A placard of the Microsoft's Windows 7 stands on display at the Computex 2009 trade fair in Taipei in June 2009. Microsoft has agreed to open up Windows to different Internet browsers in order to fend off European Union litigation, the European Commission announced Friday. (AFP/File/Sam Yeh)
BRUSSELS, July 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. software giant Microsoft has proposed to let users of its Windows operating system choose web browser in order to settle a European Union (EU) antitrust case, the European Commission said on Friday.
Following extensive discussions, Microsoft agreed to have a "ballot screen" show at the startup of Windows, from which consumers can easily install competing web browsers, set one of those browsers as a default and disable Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), the EU's antitrust watchdog said in a statement.
The Commission formally charged Microsoft in January, saying Microsoft's tying of its web browser IE to its dominant client PC operating system Windows infringes EU rules on abuse of a dominant position.
In June Microsoft proposed to sell the newest version of its Windows operating system in Europe without any web browser and offer its IE separately and free of charge.
But the Commission had suggested Microsoft should allow consumers to freely choose from different web browsers, instead of providing a browser-free Windows.
"Microsoft's intention to separate Internet Explorer from Windows, without measures such as a ballot screen, would not necessarily have achieved greater consumer choice in practice and would not have been an effective remedy," it said.
Under the new proposal, Windows would include IE and consumers can choose a different web browser from the ballot screen. In addition computer makers would be able to install competing web browsers, set those as default and disable IE.
The Commission said in order to settle a separate case, Microsoft also made a proposal in relation to disclosures of interoperability information that would improve the interoperability between third party products and Windows and Windows Server.
In January last year, the Commission launched an investigation against Microsoft after receiving complaint from industry body ECIS that the U.S. software giant illegally refused to disclose interoperability information across a broad range of products, including information related to its Office suite and a number of its server products.
The Commission said it welcomed the two proposals, but will continue the investigation before reaching any conclusion.
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