Microsoft Backs Down On Making IE8 Default At Upgrade

Barence writes "Internet Explorer 8 will no longer replace the default browser when a user selects the 'Use express settings' option during installation. Back in May, Mozilla and Opera accused Microsoft of force-feeding users Internet Explorer 8 through the Automatic Updates process. The object of their ire was the 'Use express settings' option which automatically sets Internet Explorer 8 as the default browser. The option was already ticked when Automatic Updates offered users the choice to upgrade their browser. 'We heard a lot of feedback from a lot of different people and groups and decided to make the user choice of the default browser even more explicit,' notes Microsoft in a blog post."

Browsers War

[Anonymous Coward]

If you don't use IE do not upgrade it and it won't change your default browser

Re:What crap...

[hodet]

..and does it really matter? Anyone using Firefox or Opera will just click their Firefox/Opera icon like they usually do and be prompted to set it back. The rest of the world who don't know what Firefox and Opera are will continue to use IE.

Re:What crap...

[EvilMonkeySlayer]

That isn't what Mozilla was complaining about. What Mozilla was complaining about was that IE8 was being delivered as an automatic update, then when it prompts the user whether to use express or custom settings the user of course would deem it just an update and would of course select express not realising it sets IE as the default.

The reason why it's acceptable that Firefox, Opera etc does this is because the user chose to download the browser. However, since MS pushed IE8 as a critical update through their automatic update service the user doesn't really have much choice. I accept the set as default using express if the user downloads IE8 as a separate download. But through an automatic update? No.

Re:I'm willing to let this one slip...

[bunratty]

The use of IE8 is increasing mainly at the expense of IE7 use. IE6 remains in use at companies with older versions of Windows or where they have intranet applications that require IE6.

Re:What makes a monopoly?

[hawkinspeter]

What Microsoft is doing wrong is abusing a monopoly in one market to gain dominance in another market. That is what is illegal. Just having a monopoly isn't illegal - it's the abuse of it that is wrong. Apple aren't abusing their monopoly on iPods to gain a market.

Yes you did

[L4t3r4lu5]

In Windows 7, you can uninstall it.

Re:What makes a monopoly?

[marsdominion]

While neither a lover of Microsoft or Apple, calling Apple a monopoly is simply ludicrous. They hold about 3% of the global PC market (~7.7% in the US), 1% of the global cell phone market, and by some estimates about 23% of the Personal Digital Music Player market (Source: http://tinyurl.com/nm3m4n [tinyurl.com]). Certainly not a monopoly in any of the markets. Microsoft on the other hand has ~90% global market share.

As far as why Apple is not abusing monopoly laws with their iTunes software as it relates to the iPod, for the same reason that Blackberry's and Palm's software does not abuse monopoly laws for connecting to their devices.

Re:Browsers War

[Starayo]

1: Security.

QFT.

I am finding I'm running into many applications that use embedded IE to access the internet. Two off the top of my head are Steam and Darkfall Online - Steam of course uses it for its store, community pages, and in-game overlay's web browser, while Darkfall used a horribly implemented system for its journal, clan pages etc.

There are many others, and if you're using one which happens to stumble upon a compromised site you'd be better off with a newer IE, I'd think.

Windows 7 includes IE8...

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you retarded, or a troll?

IE8 is included in Windows 7.

Re:What crap...

[VertigoAce]

Under the "Use Express Settings" header it listed everything that would be set. One of the items was "Default Browser: Internet Explorer" (note that it only had this text if IE wasn't already the default). The IE blog has screenshots of this behavior: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2009/05/01/ie8-installation-the-user-is-in-control.aspx [msdn.com]

Since that post was written, they've decided to move the default browser page out of the express settings and require users to make a choice (unless IE is already their default browser). You'll notice that the user really does have to make a choice as no option is selected by default (the 'Next' button is disabled until they choose 'Yes' or 'No'). Here's the IE blog post with screenshots of the new behavior, since Slashdot didn't link to it directly: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2009/07/16/changes-to-ie8-s-first-run.aspx [msdn.com]

Re:Windows 7 includes IE8...

[BOFslime]

Are you retarded, or a troll?

IE8 is included in Windows 7.

Actually, if you uninstall IE6/7/8 from a windows machine, automatic update will instantly (upon reboot) nag you to patch IE, even though its not installed. I think this is what parent is attempting to describe.
His MS technet link states he only uses firefox.

Re:What crap...

[notrandomly]

Bundling a browser isn't illegal. What's illegal is to leverage your dominance in one market to prevent competition in a different market. Should Chrome OS ever become the dominant operating system, Google will of course have to pay careful attention to what they are doing to avoid breaking the law.