Microsoft agrees to unbundle Explorer from Windows: EU

“Microsoft has proposed a consumer ballot screen as a solution to the pending antitrust case about the tying of Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser with Windows,” said a statement.

It said computer users would be able to “easily install competing web browsers, set one of those browsers as a default, and disable Internet Explorer” from the ballot screen.

The commission, Europe’s top competition watchdog, opened a new front in its epic anti-trust battle with Microsoft in January.

It hit the company with fresh charges of unfairly squashing competition by bundling its Internet Explorer web browser into its ubiquitous Windows personal computer operating system.

Under the plan, rival browsers including Firefox (Mozilla), Google’s Chrome or Opera by Norway’s Opera Software will now be placed before consumers at the point when they set up a new computer’s operating preferences.