wwwaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

Let’s look at a logic chain here:

1. User installs third party browser and makes it the default on Windows Vista.
2. User upgrades to Windows 7 down the road, chooses express upgrade options.
3. IE8 replaces the Vista default as the new default browser.

So, Mozilla and Opera are arguing that a new Microsoft browser which was installed onto Microsoft’s OS shouldn’t become default when the user just wants to install Windows and be done with it? Think about it this way: A user chooses to go with express configuration settings because the user doesn’t want to deal with setting anything up on his/her own. The user, therefore, consents to using Microsoft’s default settings, and Microsoft’s defaults include setting up Internet Explorer 8 as the default browser. If the user really wanted to customize any settings, the user would go ahead and do so without any problems. Keep in mind that installing Windows 7 also means, by extension, installing Internet Explorer 8.

There is no problem here; all I see is whining, and it’s getting ridiculous. Mozilla and Opera should work on creating a compelling product, and while I agree that Opera is better than Internet Explorer 8 in many ways including memory management (Mozilla’s RAM issues prevent me from considering it for anything), the point is that Windows belongs to Microsoft, and thus, Microsoft can do whatever they want with it. These “dominant market position” arguments don’t fly because Mozilla and Opera are both using the argument selectively; you don’t see them making nearly as much noise about Apple and the iPhone/iPod touch/Mac.