When American software giants look to increase their market domination on a global scale, they're often met by a nettlesome stumbling block: Europe's antitrust policies. Last time it was Google; this time it's Microsoft who's yielded to the EU in order to avoid a big, messy lawsuit.

An agreement struck this week puts an end to a battle that erupted when the European Commission decided that Windows operating systems should give users a choice between browsers like Safari, Firefox and Chrome instead of providing them with Internet Explorer by default. When Microsoft acquiesced, European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes called the deal an "early Christmas present for more than hundreds of millions Europeans" who would get "effective and unbiased choice" of browsers.

Beginning in March 2010, Microsoft Windows users in Europe (upon installation of the operating system) will be brought to a screen of a dozen extra Web browsers, among which they'll choose a default. I'd imagine it will sort of feel like walking into the Gap and being given a choice between sweaters made by Prada, Guess and L.L. Bean.

CEO Steve Ballmer is now faced with a tough choice. He can either watch Internet Explorer's market share continue to plummet as a result of the changes, or he can consider open sourcing his browser. Either way, he loses, but perhaps the settlement will force Microsoft into dramatically revamping a terribly outdated, glitchy and ill-equipped Internet Explorer. And consumers will win!

Thankfully for Microsoft, the changes are only going to apply to Windows users in Europe, where Internet Explorer currently holds about 60 percent of the browser market. Over here, we'll still be making "effective and unbiased" browser choices the old-fashioned way: by reading tech reviews (on the internet!) and downloading the browsers we like for free.