kaled - 11:06 am on Dec 18, 2009 (gmt 0)

The issue was never whether Microsoft prevented users from running other browsers but rather if they exploited their position as a monopolistic operating system vendor.

Integration into the OS achieved two things being HTML help and ActiveX controls. However, had the approach I suggested earlier been followed, HTML help would not have presented a problem, so that just leaves ActiveX controls. Well, probably, the world could have done without these anyway, but if designed properly, it should have been possible to drop them into any browser.

Whilst it is impossible to know precisely why Microsoft chose to integrate Internet Explorer into the OS, there was no significant benefit to users as a result. Perhaps it just happened, perhaps it was a random decision or maybe it was deliberate to try to circumvent legal disputes - unless a smoking gun emerges we'll never know.

Incidentally, it is highly likely that certain features in AB Commander are only possible as a result EU intervention forcing Microsoft to publish more information on the API. One of my own programs has benefited from this but it seems to me that there is still considerable documentation missing or hiding.

Kaled.