Favourite Browser?

[killer]

Then Opera whined that shipping Windows 7 without IE was no good. And when Microsoft offered the browser ballot, making it easy for users to choose their browser, they whined that Microsoft should not be allowed to use the IE icon as people know it too well.

I expect that they'll only be happy if the IE name is encrypted, the description says "This is a crappy browser, please install Opera instead", the logo is changed to random noise, and users will have to answer a 20-question advanced mathematics test before being allowed to install it. Oh yes, and of course every selected IE install should result in a fee of $10 being sent to Opera's numbered Swiss bank account.

Splendid use of irony. Well done! Made me laugh my socks off.

[qviri]

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[GomJabbar]

...if the IE name is encrypted, the description says "This is a crappy browser, please install Opera instead", the logo is changed to random noise, and users will have to answer a 20-question advanced mathematics test before being allowed to install it. Oh yes, and of course every selected IE install should result in a fee of $10 being sent to Opera's numbered Swiss bank account.

Works for me!

[moronoxyd]

And I lived in Finland for 16 years.

i used to live in europe, poland for 14 years. i was there recently 1 year ago and I am planning to go back often as my family is still there. so in a way my life will be affected by whatever actions EU takes against MS.

Are you planning to buy Windows either separately or with a computer in Poland/Finland?
Probably not.

So any constraint put on Microsoft in the EU would not affect you.

I just don't like companies that tend to go overboard with things. Like Apple with its dictatorship control of what applications you can install on iPhone and Opera's constant whining over MS's IE which can be easily uninstalled and replaced by a third party app...

Once again: "whining" to the authorities about ones competitors is a totally normal thing in the corporate world.

The point is not that it is easy to use a different browser (it is NOT easy to actually uninstall IE, as it is deeply embedded in the OS), the point is that Microsoft pushes IE with Windows and thus abuses its position in the OS market.
That is anti-competitive behaviour and not allowed neither in the EU nor in the US.

Then Opera whined that shipping Windows 7 without IE was no good.

Please point me to the source that told you that Opera wanted Windows 7 to be shipped without IE.
As I said elswhere: It was Microsofts descision to do that, and now that Microsoft finally started talking with the EU they are not longer considering this solution.

I expect that they'll only be happy if the IE name is encrypted, the description says "This is a crappy browser, please install Opera instead", the logo is changed to random noise, and users will have to answer a 20-question advanced mathematics test before being allowed to install it. Oh yes, and of course every selected IE install should result in a fee of $10 being sent to Opera's numbered Swiss bank account.

Well, I expect that they'll be happy when Microsoft finally stops using its near-monopoly in the OS market to push IE.

[tomh009]

Are you planning to buy Windows either separately or with a computer in Poland/Finland?
Probably not.
So any constraint put on Microsoft in the EU would not affect you.

In fact, almost certainly yes. Don't make assumptions for me.

I really don't want to get into a long argument over what is anti-competitive behaviour and what should be done about it. Suffice it to say that in my opinion the EU commission is quite capable of dealing with it on their own, thank you, without any help from Opera (who isn't even based in the EU).

[moronoxyd]

In fact, almost certainly yes. Don't make assumptions for me.

Sorry. Chances where you did not.

Suffice it to say that in my opinion the EU commission is quite capable of dealing with it on their own, thank you, without any help from Opera (who isn't even based in the EU).

It doesn't matter whether a company is based in the EU.
It only matters whether they do business there.
Otherwise the EU wouldn't have any power of the business Microsoft does in Europe.

And it is the usual procedure that companies file complaints of anti-competetive behaviour.
I'm not even sure whether the European Commission would act without such a claim.

[qviri]

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[tomh009]

I'll bite. (...)

As I said, I really don't want to get into a long argument over what is anti-competitive behaviour and what should be done about it ...

[tomh009]

Well, I expect that they'll be happy when Microsoft finally stops using its near-monopoly in the OS market to push IE.

Apparently not, since they complained about the Windows browser ballot screen, which allows the user to freely choose which browser they want to use on their Windows system.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/27 ... _proposal/

[qviri]

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[moronoxyd]

Apparently not, since they complained about the Windows browser ballot screen, which allows the user to freely choose which browser they want to use on their Windows system.

I do agree that it is ridiculous of Opera to demand that Microsoft not uses the established symbol for IE.

[mattbiernat]

ok since we are talking about browsers here. is there an adblocker to IE8?

[moronoxyd]

IE7Pro (now seemingly just called IEPro) adds a bunch of features to IE, including an ad blocker.
And yes, it works with IE8

[mattbiernat]

yeah but i don't want a bunch of add ons. they will just slow down already slow IE8. I want just ad blocker. you know like the one that exists for FF....

[moronoxyd]

Googling I found Adblock IE.
But at 2.x MB it seems a bit bloated for an ad blocker.

[dr_st]

I use Firefox and never used any Adblockers.

I use Flashblock, which blocks all flash, and gives me an option to selectively enable any particular flash by clicking on its placeholder (or enable general flash on a webpage).

[mattbiernat]

Adblock IE for some reason does not work on my IE.
Could you please give me link to the flash blocker that you use?

[GomJabbar]

I finally downloaded Google Chrome (latest beta) last night on my Windows 7 RC installation to see what it's about. Been playing with it a little this morning. Too crippled at this point IMO. No menu system to speak of. No print options. Most Viewed (speed dial) feature does not seem customizable. There is more to a browser than speed. You can have it!

[mattbiernat]

There is more to a browser than speed. You can have it!

i agree that chrome is pretty much featureless. but surprisingly 80% of time time I just use browser to get from point A to point B and not really anything else. the other 20% of the time I open up my FF.

[sqmaster1234]

Wow, this went from a simple poll to a heated discussion about monopolizing the browser market in the EU! XD
I'm not going to get involved, considering the closest I've been to the EU is speaking french...

I'm typing this right now in Chrome (On my desktop), I downloaded it on my netbook to try to retain some speed that it came with, considering, like a certain user that posted here... I frequently hit 20+ tabs...
Since, then I downloaded it on my desktop.. It's just so quick for stuff like this!
Surprisingly though, i have PROBLEMS using GMAIL with GOOGLE CHROME!
That astounds me. Also, certain flash video sites like Dailymotion don't work so well either, and it always used to crash when encountered with YouTube (AFTER the aqquisition)
I still use Firefox 90% of the time, Chrome just doesn't cut it. I'm looking forward to the next release, maybe it'll mature a little more to suit me. The lack of FTP support is unacceptable...

Thanks for the votes and responses!
Keep it coming!