14 
If you’re used to freely choosing which browser you use in Windows, brace yourself: Mozilla is claiming that Microsoft is planning to limit user choice for browsers on tablets running Windows 8.
In a blog post, Mozilla explains that, on ARM-based devices, the only browser that will be allowed to run in Windows Classic mode will be Microsoft’s own Internet Explorer. No Firefox, no Chrome.
What’s weird is that it will be possible to use third-party browsers in the snazzy new Metro mode, just not in the classic Windows mode. Microsoft attorney David Heiner has explained that the company isn’t allowing other browsers because of the security and power needs of the ARM chips—which, apparently, only Microsoft can properly address. In Metro mode, at least.
All of which sounds rather dubious, and is reminiscent of Microsoft’s wranglings with the Department of Justice over monopolizing the browser market way back in the nineties.
Mozilla’s general counsel Harvey Anderson explained to CNET that “sometimes [Microsoft] need some pressure… If it turns out to be legal pressure, that could be the thing.” Whatever works, Harvey. Whatever works. [CNET via Wall Street Journal]
Google Grassed on Microsoft About Missing EU Browser Choice Screen
Total Recall Browser MMO Planned to Coincide With Film Reboot
Looks Like Acer is Planning a £70 Tablet
Looks like Microsoft will be taking another trip to court soon then, their excuse is absolute bollocks.
I presume they’ll compare themselves to Apple. Apple took years to allow other browsers on iOS, citing similarly dubious reasons and didn’t suffer a significant backlash for it.
That’ll go down well in court. “We want to act like complete cunts because Apple have been doing it for years and you’ve never stopped them” is probably not a recognised defence.
Come now – do you guys know why MS when to court? Anti-trust – but do you know what it means? Profiting from something that someone is ‘forced’ to use.
One word……. Itunes!
The only difference is apple doesnt have a big enough market share for it to be an issue.
Microsoft can argue that any browser vendor can build a ‘new’ web browser for Windows 8 by using in-built IE rendering engine. The vendor can provide their own UI, added functionalities, etc
Isn’t this what most of the ‘other’ browsers for iOS and android are anyway?
It would be better if they didn’t include Classic mode for Tablets, I think it just confuses things and makes the whole OS messy.
Wait, are you sure that’s right? I was under the impression that ARM-based devices weren’t going to get Windows Classic mode. They’d just be Metro only. I would guess it’s the other way around. Only IE in Metro and you can choose what you like in Classic mode.
Why on earth would Mozilla want develop and maintain a standalone, separate application for the Desktop mode of Windows RT?
Windows on ARM does not support legacy x86/64 applications, so the “Classic” mode is pretty much exclusively for advanced document management within Windows Explorer with some network functionality through IE for network maintenance for power-users. It is ABSOLUTELY Microsoft’s prerogative to make this area of the OS a closed, clutter-free zone that 3rd Parties can’t develop for.
“Classic” mode on x86 is a concession to allow for both Legacy and Metro Applications to co-exist while developers and users adjust to the “Metro” style. Why would you want to compound this by allowing for two separate ecosystems on a platform (ARM) that doesn’t have this issue and can instead exist be a poster-child for a clutter-free, pure, Metro-optimised experience?
Note that the whole story is based on a Blog-post by Harvey Anderson, a Mozilla Lawyer, not at all technical and in no way acting on the instruction of any decision makers on the Firefox Team. He’s a scandal-courting numpty trying to cause a storm in a teacup. Microsoft didn’t make this decision to oppress the opposition, they made it to prevent the ARM platform being saddled by distinctly 20th Century experiences.
Sensationalist non-story.
That “be” should be an “as”. Curse the inability to edit!
Microsoft aren’t letting the ARM tablets do anything on the desktop apart from Office, so this doesn’t come as a surprise. Windows ARM can basically only do WinRT, it cannot do Win32, so this isn’t a move to block browsers, it’s that they are incompatible and so need to be re-written to use the WinRT application model. You name it, Windows ARM can’t run it unless its Windows interface is re-written.
Microsoft should just remove the desktop mode of IE from Windows RT – it’s not going to support the plugins anyways am I right? I imagine it’ll confuse customers further if it’s included.
Why do I want Windows tablets? So I can have Windows on a Tablet.
Windows 8 just sounds like Microsoft’s version of IOS on tablet and I don’t want that because I can already buy an iPad.
Just give me a fully functional version of Desktop Windows on a Tablet!