The confusing "Browser Choice" Screen

Sometime soon, probably this week (ending 5th March 2010, or if not, then soon after), you should get this screen when you turn your PC on (some people have already had it - exactly when you'll get it varies from PC to PC ):

What's going on is Microsoft is giving you the chance to choose between their web browser (Internet Explorer) and the ones made by variuos other companies. Not because they feel like being nice to other companies, but because the EU decreed they had to. When you click on OK, you'll get this screen:

I suspect this screen is going to really confuse lots of people - if you're not expecting it you might even wonder if it's some kind of scam.

So here are the facts:

• If you already have a different browser as your default, you won't see the screen. Don't worry, it's not that it's gone wrong. The EU only insisted on giving people the chance to switch if they were using Internet Explorer.
• When the screen appears, it'll also put an icon called "Browser Choice" onto your desktop. Double clicking later on that will start up the choice screen again.
• If you have Windows 7, Internet Explorer will be removed from the taskbar, where it's "pinned" in the bottom left. It'll appear there again if you choose it on the choice screen.
• There are 5 browsers on the screen (listed in random order, so chances are yours will be in a different order from mine). If you like, you can scroll to the right using the scroll bar to see even more options. Personally, I'd stick to the five that are shown.
• If you click on "Select Later", the screen will go away but will appear again next time you restart your PC.
• You can find out more about each browser by clicking on "Tell Me More" - but remember that each bit is written by the company that make that browser so it's not exactly unbiased!
• The idea is you click on "Install" under the browser you want to use. Now I've tried it out and generally it works fine. But sometimes you'll find it installs the browser but the choice screen doesn't go away. To get rid of it, just click on the cross int he top right hand corner - it'll go and that's it.
• If you have more than one browser, don't worry. It won't actually remove them when you click install - it'll just reinstall the one you choose.

I hope that helps make it a bit clearer. It seems like the EU are trying to make it hard for everyone. And I must admit I find the idea of forcing Microsoft to offer other browsers odd. It's a bit like making Honda offer their cars with a choice of engines from them, Toyota, Renault or BMW. But anyway, once you've got rid of the screen, you should be able to forget about it and you shouldn't be bothered by it again.

Tim Wakeling

PS if you're interested in the background and why this is going on, you can read more here:www.helpfulbooks.co.uk/NL010110.htm

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