For years, Microsoft has tried to shrug off its reputation as a monopolistic tyrant. Today comes news that seems to undermine those efforts pretty badly.
The Next Web reports that users of Internet Explorer 6 are being forced to use Bing as their default search engine — even if they’ve manually switched their preference to another search provider, like Google. Attempts to switch the browser to something other than Bing result in an error message.
Update 6/3: Microsoft has fixed the bug and says it should no longer be an issue.
Now, let’s set aside the fact that IE6 is a scourge on the web that opens users up to a wide array of critical security issues and forces developers to implement ugly hacks because the browser doesn’t support many web standards. The fact of the matter is that a sizable number of users are still using IE6 (over 5% of TechCrunch readers still use it, and the global marketshare is closer to 20%). We’re talking millions of users who are potentially affected by this issue.
While the vast majority of users affected probably won’t even notice the change, some are beginnig to complain (you can find threads in Google’s forums here and here). Microsoft has confirmed the issue to Search Engine Roundtable, explaining that it is currently investigating a solution.
Given that Microsoft has long been the target of antitrust cases, there’s no way the company would have done this on purpose. But it’s a hilarious bug nonetheless, and so far there’s no easy way to fix it (expect Microsoft to issue an update in a few days). In the meantime, I suggest any affected users try a modern browser like Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or IE8.
I doubt it was an overzealous engineer that did this. I do not this Microsoft as an institution approved this but it was surely no mistake.
Jason, as punishment you should not have recommended IE8
In IE6, go to your menu bar:
Tools
–>Internet Options
—->Security
——>Restricted Sites
Add “www.bing.com” and “bing.com” to your list of “Restricted sites”.
Google search bar will now work again
haha, now now, don’t go doing that!
Why would you do that when Bing is so much more superior to Google
Bing might be MORE superior, but google is the MOST superior
Ahahahahahahah. That is the most lol of the day!!!
I think Bing representatives are the only one who are liking bing. And thinking it to be more Superior than Google.
I think Bing can’t capture the search market because people have a mindset of opening Google every time whenever they want to search for something.
It would take years(guaranteed) for Bing to change this mindset and capture a big share of the search engine market.
A great suggestion for you would be to work on your old projects and make it better and popular rather than introducing and investing in new projects and in the end getting nothing(except a bad experience).
http://www.smartbloggerz.com
Just use the AAfter toolbar that has quick access to Google, Yahoo, and Bing
http://download...4-10809361.html
+1
How this any different from making google search the default on chrome?
Read the article again and find out. This time read all the words.
Nice!
Chrome and Firefox and elephants too. Hooray!
Search engine suck but they’re like sex.
Everybody wants a great experience but they are few and far between.
If you want a buddy for life, get a dog and eat more pizza.
Cheers for the link back to TNW Jason
I hate it when programs do that.. you take the time to set your browser search and then some idiot company thinks lets change it. IT is so stupid because all it does is allienate people.. here I was feeling all warm and fuzzy about bing but hearing this..screw you Microsoft… can’t compete so you have to force people to use your search… Steve Ballmer your no better than a used car salesman…
I meant to say: I guess it was an overzealous engineer that did this.
*We should be able to review our comments before posting what do you think? I hate having to see a grammatical error in my comment.
There’s a saying: “Never ascribe to malice that which can be explained by incompetence”. I reckon that it applies to overzealousness as much as malice.
There’s another saying: “Defend your neighbor, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.” Mine makes more friends than yours.
People should leave thie IE6 for good and move to 8 already.
Even all of Bing webslices features doesn’t work in IE6.
Thanks
I wouldn’t admit to using IE at all… kind of like saying I am idiot… which is fine for me because I am sort of an idiot when it comes to technology.. my idea of reformting a harddrive was to delete all the files…
whats the problem with using IE8? tell me features that you use daily in other browsers that isn’t in IE8. I can tell things I use daily in IE8 that is just not available in other browswers. it is a good browser, don’t knock on it because its from MSFT. c’mon man, drop that crap already. people are free to use what ever browser they want.
I always use Firefox as my primary browser, but being a web UI developer I probably use IE6, 7, 8, Firefox 3, Safari 3.2+, and Chrome at least once a day for testing. In terms of developer tools, there is alot of tools I use daily in the form of Firefox extensions that IE8 does not have.
Extensions are what make Firefox, I often think I may have switched to a webkit based browser if it was not for my dependency on FF extensions.
p.s. IE6 sucks… IE8 is a vast improvement but still way behind the competition *cough* HTML5 *cough*
What do other browsers have that IE8 not have? How about web standards compatibility for one.
Features I use every day:
- Spell check fields
- Developer toolbar
- ColorZilla
- Font finder
- Screengrab
- FoxyTunes
- WizRSS
- TreeStyle Tabs
- Cooliris
- Fire.fm
- Morning Coffee
- ForecastFox
- Juice
How many does IE have? I’m actually curious because IE7 sucked in comparison. Haven’t downloaded IE8 yet.
Hmm. I never knew Crtl+Alt+PrtScr was a browser feature. I’m so retarded.
puh-leeze – our stats show that onsome days over 70% of our users are still using some version of IE. They’re not ALL idiots.
Ummm yah about 50% that is… the 50% of you that voted for bush…twice… so yah.. if we are looking at the United States…
Anyone who says or writes ‘yah’ is an idiot imho.
Your brain is knocking. Try a tank of premium and a bottle of one tank cleaning agent and see a mechanic.
I am a techie and i can tell you there is nothing wrong with using IE. Firefox is great but the fact is, all the options viz. IE, Firefox, Safari are good. Pick anyone and you’re fine. Don’t think people on the “cool bandwagon” know more than you in any way.
The problem with IE6 users is that many of them are using the computer from work and have no choice in what browser they use.
probable a honest mistake. I think MSFT will be happy with any new search traffic because of this issue.
From my research, the number is between 24% and 27%. Still a very high rate.
Wow I didn’t remember ie6 even having an integrated search to necessitate a default.
same thing I was thinking, thats why this article sort doesn’t make any sense to me, I’m really puzzled about this.
I read through the endless sea of comments and most people are just going on and on about how wrong it is, but if I remember correctly there’s no integrated search feature in IE6, the integrated search feature showed up in IE7 and 8.
something is rotten here…mmm… what could it be?
There was/is an integrated search in IE6, it was a sidebar feature rather than next to the address bar as you are thinking of it.
There was no ‘change search provider’ features though, the search engine URL was hard coded deep in the windows registry.
I believe what this article is saying is those people who hacked their registry to use google are finding that MS has updated the values.
As a software developer I find it irritating when people dont adopt updated versions then complain about some ancient bug in a version long since put to rest.
If that’s true, this makes more sense now. I’d say TC is stirring a pot that doesn’t need stirring. Anyone smart enough to hack the registry to change their search provider ought to be smart enough to upgrade to a modern browser (at least a newer version of ie).
Whoever wrote this article must be a Mac user and fan. Not to mention, not very smart. You see, Bing is the new NAME and SERVICE which REPLACES their previous search service. It has nothing to do with being “monopolistic”. And I mean heaven forbid they make you use their search engine within their software. OH NO!
Geez…
By that logic, Microsoft should be able to force users to only run Microsoft programs under Windows.
No, you are missing the crucial point. IE is a piece of software, not an operating system. Nobody is forced to use IE due to the other options available for download.
What’s next, complaining that you can’t play PS3 games in the Xbox 360?
How do you think a person feels when their default settings get changed? Pissed off. Is it wrong? No but really, really stupid… it is like popup ads… hey lets annoy someone into buying our products.. only a moron would think that is a good idea… just like only a moron would think changing a person’s defaults is a good idea…
hmm, so you’re saying that if your kids don’t clean their rooms and its a mess, you wouldn’t go in and clean it up and put out the mess?
however, if its a room mate, then that would be a different story…….there’s a certain way to go about that situation.
plus…..I want to know how does IE6 gets default search in the browser? I dont’ remember seeing IE6 with a search box….to do a search don’t IE6 users have to explicitly type in the search address? someone explain that to me because I really don’t remember.
Yah… get me a girl that will have my kids and I will tell you.. I like short Maltese girls.. one… in particular.. so I leave it to you to hook me up.. thanks mate:)
This is really making no sense… i mean have people notice that IE6 does not really have these so call features attributed in what it’s doing. Plus the source being a Google blog is iffy at best. C’mon TC, i thought you were loving the bing? did you get a call for you overlords Google? I bing, my friends bing, we all bing, bada, bada, badaBING! lol
… oh and I Bingo my searches everyday now!
“What’s next, complaining that you can’t play PS3 games in the Xbox 360?
Yes. I am very upset that not all games work on whatever platform someone happens to own. Movies work in all brands of DVD players, and non-DRM’d music will play on any brand of MP3 player. Why should games have to be incompatible?
Jason said…
Microsoft should be able to force users…
Jason, Microsoft don’t force users, you get it? Users force themselves, since it was them who bought machines that are pre-installed with Microsoft softwares. Where was the forcing in there? Why weren’t those users buy Mac or Linux machines in the first place? No one force anyone against their will. Buyers forced themselves to buy a computer against the other option of not buying one.
Try to differentiate between the voluntary & the coercive threat. Buyers voluntarily buy Microsoft products. The US government is going to force GM to only manufacture certain types of cars (ie, fuel efficient), that is what you call the application of force & coercion. GM has no choice against this coercion. Microsoft is not in the same category. Everything is voluntary. Buyers force themselves and not the other way round.
well….I don’t want to sound like a douche here…but….it is their software, on a technicality I can look at it this way, I build my house, it is my house and I can dictate whoever sets foot in my house. I can tell you to use only the downstairs bathroom and not to set a foot on my rug, and no shoes in my house, etc……
Amen to that gracklaw. Well said.
A mistaken belief by socialists is that the products that are available in the market are somehow they’re part owner of those products, they’re entitle to those products is how they’re being parceled. This means that they have a right to how those products are being bundled together or being manufactured, etc,…
Look no further than Jason’s statement, where he stated that Microsoft should be able to force users. This implies that somehow users have entitlements to Microsoft’s products. Somehow users/consumers have god given rights to tell Microsoft what it can or can’t do with their own products. It implies that users rights (somehow they’re part-owner of Microsoft Corp. ) have been violated.
I was thinking that too… Microsoft would certainly want to promote its own product, and doing so within its own product doesn’t seem illegitimate. If users really don’t like that, they have other free browsers to choose from. Sneaky marketing, maybe, but then, it’s their own product. In any case, let’s give them (Microsoft) some time to settle the problem, whether they intended it or not.
“By that logic, Microsoft should be able to force users to only run Microsoft programs under Windows.”
What is wrong with that? It is their OS and they can do what they please with it. I have an option to buy windows or buy something else. If MS did that I would move on to some other OS. Don’t underestimate the market.
By your logic FB should be sued if they didn’t provide the FB platform. Because otherwise they would be forcing FB users to run apps only developed by FB engineers. Now extend that logic to all hardware and software. Apple is ripe for you to attack.
Well said. Microsoft should have the right to determine how their product is used, and copyright law gives them that right. However, I don’t see why software companies get this protection while my business as a greengrocer is not protected in this way.
You see, it’s just coming on brussels sprouts season here, and I think the best way to eat these is split and sauteed lightly in bacon grease, then sprinkled with sea salt, a little nutmeg, and pieces of the bacon that supplied the grease.
However, I am unable to place a restriction on the sale of my sprouts requiring my customers to eat them in this way. I can’t even require that they buy the bacon from my brother Dan who is a butcher.
Why does the software industry have similar rights, while I do not?
I think a lot of people here don’t understand what monopolistic behaviour actually means, and why it is wrong.
If you are using a dominant presence in one market to unduly influence another, then this is an abuse of a monopolistic position. Remember the IE debacle, with MS getting sued by the US government? That was MS using a monopoly in one area (OS) to influence takeup of an unrelated product (browser).
The article argues that this could be seen in the same light – using a popular browser to influence takeup of a separate service. Of course, it’s on nothing like the same scale, but the fundamental practice is the same.
Saying “it’s their OS and they can do as they please with it” is a massive oversimplification and misses the point entirely.
They don’t support or update older Apple OS version, do they? I think it must be pretty damned nice of Microsoft not to shoot people who are still using Windows 2000…
My bank
My local NBC affiliate, last time I really looked
Until recently my state employment division
POS terminals
whatever
great sarcasm!
“And I mean heaven forbid they make you use their search engine within their software.”
I’m not sure about heaven, but the courts have indeed forbidden Microsoft from doing something like this in the past.
They better fix it as soon as they can. They cop enough grief over some of their more questionable tactics.
ummm…
one can always still simply go to the search engine’s url, and search from there…
Upgrade you nightmare people! Please!…
In this day and age of technology we shouldn’t be talking about IE 6. I am new at web development and it such a pain the ass. I wish i could just write some code to shut it IE 6 down. Thus eliminating the need for hacks for a useless browser. Hacks!
duane…
since you’re new.. i’ll give you a pass…
there are literally 100s of thousands of businesses that run windows 2000 era software… with no issues at all..
hell, i’ve got 3 machines running windows 2000 server, along with my linux boxes as well at home..
and given that msoft made the decision to not release ie8 on the 2000 OS, these guys aren’t going to upgrade.. no reason to…
and yeah.. you can simply check to see what the browser is, and effectively put up a “we don’t run’ on your browser sign!!!
peace
Thanks…for the info, learned something new!
I’m not sure you can quote that 100s of thousands. And what is important is not one case where it works, but that most cases work.
This is exactly the problem. Win 2k users CANNOT upgrade to IE7/IE8 because MSFT does not support that OS.
Probably a smart move from Microsoft to boost bing with a bang.
Wasn’t it msn before? Is it changeable? If it’s like the before at least you could change it. Though…who USES IE6 anymore anyway???
Good thing I avoid IE6 like the plague.
It was changeable but now it’s stuck on Bing and about 20% of people still use IE6.
Get a mac, you can use whatever search engine you like
Drank your apple juice today, fanboy ?
How does your computer still work if it’s running IE6? That piece of junk is a virus magnet.
I call bullshit. I still run IE6 on one of my (NAS/backup) computers, and Bing did not become my default search engine when I tried it out.
I smell FUD.
You know…. not to be a crazy person, but could it have been on purpose?
That is some pretty free marketing they just got. Granted, it may damage the reputation. But those who still use IE6 aren’t aware of it’s reputation anyhow.
Er… Just wait until people start installing SP2 for Windows Vista. It was only released yesterday, but it subtly changes IE8 as well (e.g. bing tab opens when you open the browser as a secondary tab).
that doesn’t happen to me using IE8 on my vista box or win7 laptop….err, um…how do you “open the browser as a secondary tab” again? because I’d like to know how to open the browser as a tab.
Tabs suck.
“Let’s set aside the fact that IE6 is a scourge on the web…”
Head says ‘yes’, heart screams ‘Noooooooooooo!’.
IE6 users who want goog, why not just set google as your home page and then when you want to search, go to you home page?
Me I’ll stick with Bing and IE8
IE 6 … Is like you say..ehi attention, there is a dinosaur outside of your door!!
that was scary
http://search.y...runch&type=
Had to check, still have yahoo with ie6
you’re using a toolbar right?
yes I’m using the yahoo toolbar
that’s why I’ll be okay, I hope lol
I wonder if they are going to force Bing to be the default for other IE versions. Maybe this was a test to see how much backlash it would generate before they moved forward with other IE versions.
what are you talking about? live.com became bing.com, so which ever browser was using live search as it’s default will now have bing as it’s search defualt. this wasn’t a test.
again this is kind of crazy to me, because I don’t remember IE6 having a search box built in the browser. so how is it that people are complaining that MSFT changed their default search provider and blocks them from changing it to whatever they want? so what is it? they fiddled with IE6 to use a different search provider and now MSFT blocks them from doing that and they’re complaining about it? can someone please rectify this situation for me? because the article wasn’t not clear.
This is pure FUD.
Do you mean IE8?
@Sheryl they change it on you, and then the option to change it back is a broken page
It’s punishment for using a crap browser
People still use IE6?
It amazes me how people are so fast to criticize Microsoft and leave apple out of the criticism.
How come no one is complaining about the fact that you can not change the search engine in Safari from Google (which Apple obviously has a partnership with)? Its possible but you need to go through Safari’s hidden settings to do so or use a 3rd party app. In IE, it is as simple as going to the basic settings.
This blog is obviously Mac and Google biased and any sign of a good service coming out of Microsoft is responded to by writing stupid and useless articles like this one. As written in this blog, people actually tend to like Bing and that is just not right!
I, for one, changed my safari settings to use Bing so that I can give it a good test.
no doubt. techcrunch is a mouthpiece for Google and any threat to Google monopoly is defended by TC aggressively. they have barely said anything nice about bing since it was released and have only found angles to criticize it.
They have no interest in whats good for the web and consumers but only whats good for google. its good that so many people are coming out and calling them on being so blatantly biased. what a shame – so many of us actually depended on them for tech news. now I visit many different sites to get a more balanced view.
I personally like the fact that Microsoft stopped caring what people like the contributors on this site say about them. It is obvious that these types of biases exist in many blogs. Afterall, you don’t want to piss off the giant (Google in this case) and reap their wrath.
As you said, I also visit many more sites to get a more balanced view of the tech world. The problem is that most sites are still very biased towards Apple and Google these days.
What other sites do you use? Lets see if TC allows your post considering that it would be competition for them…
After all, one of the gripes that they had with Bing was that a search for TechCrunch on Bing came up with some of their competitors on the sidebar – great for consumers, but bad for TC.
Can you two get a room for your ms inspired kissing and cuddling?
very intelligent remark. really adds to the dialogue. good job.
Hey, Bing IS a CHERRY…
they actually removed 2 of my similar posts earlier which would have been towards the top but allowed this one since it was burried way deep.
Let’s all bing and be happy
Haha – that’s hilarious! Microsoft cracks me up!
Are you kidding me? This is the BEST news EVER for web designers! I hope that all of those angry IE6 users that are complaining about having to use Bing will get SO angry that they will switch to a new browser, thus lowering the percentage of users who are still using IE6. Thank you, Microsoft. I never thought I’d say it, but you have finally done something right!
I totally agree with you Barry James.
For my part here in the office as administrator Bing.com is blocked so the users have no choice the must user something else than IE6 Search.
So you are happy they are losing the ‘cherry’?
Seems like people should update their browser.
hmmm no one complains when google pays millions of dollars to be the default engine for Mozilla…
but you can switch to any other search engine . It does not give you error
We suggest people with any concerns to install mark8t’s custom Google toolbar button that allows you to use Bing.com, without installing the Bing toolbar.
Why the hell do you gotta? I don’t trust toolbars anyway and haven’t used ANY since IE 5.5!
You don’t have to, but if you have Google Toolbar anyway, why would you install another toolbar?
I can’t turn SafeSearch on Bing off in Chrome. I hit save settings and it resets to Moderate.
Anyone else have this problem? I haven’t upgraded Chrome since it was released.
Thats fantastic that Microsoft is doing this. I am already finding this Bing.com to be much superior to Google. People who are not admitting this are showing a high level of ignorance or denial.
The amazing corollary is that people who are shilling for bing are showing a high level of anonymous commenting.
Einstein LIVES! Without a mind but…
If you can define ANONYMOUS without involving over 65 percent of blog postings, mainly due to people with real, traceable email and IP addresses simply not wishing to fill out a profile, I will buy you that Nevada ranch weekend of your dreams.
Mary Lee, we troll along…
google has a monopoly on search similar to microsoft’s monopoly on the os…
why aren’t all the whiners whining about google promoting their own products (like chrome) right on their search page….
google should be forced to let me choose which products I would like promoted in google products
“google should be forced to let me choose which products I would like promoted in google products”
If you were the star of a reality tv show about a barely educable cretin and his day to day adventures, I would totally watch.
You don’t have to WATCH, just read blogs.
Waiting for blog reality rehab…
45% of our users are on IE6. The reason seems to be that they all run pirated versions of XP.
Let’s be honest, here: how many IE6 users are likely to know what Bing is, or care that their browser is suddenly using it for built-in search?
My company STILL uses IE6
Let me clue you in on why your company is most likely still uses IE6:
1. IE7 sucks and did not pass your company’s IT department’s test.
2. IE6 is the most manageable browser out there for corporate environments. You can manage it centrally. Control it without having to go to individual machines. And integrates perfectly into the overall corporate environment.
3. There are still many business applications that only work with IE.
4. There are a lot of B2B websites that rely on ActiveX components that only run on IE. (Many of the financial applications are still like that).
Just some of the potential reasons.
Like it or not, IE is still the king in Corporate environments just like the rest of Microsoft’s software. No matter how many complain about Microsoft, their strength in the corporate environments is unmatched.
Let me clue you in on why your company is most likely still uses IE6:
1. IE7 sucks and did not pass your company’s IT department’s test.
2. IE6 is the most manageable browser out there for corporate environments. You can manage it centrally. Control it without having to go to individual machines. And integrates perfectly into the overall corporate environment.
3. There are still many business applications that only work with IE.
4. There are a lot of B2B websites that rely on ActiveX components that only run on IE. (Many of the financial applications are still like that).
Just some of the potential reasons.
Like it or not, IE is still the king in Corporate environments just like the rest of Microsoft’s software. No matter how many complain about Microsoft, their strength in the corporate environments is unmatched.
This is very common. In my experience about 50% of companies still use IE6. This happened because the launch of IE7 was a shambles – it broke a lot of business Websites and the phishing filter had a habit of looping at 100% CPU for minutes – and hence IT departments banned it. These initial problems are long-since fixed, but I think some companies are waiting for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 before updating any of their Microsoft software.
I already miss Live seach. Now that Live is gone do I have a Windows Bing ID?
No, it’s a SEARCH ENGINE. It replaces Live Search which replaced MSN search a long time ago.
Your Windows Live ID still works for the sites you used it on before.
I’m still happy with Chrome. There were a couple of sites that didn’t support it like Time Warner Cable bill pay. Bing runs pretty good in Chrome too. Only problem Chrome still takes up a lot of memory if you have many windows open.
Noticed this on my in-law’s machine (they don’t update it often). Not a big deal because I doubt anyone using IE 6 still will notice / care.
This is really making no sense…, microsoft doesn’t have right to force people to use their new search engine ( BING ) . if it would happen people think to switch their browser to another browser like Firefox or Google Chrome.
Did this recently get pushed through a MS Update? I recently received an update that caused IE6 to launch but never open. After doing several things to work around I had to do a system restore. The dang thing downloaded again so I had to turn off the automatic updates. After killing it in mid download things really messed up. I use firefox as my main browser but am stuck with IE6 due to company apps that only run on IE6. grrrrrrr
IE 8 recently was added to the Microsoft update pool and yes, automatic updates would install it.
To eliminate this potential problem and still be notified, change the settings to notify only and when the update icon appears opt to look at the items list instead of just downloading them. Consult your IT if you have questions regarding a program and your business functionality.
*If you are using IE 6 then Windows Update is going to stop working well for you before it begs you to add Microsoft Update to continue IF you are using XP (I think right at the point of SP2 is when it happens). IE 8 isn’t going to be there at ALL if 2000 is installed as you can’t install it so the update program will never show it.
Oh crap…just run dual OS anyway.
Bing reminds me of hakia.com with all this user generated results stuff.
more legal food for EU and income for EU budget?