What impact will the browser ballot screen have?

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However, it’s no coincidence that in conjunction with the roll-out of the browser screen, Microsoft has stumped up for a major advertising advertising campaign for Internet Explorer 8 that’s currently running on UK TV screens.

It shows just how important this product is for Microsoft, given that it’s spending a sizeable amount of money on a product that it gives away for free.

As things stand, Internet Explorer currently sits at just over 61 per cent market share, a long way from its peak of 95 per cent, and the ballot screen is likely to do that further damage. But will it be as much as expected?

Microsoft has done its best, without limited options, to load the dice as much in its favour as it can subtlely do, all while trying to avoid the wrath of European authorities. How successful it’s going to be is up for debate, but few see Microsoft arresting its decline in market share.

That said, some of the smaller browsers are unlikely to do it much damage. For even though it doesn’t appear so at first, the browser ballot actually has more than five names on it.

It’s just that you have to do a bit of work to find the other alternatives, and that’s not immediately obvious unless you regularly battle menu screens. The main screen gives you no obvious indicator that if you scroll horizontally, you can uncover further options.

Browsers hidden away there include Flock, Avant and Sleipnir, and the makers of many of the hidden alternatives have signed a letter requesting at least a bit of text explaining that there are more choices if you’re willing to scroll a bit.

Microsoft has thus far simply stated that its browser ballot screen is in keeping with the decision from the European Commission. It’s hardly likely to bend over any further than necessary.

Concession

Ultimately, even though it was an important concession, the browser screen was always going to be a proverbial hot potato.

Ever since Microsoft unveiled the initial design back in December there have been murmurings of complaint, and now – as the ballot is pumped out across the Windows Update system – there are still parties who inevitably, and perhaps rightly, aren’t happy.

What’s most interesting, however, are the ramifications that this ballot will have. We’re not going to feel them particularly in the first month, as given the vastness of the web browser market, it’s going to take more than a few weeks’ worth of figures to distort it.

However, will the ballot cement Microsoft’s position and help it control the fall of Internet Explorer? Has it really levelled the playing field towards the alternatives on the market? The latter is what many are expecting, but as many have found before, democracy can be a very funny thing.

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