The European Commission has announced today that it has accepted Microsoft’s so-called “choice screen” proposal which allows users to select one of several browsers aside from Internet Explorer in European editions of Windows.
“Under the commitments approved by the Commission, Microsoft will make available for five years in the European Economic Area (through the Windows Update mechanism) a ‘Choice Screen’ enabling users of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 to choose which web browser(s) they want to install in addition to, or instead of, Microsoft’s browser Internet Explorer,” the Commission writes.
The Choice Screen mechanism also enables OEMs to preload their own choice of browser, and to subsequently disable Internet Explorer before a computer is sold.
Today’s decision closes a long and arduous proceeding which found Microsoft guilty of attempting to control the browser market through bundling practices which made Internet Explorer the only obvious choice for customers.
The fuss over bundling very nearly cost European residents the ability to purchase the significantly cheaper upgrade editions that hit US shores on October 22. Microsoft had planned to withhold upgrade licenses until December so it could validate that upgrades would work if the final OS had no Internet Explorer code.
The bundling issue also prompted Microsoft to promise that Europe would receive so-called Windows 7 E editions which offered no browser at all.
However, with the matter officially closed, it seems Microsoft and consumers can finally get on with their lives–in whatever browser they choose.
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