The European Commission has sent around a questionnaire to PC makers and Microsoft software rivals concerning its preferred remedy to restore fair competition in the browser market. This questionnaire has nine questions – most of which seek feedback on the remedy – which is a proposed “ballot screen” with a list of browsers users would see the first time a new PC is connected to the Internet. The deadlines for replies to the questionnaire is June 12.
Questions include which browsers the companies feel should be included on the ballot screen, how to design the screen, and whether the browsers’ software should be pre-loaded in full or if the ballot screen should just include a link allowing easy downloading of the browsers.
There are also three less innocuous questions – trying to ascertain if Microsoft is trying to influence the outcome of response to the questionnaire.
Now the European Commission could be paranoid, or its fears may be founded. Last month the EU fined Intel for paying computer makers (via rebates) not to use a rival’s products. Intel has denied this finding.
However, asking a software rival how they think their product should be presented on a “ballot screen” or if Microsoft is trying to influence an outcome does not lend itself to unbiased answers.
