Search giant Google is apparently unhappy with software titan Microsoft for making Microsoft's MSN Search the default search engine for the search box in the new Internet Explorer 7 web browser, writes the New York Times. Contending that Microsoft is again/still resorting to practices that have gotten it into trouble with antitrust regulators in the U.S. and Europe, Google has recently approached the Justice Department and the European Commision.

Both Google and Yahoo had apparently made their concerns known to Microsoft, which they think would unfairly grab search traffic - and online advertising dollars - from competitors by making MSN Search the default. MSN handled 11 percent of searches in the United States in March, according to Nielsen/Net Ratings. Google had a 49 percent share, and Yahoo 22 percent.

"The market favors open choice for search, and companies should compete for users based on the quality of their search services," said Marissa Mayer, vice-president for search products at Google. "We don't think it's right for Microsoft to just set the default to MSN. We believe users should choose."

Microsoft says the default settings are easy to change and the product was designed with consumers and many partners in mind. "Whatever behavior happened in the past, the guiding principle we had is that the user is in control," said Dean Hachamovitch, general manager of the Internet Explorer group.