With a $10 billion advertising market at stake, Google, the fast-rising Internet star, is raising objections to the way that it says Microsoft, the incumbent powerhouse of computing, is wielding control over Internet searching in its new Web browser.
Google, which only recently began beefing up its lobbying efforts in Washington, says it expressed concerns about competition in the Web search business in recent talks with the Justice Department and the European Commission, both of which have brought previous antitrust actions against Microsoft.
The new browser includes a search box in the upper-right corner that is typically set up to send users to Microsoft's MSN search service. Google contends that this puts Microsoft in a position to unfairly grab Web traffic and advertising dollars from its competitors. The move, Google claims, limits consumer choice and is reminiscent of the tactics that got Microsoft into antitrust trouble in the late 1990s.
News source: C|Net News.com
Google, which only recently began beefing up its lobbying efforts in Washington, says it expressed concerns about competition in the Web search business in recent talks with the Justice Department and the European Commission, both of which have brought previous antitrust actions against Microsoft.
The new browser includes a search box in the upper-right corner that is typically set up to send users to Microsoft's MSN search service. Google contends that this puts Microsoft in a position to unfairly grab Web traffic and advertising dollars from its competitors. The move, Google claims, limits consumer choice and is reminiscent of the tactics that got Microsoft into antitrust trouble in the late 1990s.
News source: C|Net News.com
In IE7 you can change the search provider the exact same way you can in Firefox.
God d*mn Google is p*ssing me off lately.
Don't know how IE7 handles this.
You bet your arse IE7 lets you change search providers.
This just seems to be a case of Google whining. Of course, Microsoft thinks MSN is the best search provider, while Google thinks theirs is best.
The solution: make say, the five most popular search engines available the first time IE7 is launched. Upon initial startup, IE7 should prompt the user regarding which search engine he/she wishes to use. Alphabatize the order of available search providers and don't label any of them (default) or select any automatically.
Shazaam!
If Firefox came preloaded with every Windows box, I might see this as whining. But it isn't. People have to actually go out and make a conscious decision to download, install and setup Firefox.
IE has a marketshare of around 90%
See the difference?
Geez, it's ok if they do it... but when Microsoft does it, everyone has to jump on the lawsuit bandwagon.
What a bunch of babbies.
However, google does the same (though in a different way). Google is the default search engine for Firefox, they even pay Mozilla for searches done through Google.
Then again, there are a few differences as well... Google's not the only search engine available with Firefox (or is it possible for IE users to use different search engines as well?), and Firefox is not owned by Google.
This sounds a bit like Microsoft bundling vs. Linux programs.
Microsoft bundles its own software, while Linux distributions add programs developed by others.
...yet!
Honestly, if you don't know then don't say anything. This blind attacks of IE is just outright annoying now, yes they added a search bar but you can choose what provider to use and you can add any provider you want.
(note, I know tmahmood wasnt extreme in saying IE 'i think' doesnt have it but the comments below seemed to confirm their blindness in this area, you are just the first I click to comment)
and the beta IE7 im using right now lets me choose between search engines in the search bar, so i dont see the problem.
and the beta IE7 im using right now lets me choose between search engines in the search bar, so i dont see the problem.
IE is free or didnt you take your time to look that fact up?
A small distinction for Windows users, but significant for other OSes, as there is no free IE for OSX or *nix anymore. (there used to be)
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/search...fault_new.mspx#
The IE7 Beta has a blue magnifying glass with a drop down menu. The choices are:
MSN Search (Default)
Find on this page...
Find more providers...
Change Search Defaults...
If I click Find more providers, I am taken to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/search...efault_new.mspx
If I click Google, I get a message box that says: Do you want to add teh following search provider to Internet Explorer? Name: Google. From: www.microsoft.com.
A check box lets me make it my default.
And now, every time I use the IE 7 search bar, it goes to Google. Six clicks and I changed from MSN to Google.
And if I visit Google.com, I get a popup asking me to make Google my default for IE7.
I'm tired of the arguments that Microsoft is getting too "anti-competitive" or "monopolistic" whereas a rival company could do the same thing and be called "innovative."
Saying IE is free is like saying the tires that come with your car were free.
Saying IE is free is like saying the tires that come with your car were free.
it maybe bundled with the OS but its still free i dont see any payment pages for IE on microsofts website
I didn't say IE 7. I said IE home page. A default install of Windows sets the home page to MSN.com unless the PC manufacturer or workplace has changed it.
Google is floating on a lot of hot air and if i was MS i would hint at sueing Google.
1. IE 6 has built in search! It isn't as intuitive as the sidebars that everyone is doing now, but you can hit the seach button and do a search via its internal panels! Default is MSN, and has been for the last 5+ years, although it too can be changed!
2. Google has the monopoly in the search market! Despite IE defaulting to MSN, etc., so i think MS can argue that Google is harboring its monopoly power to do things like push its toolbar in almost every app we download! Not to mention the fact Google is the default in all non-IE browsers...
I think google dosen't have an argument simply because Google is the monopoly in the search market desipite MS.
This surprises me though... plus, I think google can bring IE to its knees anytime they want. Imagine you enter google frontpage one day and notice some "Download XXX Webbrowser, recommended by google" Many people would download it, regardless what this XXX browser is, just because it has the google stamp on it.
The day google feels "monopolistic", you'll see, lol.
@#9: It also took me 4 clicks to add MSN to the search dropdown list.
The day google feels "monopolistic", you'll see, lol.
"Firefox with Google Toolbar: tabbed browsing, safer surfing." - Coupled with a image of firefox and a link to download it. I think google is feeling a little threatened..
MS should just allow users to select their favorite search engine during the installation of Windows or IE.
If you bought a Vista PC from an OEM (vast majority) or purchased a retail copy and did a clean install, IE7 defaults to MSN Search.
If you bought a Vista PC from an OEM (vast majority) then the OEM chooses (not microsoft) which search provider is the default.
The ONLY situation where the IE7 default search provider is MSN, is if you bought Vista at retail. In this case it takes a mere two mouse-clicks to switch to Google.
And what actor said is true, i was really happy to see that IE7 didnt force its settings on me but respected what i had configured previously.
IE has a huge marketshare. Microsoft makes both IE and the MSN Search/Live search. Therefore they could potentially exploit that monopoly.
But google has no COMMON SENSE point here...
IE7 allows you to change the search provider incredibly easily. There are literally dozens to choose from, including google. A company should not be punished for making two products and defaulting one to use the other - while still giving the choice of using a competitor's product. That's just absurd.
Last edited by nowimnothing on 01 May 2006 - 15:22
Well are you retarded? Do you in fact have a point? Google is questioning Microsoft's behaviour with their IE product. The scope of the argument is therefore limited to the Windows platform, and to that extent both Firefox and IE7 are both free. Hell IE7 will even be free for MacOS.
You HAVE to be able to see that this is going to get more users to use their search engine. You KNOW the less technical people will then use MSN as default.
You can count as many clicks as you want but the majority of users will go for what's easy.
Hmm.. Let me see... Well my Ubuntu 5.10 has Firefox installed by default...I don't know if that counts, but I didn't tell anyone to install it for me.
And... My IE7 has Google as his default search engine.
Oh another thing. I don't have any MSN Search option on Firefox (on the 3 boxes I got), well what a suprise...
What is the point of an OS these days if it doesn't come bundled with a browser? If IE wasn't bundled with Windows, how is anyone even going to download your beloved Firefox??
And no it is not the relevant part of the discussion *sigh* - they (Google) are complaining about the search box.
For the record, I do in fact use Firefox.
IE 7 isn't even finalized yet so anything is a possibility, personally I like it how it is though. MSN can stay default, chances are Google might even be in the list by default as well.. it was in a previous beta.
Market share however is irrelevant, if that were the case then you could assume that once Google gets 90% market share, the scales can flip and Microsoft can start suing.
Google is just a bunch of whiney bastards (and yes, I use Google as my start page).
Most users will not change the default search engine because they don't have to.
They wont get another web browser ebcause Ie 7 comes with the operating system
That is why they are complaining and its a perfectly valid complaint.
Why can't microsoft make there install just like win95.
During the install you havea choice as to what gets installed.
You can't compare MS to any other company becuase there are a monopoly.
Google are turning into quite the bunch of crybabies lately. They should do what they do best and stick to buying mid-level products and re-branding them with tons of fanfare.
As far as I know, Windows doesn't force anyone to use IE as the ONE and ONLY browser, so the monopoly argument is mute.
MS can't be blamed for people being too ignorant to make their own mind up about a browser choice. They don't adblock firefox pages/advets, do they? Silly google people.
Right here: http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/pro...pe=ovr#HowToBuy
Right here: http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/pro...pe=ovr#HowToBuy
O_o Holly s*** . . . . 99+ dlls for a browser ... lol
Right here: http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/pro...pe=ovr#HowToBuy
Wow, sure like like a mighty Windows XP Home Sale page to me!
Exactly!
That is the only way to get IE on a barebones system that you are building (or a *nix bo
Most dont even know hot to turn on their computers let alone change their browser or their default web search.
Which search engine would you like to use?
AlltheWeb
AltaVista
AOL
Dogpile
Excite
Google
MSN Search
Yahoo
propably wouldn't know that the Microsoft option is MSN (unless it was made clear), and if they were using Vista, may well choose AltaVista thinking that was the better one (based on the name).
Current computer users either already use the engine they prefer, or just use the default. If they were given the coice, would they change or just stay with what they know?
Just who the hell is stopping anyone from using Google as the default search engine in IE7 anyway, MS is providing itself, so what the hell is google's problem.
P.S - Forced is used on purpose, pun intended
I'm not trying to bash google. I use google as my default in Firefox, even though Live.com is set as my homepage. But in all honesty, that little thing in the corner isn't going to impact their userbase much at all.
-Spenser
oh please... get over with.