And it's not difficult to choose. Internet Explorer 7 lets you add another search engines easily and if you visit google.com with IE 7, Google will ask you if you want to choose Google as default search engine.
"The typical default when users install IE7 on their Windows XP machines will most likely be their usual search engine." claims IE Blog.
Firefox, Opera and Safari use Google as default search engine and don't include MSN Search as an option. Most Google software (Google Toolbar, GTalk, Google Desktop, Google Earth, Google Video Player) has a default option in the setup to set Google as default search provider. While the battle for Windows XP was won by Google, the battle for Windows Vista seems fierce.
More:
Explorer 7 review
IE7 standalone (no install required)
How Google used to promote its search engine
Google promotes Firefox on the homepage
That's pretty pathetic on Googles behalf I think. As the article points out, it's very easy to change default browser and nearly every other browser has a default set to Google. Can't stand a little competition, hey?
ReplyDeleteIt has been no doubt pathetic for Microsoft to kill competition with unfair practices (Microsoft is a convicted monopolist), but effective (remember the killed yet better products Netscape, Wordperfect, ...).
ReplyDeleteSuch practices (tweak standards with secret modifications, embrace and extinguish) are only available from a monopolist.
As consumers we have no interest to see Microsoft extending its operating system and office software monopoles to other domains (media players, search engines, games, phones, etc.).
On the long run we can only get poorer products with a monopolist. Internet Explorer and Windows security sucks, they are the main reason for virus and spyware.
I think it's great that Google advertises Firefox on the homepage if you're using IE. MSN sucks even more than IE. 70% of the searches from the employee offices of Microsoft itself use Google.
ReplyDeleteso I guess the question is...why is it okay for Google to make Google search the deafault search engine on their products, but it's not okay for MS to make MSN search the default search in their products?
ReplyDeleteThe reason it's not okay for MS to make MSN the default search engine is because IE Is the default browser on windows. Which makes MSN the default search engine on windows. Compare that to Firefox which has to be downloaded and is not the default browser by choice. If MS bundles Firefox with IE, then I would have no problem in keeping MSN on IE.
ReplyDeleteI think Google is getting scared!! :-) It's really easy in my opinion to change the default search engine in Internet Explorer 7.0. What is the big deal???
ReplyDeleteWith IE7 Searchbox, IE7 users switch among various specialized search engines and narrow the search to find the exact results.IE7 users can quickly customize IE7 searchbox with http://ieproviders.com/ or
ReplyDeletehttp://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/searchguide/default_new.mspx
I actually read this article on another page and didn't believe it at first. Seems ridiculous to complain about that unless MS was designing it so users could ONLY use MSN. Sure Google is the best IMO but i'd still expect MS to make MSN the default.
ReplyDeleteSo what is google's problem. I don't understand it. I am using XP and IE7, I have made google as my default search provider.
ReplyDeleteIf google has all the option of making it's search engine as default provider in all its product and also in open source system, then I think MS also has it's right.
Come on guys I like google but what they are doing now is completely UNFAIR. They have stated what they must do in their case itself. "We don't think it's right for Microsoft to just set the default to MSN. We believe users should choose." The same goes for google toooo.
To Kirby Witmer: Rubbish! MS make it exceptionally difficult to change the search provider. If you live in the US it's not too much of a problem, but if ytou live outside (like the UK) it's almost impossible and even upon selecting a different provider it keeps reverting back to google.com -when I want the local Google (.co.uk) - see http://www.turnerdow.com/seo-IE7-Search-Steal.htm for more detailed information. It stinks and is a search steal at worst.
ReplyDeleteBaron Turner
How in this world can one company tell another company what the default search engine for their software is??? Google does NOT own Microsoft! I despise these companies that use guns (or threat of physical violence via govt) to get their way. Why should Google.com have Google listed as their default search engine? I disagree. It should be MSN. Who do you guys vote for?
ReplyDeleteSee how utterly pathetic and EVIL this crap is? This isn't communism, this is a FREE America where property rights are respected. Hey Google, why don't you go turn in another anti-commie China man? You remember the guy that protested his country's communist govt and you reported him? He's rotting in prison while you worry about controlling someone else's default search engine! Arrogant low-lifes!!!
To Baron Turner: Have you any idea what you are talking about????
ReplyDeleteI can change the IE Default to Google.whatever and certainly does not revert to google.com and it was excecptionally simple to set up.
Sounds like you may have a Virus on your PC!!
This is crap. I have google on my IE and I don't want to be prompted to keep Google every single time I turn on my computer, like I have for the last 8 or so months; I just want to keep google as my search engine. If anyone will post how I stop MS to stop trying to change my default browser to http://www.microsoft.com./....etc. I would greatly appreciate it. Tell MS to guit screwing with my computer.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
A proud user of Google for multiple years
when i open my internet explorer 7. there is automatically open "http://runonce.msn.com/runonce3.aspx" . how can i stop it. i have also change my home page in internet option but nothing has changed if anybody know that how to solve it please reply me on my id "krn_luthra@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThe best way I've found:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.enhanceie.com/dl/NoRunOnce.reg