another example of Microsoft's continuing choice limiting impact, apropos antitrust settlement - blackberry and yahoo limiting non IE users from using site to dl sw

["Dave Farber" <dave () farber net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Foldes [mailto:pfoldes () interhelp com] 
Sent: Saturday, August 04, 2007 8:46 PM
To: David Farber
Subject: another example of Microsoft's continuing choice limiting impact,
apropos antitrust settlement - blackberry and yahoo limiting non IE users
from using site to dl sw

Dave, for IP if you like

Another example of Microsoft's continuing market power to limit consumer 
choices; despite the anti trust settlement. Given that Firefox and other 
browsers are estimated to have more than 20%^ of the browser market, 
this collaboration by Blackberry and Yahoo to limit easy downloading of 
software using browsers other than Internet Explorer is shameful, and 
widespread.

Perhaps the US Federal District Judge oversighting the request by Google 
to extend monitoring phase of the Microsoft Antitrust decree may be 
interested in seeing the continued consumer choice limiting impact of 
Microsoft in the marketplace.

See below Blackberry.com site which I just went to with the Firefox 
Browser to download some software. See notice below saying, in effect:
'Must Use Microsoft's Internet Explorer ONLY to use this page'

This is just one of many sites limiting concumer's choice as to which 
browser they use to easily use the site
-- including Microsoft's update software site: 
http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/thanks.aspx?ln=en&&thankspa
ge=5


example of blackberry's site effectively helping to maintain microsoft's 
monopoly gained market power shown below:
-------------------------------------------------

http://www.blackberry.com/YahooDownload/index.do

Home > Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger

Notice

Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or above is required to download this 
Instant Messenger.

This web page uses ActiveX controls that work only in Microsoft Internet 
Explorer. To ensure that the Yahoo! Messenger is correctly downloaded to 
your BlackBerry this site is designed not to work with any other 
Internet browsers.

-- 
Paul Foldes
Former FTC Consumer Protection Bureau Staff Member



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