The browser ballot screen for European users of XP, Vista and Windows 7 has finally been revealed by Microsoft, and will be rolled out to users across the EU via Windows Update from 1st March.

This comes about because of an anti-trust case instigated by Opera about the ‘unfair’ bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.  Late in 2009 Microsoft proposed a ballot screen for Windows users, though the EU didn’t agree in time for the initial rollout of Windows 7.

The update will see Internet Explorer unpinned from the Start Menu and Taskbar of users’ PCs, and a list of browsers presented “in random order” that people can choose to download and install.

Anybody choosing Internet Explorer will simply see their icons reinstated.

This all seems straightforward enough on the face of it, but it is certain to confuse a great many users who just think of Internet Explorer as “the internet” and who may never have heard of these other browsers.  The information provided for each browser may be of use to some people in making an informed choice, but a great many people will be sat scratching their heads wondering what’s going on and why they suddenly can’t get to their email any more.

The winners in this ballot screen are sure to be Microsoft (as people will already recognise the IE icon and gravitate towards it) and Google (due to their brand recognition).  It remains to be seen if this will have any positive effect for other browsers, especially Opera.

On the whole though any competition in the browser market is a good thing and can only encourage innovation which is hugely beneficial to end users.  I am concerned however where it will end if this is successful… a ballot screen for your media player, free CD/DVD burner, search facility?

It could all get very messy indeed.  If you want to see the browser choices you’ll be offered yourself, you can here.

Source: Microsoft