Mozilla Dismisses Microsoft's Attempt To Implement Ballot Screen Option

Executives from Mozilla Foundation have shown their discontent with the Microsoft’s proposals of ballot screens that would give Windows users a choice to decide upon their default browser.  

Microsoft has put forth ballot proposals to respond to EU’s charges that bundling Microsoft’s signature Internet Explorer (IE) browser with its Windows operating system is violating competition laws. The proposals include presenting users with a ballot screen providing selection of browsers. 

However, the proposals didn’t look appealing to Mozilla’s execs at all, as both Mitchell Baker, the chairperson of Mozilla Foundation, as well as Harvey Anderson, chief counsel at Mozilla, have posted lengthy blog posting quoting the changes they are looking forward to be made in the aforesaid proposals. 

Slamming the new proposals, Baker asserted that even under new scheme IE will still have a “unique and uniquely privileged position on Windows installations”.

He further said that the new proposals tilt the bar in Microsoft’s favour. Quoting the same, he said, “Choosing another browser as a "default" does not mean that the other browser takes the place of IE. It is always there, often with prominent placement in the user interface”. 

Anderson too pitched his concerns by saying that the proposals must be modified to explicitly state that Microsoft can’t use the Windows Update to pave the way for any changes to let Windows users consider making IE as their default browser.