Opera"s Chief Technology Officer, Hakon Wium Lie has told Reuters that he is, "slightly concerned about perhaps a premature settlement in [the case against Microsoft]", following comments by the European Competition Commissioner, Neelie Kroes, that she hopes to have settled the case by the end of this year.
In the interview, Lie indicated that he too is eager for the case to settle, but is not convinced that the recent proposal from Microsoft to install a ballot screen giving users a choice of several Internet browsers will be an effective solution, and could be considered spam by some users.
Although considered ludicrous by some, Lie may not be alone with his concerns, with a confidential questionnaire intended for internal use by the Commission leaking to media earlier last week highlighting concerns whether end users would actually understand and take advantage of an i=Internet browser ballot screen.
Lie suggests a compromised solution, requesting that Microsoft install a ballot screen that feels like a native Windows software update and is external to any Internet browser. "That is what users are used to getting", according to Lie, and would also elminiate the ability of system manufactures like Dell or HP to remove the ballot screen before the end user has a chance to see it.
The case continues...