A settlement between Microsoft and European regulators is being challenged by three of the company's rivals in the Web browser market, after months of negotiations and compromises.
Mozilla, Google and Opera are trying to disrupt a Microsoft proposal in which the company will offer a ballot screen so that a new user can choose which Web browser he or she wants to use.
The European Commission previously ruled it was too unfair for Microsoft to automatically bundle Internet Explorer into Windows -- effectively choosing which browser a Windows user would have to utilize. Furthermore, Microsoft made it very difficult, if not completely impossible, to uninstall IE. Microsoft made amends by making it possible to uinstall IE with EU versions of Windows 7.
The trio of companies was asked by the EC to make an official statement regarding their opinion of the agreement, which could take place as early as next week.
An immediate concern after Microsoft's decision to offer a ballot system was the order of the browsers when shown to Windows 7 users. The screen would be shown in an IE screen, and would list the choices in alphabetical order. Apple Safari, which isn't overly popular among Windows users, would be the first choice shown in Microsoft's current system.
The U.S. software company is now being asked to randomize the list, and to show it in a neutral screen that doesn't have a Microsoft IE logo displayed.
IE, which remains the most dominant Web browser in use today, has continually lost marketshare to Firefox, Opera and Chrome, with Firefox comfortably sitting in the No. 2 position.
