoft said. "This investigation resulted from complaints filed with the Commission by a trade association of Microsoft's competitors."
Talkback
"Windows Update" is already tied to IE, so am I overly cynical in suspecting that MS will deny updates to people who choose an alternative browser? I have this horrible feeling of deja-vu:
"When the judge ordered Microsoft to offer a version of Windows which did not include Internet Explorer, Microsoft responded that the company would offer manufacturers a choice: one version of Windows that was obsolete, or another that did not work properly. The judge asked, "It seemed absolutely clear to you that I entered an order that required that you distribute a product that would not work?" David D. Cole, a Microsoft vice president, replied, "In plain English, yes. We followed that order. It wasn't my place to consider the consequences of that.""
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft