Opera Continues to differ with Microsoft

[9UnknownMen]

Opera, Microsoft differ over icons in Windows EU ballot proposal

Microsoft late last week released the full text of its browser "ballot" proposal for Windows in Europe, explaining how it would implement the plan for Windows XP, Vista and 7, if the proposal is approved by European antitrust regulators. Based on earlier comments by Opera Software, which originally brought the antitrust complaint, one item that stands out as potentially controversial is the way Microsoft is proposing to display the different browser choices in the ballot.

The Microsoft proposal says the ballot screen will "in a horizontal line and in an unbiased way display icons of and basic identifying information on the web browsers." Microsoft submitted the screenshot above as a proposed implementation of the ballot concept.

But Opera's chief technology officer, Hakon Wium Lie, suggested in an interview Friday that displaying logos or icons could result in a natural bias toward Internet Explorer. The theory: The inclusion of Internet Explorer in Windows has made the Microsoft browser so ubiquitous that people see the IE logo as a generic icon for accessing the Internet.

"We're not sure about the use of logos," Lie said. "The blue 'e' has become so associated with the Internet in general, due to the bundling with Windows. We think using the blue "e" might not be such a good idea."

Overall, however, Lie said last week that Opera was pleased with the proposal. So it looks this is more likely to be a negotiating point than a roadblock. The European Commission said last week that it welcomed the Microsoft proposal, promising to "investigate its practical effectiveness in terms of ensuring genuine consumer choice."

This is just getting flat out hilarious now. YGTBFKM.

[WelshBluebird]

what the hell. Can they be any more childish? Its just getting so stupid.

Even if MS don't include the IE logo, it will still have the IE name, and a lot of people will still recognise that. So do opera want MS to not even call their own browser IE?

[Ayepecks]

Oh my goodness, shut up dude.

Next thing you know he's going to ask that they remove the names as well since the name Internet Explorer has become ubiquitous with the Internet on Windows PCs.

[medium_pimpin]

I use Opera, but this is LAME!

[FISKER_Q]

Told you they'd whine about it :)

The only way this is going to have any real effect is if they completely stop offering IE.

[Descartes]

Well, if they remove the icons, an user will be forced to make his decision based entirely on the name. How is that ANY LESS biased than looking at the icon?

[-KJ]

He's right about people seeing the IE logo as a generic icon to access the Internet.

But I don't think he has much room to complain or suggest anymore.

It doesn't help that Opera has the most boring browser logo :p

[+LightEco Subscriber²]

Ok, Opera, suck it up, make a good product and maybe people would use it.

[FISKER_Q]

Well, if they remove the icons, an user will be forced to make his decision based entirely on the name. How is that ANY LESS biased than looking at the icon?

My logic dictates that if i were just presented with a wall of text, i'd just skip over it already (i.e. i would be using IE).

[Quillz]

Opera should just build its own operating system if it wants to be the system default browser.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

please,get over it opera, next you will be complaining about the name, and wont stop untill you default browser on install

[tuckeratlarge]

an article in PC Pro said as the end paragraph made me laugh

Davies also doesn't believe the ballot list is the panacea is first appears to be: "Microsoft has decided to put in Opera and Firefox and Chrome, but what happens when a little start-up company asks 'what about us?' And how are they being ordered on the ballot list. The first browser on the list will have a big advantage, and if they're listed alphabetically you can expect Opera to be renamed Aardvark overnight.

[dead.cell]

Yeah, where are those "Down with Opera!" signatures again? I'll take one now, please. Thanks!

[BinaryFragger]

Remember Opera's Bork edition browser? I think it's time they release Opera 10: Whiner Edition.

[Mayhem]

they only stop whinning if microsoft make a Star rating in the ballon window based on the number of downloads for that window only

for this to work:

1. all the browsers have to give a alternative link to be accurable

2. Star rating based on the number of downloads

this done properly will stop all the wihny, is totally the users that difine the rating of that window

the only one that can be hurt by this is microsoft himself, if at all

[Mathachew Veteran]

an article in PC Pro said as the end paragraph made me laugh

:rofl: Nice one

[Eric Veteran]

They should make Opera's icon a lawn coil. This is just getting silly...

[Andre]

Maybe Opera should whine about Firefox as well for having such a large market share.

Most popular browsers/engines are open source (excl IE). Get a clue, Opera!

And how come Mozilla/Firefox got so popular so quickly while Opera was still lagging (refer to the link above). Is it really MS fault? Bad luck, Opera. Seems you are the weakest link after all.

<img snipped> Avatars and signatures that contain negative political ads (or other inflammatory images) will be considered flame-bait and moderated accordingly.

Edited July 29, 2009 by John S.

[Tech Geek Alex]

For that matter there are still people out there who think AOL is the internet.....(anyone remember "AOL Keyword" that was part of almost every TV, Radio and Print Ad).......so I want an AOL choice........your not giving a choice to those who still use AOL

***OK i'm just kidding......but serious.....to Opera ......... PLEASE! Give it up

[lalalawawawa]

Pathetic again. F***king losers.

[MistaT40]

This is pathetic. I guess they would suggest that MS should not include their own browser in that ballot box. Oh wait the second largest marjority of users will recognize Firefox as pathway to the internet - you know what, we should do it alphabetically but backwards, so we are the second choice (after Safari).

I wish I could write an angry email to Opera - cause this really makes my blood boil with such stupidity.

[CuCumber]

This is just great. I hope Opera will keep pushing it as far as they can.

[Malisk]

LMAO

The sad part is that the EU probably has to pick up on this now too, to serve European businesses. :s

I own a Mac and don't think particularly highly of Microsoft in all regards, but even I believe that Microsoft's users can read.

At this point, I'd laugh if all browsers but Opera gained an icon at all. :D

[Gio Takahashi]

....I facepalmed so hard. this is just getting incredibly childish.

[argonite]

So what opera is suggesting is that even if ALL THE MAJOR browsers were installed, with icons visible on the desktop (the most ideal situation I can think of, in terms of the EU's thinking), it would still be unfair because Internet Explorer has a fricking "E" icon.