InsideMicrosoft

Justice Department Approves IE7

The U.S. Justice Department ruled Friday that Microsoft’s developing web browser, Internet Explorer 7, did not pose a threat to competition. Despite complaints by Google, they found that, since IE7 lets practically any program, or the user, or the computer manufacturer set a different default search engine than MSN, it wasn’t violating the 2001 antitrust agreement.

Nicholas Carr says:

The power of the default lies in the fact that most people are not geeks. They have better things to do than to fiddle with their computer’s settings, whether the fiddling involves “one click” or “multiple steps.” They’ll stick with the default as long as it serves their needs - and as long as, in their perception, no clearly superior alternative exists. If Google wants to override the default instinct, in other words, it’s going to have to rely on its ability to produce what customers see as a clearly superior search engine. The Feds aren’t going to step in to protect its semi-monopoly on internet searches.

(Found on Findory)

Meanwhile the DOJ also extended its overight of Microsoft’s compliance for at least two more years, reaching into 2009, with a framework that could keep oversight in place as long as 2012. While Microsoft has done plenty to distance itself from its old ways, some of which have greatly hurt the company, no one believes MS could not undo years of progress with a few choice moves, and a few more years of oversight could help. I don’t buy the whole “Microsoft is evil” thing, but no one can deny they’ve made some big mistakes, none of which we want to see happen again.

May 14th, 2006 Posted by Nathan Weinberg | Corporate, Law, General | one comment