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Let users choose what they want: Mozilla chief to Microsoft CEO

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Sonal Desai
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MUMBAI, INDIA: Microsoft simply cannot do away with its monopolistic ways.

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Days after Microsoft released its newest operating system Windows 10, the company has run into trouble. In a clear case of enforcing monopoly, the software major seems to have designed Windows 10 in such a way that making it difficult for users to change the default browser in the new OS.

In a strongly worded blog targeted at Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft, Chris Beard, CEO, Mozilla, wrote, “I am writing to you about a very disturbing aspect of Windows 10. Specifically, that the update experience appears to have been designed to throw away the choice your customers have made about the Internet experience they want and replace it with the Internet experience Microsoft wants them to have.”

He argues that the upgrade process now appears to be purposefully designed to throw away the choices its customers have made about the Internet experience they want, and replace it with the Internet experience Microsoft wants them to have.

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Marking his disappointment over the development, Beard wrote, “Sometimes we see great progress, where consumer products respect individuals and their choices. However, with the launch of Windows 10 we are deeply disappointed to see Microsoft take such a dramatic step backwards. It is bewildering to see, after almost 15 years of progress bolstered by significant government intervention that with Windows 10 user choice has now been all but removed.”

According to the blog post, “It now takes more than twice the number of mouse clicks, scrolling through content and some technical sophistication for people to reassert the choices they had previously made in earlier versions of Windows. It’s confusing, hard to navigate and easy to get lost.”

Mozilla has also created a video and posted it on its YouTube channel explaining the amount of clicks required and time spent to set Firefox as the default browser.

“We designed Windows 10 to provide a simple upgrade experience for users and a cohesive experience following the upgrade. During the upgrade, consumers have the choice to set defaults, including for web browsing. Following the upgrade, they can easily choose the default browser of their choice. As with all aspects of the product, we have designed Windows 10 as a service; if we learn from user experience that there are ways to make improvements, we will do s

At the end, Beard urged Microsoft to reconsider its business tactic and respect people’s right to choice and control of their online experience by making it easier, more obvious and intuitive for people to maintain the choices they have already made through the upgrade experience.

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