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Windows Browser Ballot System – A total waste of time

EU is pushing Microsoft to provide a browser ballot in the Windows versions shipped in European Union countries.Well it is definitely not going to help the consumer/ end user. The argument from EU and Microsoft’s rivals is that since windows comes pre-installed with Internet Explorer, the users are not given equal opportunity for using other browsers.

Browser Ballot Screenshot for Windows in EU
Browser Ballot Screenshot for Windows in EU

If the users are not tech savvy enough, how does EU expect them to make a wise or useful choice upfront ? So these decisions may be forced on them by their relatives or the people who help them set up a computer. Especially if a non techy user finds that he/she is missing their favorite Internet Explorer (or comfortable) and when they try to connect office network and get thrown out because they are using a non IE browser ?

One way or the other this ballot system will be a failure from the start just like Windows Editions launched without Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer. Well no one bothered to buy these Windows Editions specifically launched in EU, after all why not have IE or Windows Media Player if they are not going to harm your computer?

Probably EU regulators should now look at other real issues like launching Phones like Iphone locked and limiting their use to only one network etc.

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Will Netbeans and Glassfish survive the Sun-Oracle merger ?

Well the Sun-Oracle merger throws more questions than answers everyday, though Oracle’s intention on Java cannot be doubted, on the other hand the fate of Netbeans and GlassFish is uncertain. Oracle also own WebLogic server and is more popular than Glass Fish and in all probability development on GlassFish might end in the near future.

But on Netbeans front the story can be different, though Oracle currently promotes Eclipse IDE, it might change its tune in the near future, Netbeans is a neat package and good IDE for Java/J2EE development. Currently Netbeans bundles Glassfish,Tomcat and even WebLogic Server.

And the larger impact could be on Open Source database promoted by Sun, MySQL. Few years back Sun purchased MySQL and MySQL is one of the most popular database used for websites and other applications. And MySQL is a direct competitor in these areas, So there will be many players watching Oracle’s next move.

Well before all this European regulators need to clear the merger as Oracle is buying out Oracle’s direct open Source competitor in MySQL (currently owned by Sun).

Lets see how things play out in the near future.

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IBM facing Anti-Trust case for its Monopoly over Mainframes

IBM is facing an investigation from Depatment of Justice (US) for its competition killing practices in Mainframe space. Earlier IBM used to license its Mainframe software to be run on Non IBM hardware, but sometime back IBM withdrew such offers and now completely dominates the hardware segment of Mainframes.

Also one more claim is that since many Major clients have written complex business code on Mainframes and IBM has made it very difficult to port these applications to another vendor say Oracle or Microsoft.

T3T a smaller company is pursuing a case against IBM in this regard but was rejected by the court recently. But now Justice department has taken the matter. Earlier Platform Solutions sued IBM but later was purchased by IBM and hence ending any chance of legal battle.

Now the Computer & Communication Industry Association (CCIA) which includes Oracle,Microsoft,Google ,Redhat among others has been asked to provide inputs on the investigation by Dept of Justice.