Mozilla and Opera still unhappy about Windows 7

Microsoft has a history of strategically monopolizing the browser sector in the computing world, among others. Presumably in keeping with recent antitrust action against the corporation from the European Commission, as previously reported, their latest OS, Windows 7, is featuring a first-time option to all but completely remove Internet Explorer, meaning a couple of clicks and a restart and your browser of choice will always be opened by default.

Apparently Mozilla -- makers of the ever-popular Firefox -- and Opera are not satisfied, however, still maintaining IE is given an unfair advantage due to it being the included browser by default. Mozilla's chairperson Mitchell Baker explains:

"Our initial review suggests this is a blatant use of the Windows operating system to change the market dynamics of browser usage. What we've seen so far is a clear example of why and how Microsoft's Windows monopoly damages competition in related products."

Opera were the ones who complained to the Commission over Microsoft's anti-competitive tactics, leading to a provisional finding against them. Their chief technology officer Hakon Wium Lie says they'd like to clear the air:

"This issue highlights the problem with the browser market. It's certainly something we would want to discuss."

Microsoft has stated the software, newly in the release candidate stage and previously in beta, was "only a test version aimed at a limited audience of experienced computer users" and the final experience will be different.

The proposed solution is to offer rival browsers as well as IE. Should this come to fruition, our suggestion, specifically (which is not to say this isn't asking too much), would be to offer a choice upon first installation, featuring a concise "preview" of each browser, instead of having three or more installed by default.

We look forward to seeing how this situation turns out in the final version of Windows 7; some headway should be made on June 3 following a meeting in Brussels.

In the meantime, what are your opinions? Are Mozilla and Opera's demands reasonable?

Source : Neoseeker