Open Windows

After years spent in court fighting antitrust cases against the European Commission, Microsoft has announced a deal in an effort to avoid more legal problems and fines in Europe.

At the heart of the European Union Competition Commission's case against the US software giant was the exclusive bundling of Microsoft's internet browser Internet Explorer with its operating system Windows.

Under the new deal, which comes into effect in March 2010 and lasts for five years, European Windows users will be presented with a 'choice screen' that would provide them with a selection of up to a dozen other browsers in addition to or instead of Internet Explorer.

"Millions of European consumers will benefit from this decision by having a free choice about which web browser they use," said EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes in a statement. "Such choice will not only serve to improve people's experience of the internet now but also act as an incentive for web browser companies to innovate and offer people better browsers in the future."

Since 2004, the EU Competition Commission has issued nearly 1.7 billion euros ($2.47 billion) in fines to Microsoft for anti-competitive behavior.

mz/afp/AP/dpa
Editor: Trinity Hartman