BBC want your browser ballot views

February 18, 2010 · by Espen André Øverdahl

"The battle over internet browsers will reach a climax in March, when Microsoft will start allowing European users of its Windows 7 operating system to choose a rival browser as default", BBC writes.

The choice screen will show the most popular browsers in the EU - and Click would like to know which one you are likely to choose and why.

Send them a video

Use a Webcam (or anything else that records video) and let them know your preference. Upload it to a video sharing site and e-mail [email protected] with the link and the subject heading "Browser Ballot".

If you feel strongly against any particular browser feel free to post that too, and let them know your reason. They'll feature the best videos in March.

Readers' comments 25

Left under the original article, as archived.

KeniceThursday, February 18, 2010 1:08:12 PM
Opera definitely... too bad I'm not in the EU
Charles SchlossThursday, February 18, 2010 1:26:16 PM
Muhammad Firdaus Amir HamzahThursday, February 18, 2010 1:29:27 PM
Im not in EU too....
Yung Daddy Junior Jr(II)Thursday, February 18, 2010 2:38:32 PM
l tried bolt with my phone. my God it took me 2wks to download in my phone. first you have to fill your email address then.....wait ..... my God that a long time. opera mini is the best.l like it .am not in EU but in nairobi kenya.hope opera win.
Dan AlexandruThursday, February 18, 2010 2:54:52 PM
~~They got the logo wrong.~~They just updated it.

Originally posted by BBC Click:

The ballot screen will show the most popular browsers in the EU - and Click would like to know which one you are likely to choose and why.
AFAIK, the ballot screen will only appear if the default browser is MSIE. I suspect most people getting it will thus choose MSIE, and most video responders will not.
ouzowtfThursday, February 18, 2010 5:59:33 PM
I yesterday had the idea to switch to IE temporary (of course not until that day...) just to get the browser ballot view.
■Thursday, February 18, 2010 6:24:16 PM
recording and sending right now
malsumisThursday, February 18, 2010 7:22:20 PM
Originally posted by ouzoWTF:

I yesterday had the idea to switch to IE temporary (of course not until that day...) just to get the browser ballot view.

going to do the same
d4rkn1ghtThursday, February 18, 2010 10:14:42 PM
praetor87Thursday, February 18, 2010 11:08:20 PM
I like every browser, because on touch screen every one set up for lefty users. Vaio L FTW! Sorry, but i'm too shy for the camera.
techlawsamFriday, February 19, 2010 1:09:38 AM
Michael AkinjobiFriday, February 19, 2010 5:27:46 AM
to be honest, i make use of opera mini 5beta2 and the way i download music and apps has been fantastic. Opera, u be master
thobiFriday, February 19, 2010 11:13:55 AM
to be honest i don't understand what they want to be recorded. me having the ballot-screen and picking my browser?
otter30Saturday, February 20, 2010 6:12:18 PM
http://home.otter30.operaunite.com/stream/
František BenešSaturday, February 20, 2010 6:33:04 PM
Mám problém z operou na mobilu mám ji nainstalovanou . Na některé odkaz mě to hlásí vytvořte operu
MartijnSunday, February 21, 2010 7:20:17 PM
Internet Explorer. Why? Because I think this rule is crap. I'm just going to stick with the default and I'll install Opera myself.

Also, to be honest, I'm nearly ashamed of Opera's behaviour during the process of this browser ballot. Cry because the IE logo is too well-known? Sorry, goes too far for me. I've seen way too many reactions from Opera that are way out of proportion, and at time I felt ashamed of being an Opera user, seriously.
Charles SchlossSunday, February 21, 2010 7:40:47 PM
This helps Opera and every other browser out there by them able to get their name out. This is about how Microsoft abused there position in the browser market.
Herman Johnson IIIMonday, February 22, 2010 1:07:18 AM
Originally posted by Chas4:

This is about how Microsoft abused there position in the browser market.

Other browsers don't advertise their products enough.
Charles SchlossMonday, February 22, 2010 1:14:41 AM
Originally posted by hejohnson3:

Other browsers don't advertise their products enough.

Plus 99% of browser code would only work in IE on Windows, because Microsoft had IE in 90 something % if the browser market share, so you try to use a browser other than IE in 2002...
MartijnMonday, February 22, 2010 1:10:29 PM
Microsoft has a market share of 64%, not really something you'd call a monopoly anymore. They used to have, yes, but not anymore. Charles Schloss above me gave a nice try, but every meaningful website works at least in Internet Explorer, Firefox en Chrome/Safari. Generally they work in Opera as well, but Opera's market share is (with all respect) way too small to think about. If I wouldn't use Opera myself, I would not even consider spending a few more hours to make stuff work in Opera.

Also, we live in a capitalism-based world, yes? Organisations have the right to own market share. It's called competition and it's what powers the Opera devs to make something great out of Opera 10.50.

Please note, I'm not bashing Opera as a browser, I use it everywhere and think it's great. I frown upon this measurement taken at Microsoft, and Opera's responses to it.
ladiesman69Monday, February 22, 2010 1:59:03 PM
I've Been An Opera User For Almost 2 Years.I'm NOT Going Back To I.E. Or F.F.,Never!
Saurabh KumarMonday, February 22, 2010 3:10:08 PM
Originally posted by MartijnGP:

Microsoft has a market share of 64%, not really something you'd call a monopoly anymore.

We are talking about abusing their monopoly in the "OS" market to gain a foothold in the browser market.

Originally posted by MartijnGP:

Also, we live in a capitalism-based world, yes? Organisations have the right to own market share.

They don't have a right to abuse their monopoly. Regardless of what you think should be the law, Opera won the case only because of our existing laws. You can stay with IE for all people here care, but take note that IE is the least standards following browser.
Consider a situation where the worlds most used browser on a whim decides that it does not want to follow some particular standards. All web designers would then have to recode their site for IE, making other browsers unusable. Furthermore IE exists only on Windows, and that would make browsing on other platforms impossible. The 90 percent browser share Microsoft once had gave it the power to dictate practically how and if at all the web would move forward.
Such a situation would be acceptable if people had willingly chosen IE to be their preferred browser and had willingly said 'NO' to the other browsers and their innovations for the web. But no, Microsoft knowingly used their monopoly in the OS market force IE on people. You should read up on what happened to Netscape and why it happened.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_wars#The_first_browser_war

Originally posted by MartijnGP:

It's called competition and it's what powers the Opera devs to make something great out of Opera 10.50.

Yes. Exactly. And its sad when the battle is won by a browser that hardly cares for innovation but knows its market share will always remain safe because its pre-available on Windows.
Fathima Rifqa GhaffarMonday, February 22, 2010 5:51:09 PM
I like Opera very much.It's improving day by day.My question is, can we use Microsoft word when we use Opera?Or does Opera has their own illustrator?
PurdiWednesday, March 3, 2010 11:48:23 AM
Originally posted by MartijnGP:

Internet Explorer. Why? Because I think this rule is crap.

That's because you are ignorant.

Also, to be honest, I'm nearly ashamed of Opera's behaviour during the process of this browser ballot. Cry because the IE logo is too well-known?

Your bigotry is rather disgusting. They answered a DIRECT QUESTION from a journalist. Should they NOT answer direct questions because whiners like you will only whine about it?

Sorry, goes too far for me. I've seen way too many reactions from Opera that are way out of proportion, and at time I felt ashamed of being an Opera user, seriously.

This is just disgustingly ignorant. All Opera has done is to answer direct questions from journalists.
PurdiWednesday, March 3, 2010 11:50:19 AM
Originally posted by MartijnGP:

Microsoft has a market share of 64%, not really something you'd call a monopoly anymore.

WRONG. This is well within the legal definition of "monopoly".

Also, we live in a capitalism-based world, yes? Organisations have the right to own market share. It's called competition

Ignorance is bliss. Microsoft's illegal actions UNDERMINED FREE COMPETITION IN THE MARKET. So they were busted based on the laws that exist to PROTECT THE FREE MARKET.

Anyone who thinks Capitalism means "no laws" is an idiot.

I frown upon this measurement taken at Microsoft, and Opera's responses to it.

So you are an anarchist?