Why the EU's "browser ballot" is a bad idea

"After a legal wrangle that's lasted almost a year, Microsoft and antitrust investigators from the European Union have signed off on a ballot screen concept designed to Windows users the opportunity to download alternatives to Internet Explorer. While I believe that browser diversification is a good thing, I feel that approached used here is a flawed one, and will make Windows user more vulnerable to malware.

"So why is it a bad idea? Well, let's think about how it'll work. Following a Windows Update that will be sent out during the first quarter 2010, users living in one of the 30 countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) will be presented with a screen. That screen will consist of two pages, and on those two pages will be links to download a dozen browser (I know, a dozen … hard to come up with that list cold). Users will be encouraged to download and install third-party applications from websites not controlled by Microsoft."

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