Oh man, here we go again. Opera just filed an antitrust suit against Microsoft in Redmond's least favorite place to litigate, the EU. The suit claims that Microsoft is stifling competition by distributing Internet Explorer in its Windows OS. The Norwegian company, backed by the European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), a long-time opponent of Microsoft, is asking the EU Commission to force Microsoft to comply with industry standards for web browsers and either unbundle IE from the OS or include other browsers along side IE. That would be the Opera Browser we presume, eh Opera (wink, wink). Unlike Apple, Nokia/Symbian, and others who also bundle a browser with their OS, Opera argues that web designers build their sites with IE in mind due to its dominant position in the marketplace and non-compliance with industry standards for web browsing. As such, other browsers won't render some pages correctly -- a disincentive for users to browse with anything other than Microsoft's IE. Sit tight kids, this ride will be bumpy.

Update: Here's Opera's press release on the matter.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google has succeeded in outbidding Microsoft for the right to integrate its search tools into the millions of personal computers that Dell will sell over the next three years. After Yahoo dropped out of what may have been a billion-dollar auction, sources say that along with its desire to increase the exposure of its services, it was Google's frustration over the perceived difficulty in changing the default settings in Internet Explorer to non-MSN search options that ultimately motivated the company to emerge victorious. Besides winning a coveted spot on IE's default homepage, the deal also nets Google some valuable desktop real estate, as its Desktop software -- privacy concerns and all -- will now come pre-installed on Dell machines. For most consumers, this deal really doesn't mean too much, except for those of you who are really into MSN search, in which case you'll have to take a few seconds and adjust your browser settings.