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You Can't Change the Default Browser or Switch To Google Search In Windows 10 S (betanews.com)

BrianFagioli quotes a report from BetaNews: If developers do start leveraging the Windows Store, the Windows 10 S experiment could take off, as users won't find a need to install legacy programs. This will largely depend on web browsers being available there, as many users dislike Edge. Thankfully, Microsoft is allowing third-party browser installs from the Windows Store. Unfortunately, there is a big catch -- you cannot change the default. Buried in the Windows 10 S FAQ, the following question is presented -- "Are there any defaults that I cannot change on my Windows 10 S PC?" Microsoft provides the answer: "Yes, Microsoft Edge is the default web browser on Microsoft 10 S. You are able to download another browser that might be available from the Windows Store, but Microsoft Edge will remain the default if, for example, you open an .htm file. Additionally, the default search provider in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer cannot be changed."

159 of 302 comments (clear)

  1. Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by SlashDread · · Score: 5, Funny

    an anti-trust investigator wokeup.

    1. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      And that's when Microsoft will release a Windows 10 S N for Europe, an edition nobody will use ever.

    2. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by xSauronx · · Score: 1

      yeah, this is a dumb way to ship the new surface laptop. i'd sort of get some BS artificial limitation on a cheap-ass chromebook competitor--i mean, it would still be dumb, but id sort of expect it.

      but on a surface? that you can unlock for more money? that is dumbness. i dont think this is going to go that damn well.

      --
      By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth. -- George Carlin
    3. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by MrDoh! · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yes, it appears you can. On Chrome on Windows, under settings, there's the Search Engines option to change/add as you want, with the defaults, all configurable.

      On Android, it appears it's not quite so flexible, I can only see;
      Google,
      Yahoo,
      Bing,
      Ask,
      AOL.
      But it's there. So looks like Google's offering a choice in Chrome/Android.

      --
      Waiting for an amusing sig.
    4. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Well duh. An obscure version of an obscure OS for an obscure device, how many users would you expect?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    5. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Frankzy · · Score: 1

      I saw it once on both of my machines.

    6. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by gnoshi · · Score: 5, Informative

      You can change the default search engine in Chrome for Android (and iOS): e.g. https://www.technorms.com/4060...
      You can install other browsers on Android and set them to be default to open URLs (actually, you're prompted for which browser to use the first time after installing another browser then open a URL).
      You can turn off Google Location Services: e.g. https://support.google.com/nex...

      Can't argue with the Skyhook thing though (e.g. https://www.theverge.com/2011/...)

    7. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Well, it's perceived as less of a problem since Chrome is a pretty decent browser and Google a rather useful search engine.

      Edge and Bing on the other hand...

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    8. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by DanJ_UK · · Score: 4, Informative

      Apple does not sell more smartphones than any other company, Samsung does.

      --
      - Dan
    9. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      > an anti-trust investigator wokeup.

      Don't believe that. The EU commission is, alas, as lobby-infested as everywhere else:

          http://blogs.fsfe.org/gerloff/...
          https://corporateeurope.org/po...

      They watch their rethoric, and from time to time they burn a sacrificial lamb, because they are shitless scared by growing popular (and sadly also populist) animosity against the EU. But if you think they're actually interested in change, I've got a (cheap) bridge around here...

    10. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      No. I can use UC Briwser as default on Android. So..wtf does this have to do with Android? Do you even compute, bro?

    11. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by squiggleslash · · Score: 3, Interesting

      They'd point at ChromeOS, which supposedly Windows S is supposed to compete with, and say "Well, you can't change the default from Chrome there, right?"

      The people who'll be taking notice will not be anti-trust investigators, but the schools etc that were considering this OS. Edge has yet to shake off IE's reputation for poor security, and with the best will in the world, with S supposedly sandboxed up the wazoo, I just don't see anyone who's seriously making a choice between ChromeBooks and Windows S-books saying "Oh, sure, they're both as secure, we'll go with Windows".

      I think this is probably the deal breaker, and means Windows S is dead in the water.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    12. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You can change the default browser on OSX.
      At home mine is set to Chrome and at work it is Firefox.
      Safari is a pita I refuse to touch.

      (Can't use Chrome at work as too many in-house apps are InternetExploiter 6 monstrosities , with minimal Firefox support grafted on to that. Any other browser and it won't work at all anymore.)

    13. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Nunya666 · · Score: 1

      an anti-trust investigator wokeup.

      Maybe, but he just went back to sleep after looking at his "commission" that he gets from M$ for keeping his mouth shut.

    14. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Sique · · Score: 1
      ... which in turn means that Microsoft would not be able to sell any flavor of Win 10 S in the E.U., as they would be barred to sell the original Win 10 S.

      Or did you want to say something else?

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
    15. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Joce640k · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And that's when Microsoft will release a Windows 10 S N for Europe, an edition nobody will use ever.

      Apart from all those people who buy a PC in Europe.

      Remember: The USA is only 4% of the world.

      --
      No sig today...
    16. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by flopsquad · · Score: 2

      Incidentally, the headline for TFS is one excellent answer to YFS's headline question: Ask Slashdot: What Is the 'Special Appeal' of Apple Products?

      For all the talk of "walled gardens," Microsoft has been demonstrating for years that they'd love to put up the same wall around an uglier garden.

      --
      Nothing posted to /. has ever been legal advice, including this.
    17. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Unless you're searching for unfiltered information on a political topic or p0rn. Google won't let you do either of those. Bing needs the attention so it doesn't care yet.

    18. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by CanEHdian · · Score: 5, Funny

      And that's when Microsoft will release a Windows 10 S N for Europe, an edition nobody will use ever.

      Actually it'll be a single, generic edition called Windows 10 N S A, licensed for use outside the USA.

      --
      When the copyright term is "forever minus a day", live every day like it's the last.
    19. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Well, it's perceived as less of a problem since Chrome is a pretty decent browser and Google a rather useful search engine.

      Edge and Bing on the other hand...

      At least you can change the bing part.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    20. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Apple just sells them for more.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    21. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      so where is the complaint of 'anti-competitive'?

      To be anti-competitive you actually need to be able to have an effect on the competition. Microsoft can do this with Windows due to its nature as a recognised monopoly in desktop computing.

      Apple can't. They can lock their phones down as much as they won't but they won't be anti-competitive, not with a 19% market share, and not with many alternative brands consumers can chose that don't result in lock-in to Apple.

    22. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      *want.

      I wish Slashdot had a preview feature that gave people a chance to proof read first :-)

    23. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by thegarbz · · Score: 2, Funny

      Edge has yet to shake off IE's reputation for poor security

      No Edge has done that already. They have a new reputation of being unable to render simple websites and breaking more than providing content.

      I just don't see anyone who's seriously making a choice between ChromeBooks and Windows S-books saying "Oh, sure, they're both as secure, we'll go with Windows".

      If there's one thing that is actually certain here, it's that security will not come into consideration at all.

    24. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Ayanami_R · · Score: 1

      A slashdotter that looks at Apples locked rendering engine in iOS and sees no action is laughing.

      --
      "Science is the power of man"
    25. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      And the buying power of the US declines year by year.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    26. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      No Such Agency here.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    27. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Ralgha · · Score: 5, Funny

      Edge is actually very secure, primarily because it doesn't work with most websites.

    28. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      The USA is only 4% of the world, with 20% of the world's buying power concentrated to 1% of the population.

      That means less actual people with buying power. A rich person won't buy 100 units of whatever to compensate for the other 99% of the American population.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    29. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      I've heard they're going to make a special edition for Canada, Windows 10 E h.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    30. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      So you combine all the iPhone models together but the other companies cannot combine their numbers?

      Did you know that Apple sells more computers with an apple logo on them than any other company on the planet? It's true!

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    31. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by fustakrakich · · Score: 2

      Remember: The USA is only 4% of the world.

      And 22% of the world's prisoners. I see a huge market opportunity...

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    32. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by Sique · · Score: 1
      As preinstalled on laptops sold to consumers? Yes.

      All the other versions were not to be sold to consumes.

      --
      .sig: Sique *sigh*
    33. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by nonicknameavailable · · Score: 1

      That no one will sell because microsoft don't have it

      --
      Mendacem Memorem Esse Oportet
    34. Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by farble1670 · · Score: 1

      Remember: The USA is only 4% of the world.

      Wait. What is this "world" you speak of?

    35. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by kenh · · Score: 1

      What? You're trying too hard.

      What's the most popular OS in Russia?

      What's the most popular OS in China?

      What's the most popular OS in India?

      What's most popular OS in the EU?

      What's the most popular OS in the US?

      Answer to all the above? Some version of Windows.

      Windows Vista has more users than either Mac OSX or Linux (desktop) - worldwide.

      --
      Ken
    36. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by kenh · · Score: 1

      Why are including the 4-5 billion people without electricity in a discussion of operating system popularity?

      --
      Ken
    37. Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe.. by kenh · · Score: 1

      You have a year and a half to avail yourself of the free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro on a new surface, until the end of 2018.

      --
      Ken
  2. Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S... by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... "I guess the S stands for Shit"?

  3. Window 10 S ucks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    This one goes in the trash bin.

  4. Re: Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    No it stands for 'Shaft'

  5. Playing with fire by evolutionary · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is getting into anti-trust law violation borderline. Even in the USA, they could get burned for this like they did with the Internet Explorer. Some people never learn. We should all just switch to Linux.

    --
    "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
    1. Re:Playing with fire by oobayly · · Score: 2

      I had to search to find out what Microsoft 10 S is - it's apparently Microsoft's solution to Chrome OS, which also doesn't allow you to change your browser. It also doesn't allow you to install programs that are in the Windows Store, like the Chomebook. If you want a fully functional OS, then you have to pay for it.

      I set up a Raspberry PI "Print Server" for a friend that allows his old printer to be shared over Google Cloud Print, so his daughter can print from her Chromebook because you can't install printer drivers. Annoying, but then he only paid £100 for a nice robust child-proof machine.

      Now, if they start doing this for the full OS, that'd be an issue...

    2. Re:Playing with fire by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      This is getting into anti-trust law violation borderline.

      Doubt it. In their current target market their market share is 0% with heavy competition from ChromeOS and iOS.

      If this happened on their standard desktop OS there would be hell to pay, but Windows 10S seems anything from "standard".

    3. Re:Playing with fire by smithcl8 · · Score: 1

      Nah....there are really other options out there now beyond Windows.

    4. Re:Playing with fire by oobayly · · Score: 1

      And you can probably install Linux on a device that came with Windows 10 S. That's not what's in questions, it's what the OS is capable of (or not capable in this case).

  6. Windows RT Mark 2 by ReluctantRefactorer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Windows 10 S is the walled-garden edition, so this is not surprising (but still a silly move from MS). I predict Windows 10 S will fail for the same reason that Windows RT failed: The inability to run "legacy" (desktop) Windows programs.

    --
    RR
    1. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Microsoft.
      30% cut of every application sale.
      That's a LOT of potential revenue.

    2. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by Place+a+name+here · · Score: 3, Informative

      30% of 0 is still 0.

    3. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by coofercat · · Score: 1

      When Windows 10 was announced, I'm sure they said "this will be the last version of Windows". However, here we are and they're making an "S" variant. This one's guaranteed to be so insecure that 'the safety of the cloud' will mean nothing at all because your access to it will be riddled with malware.

      I'd say they'd be better off giving these away to corporate customers or something to get their market share up. They also need to pay loads of devs to fill up the app store with free apps. Of course, never gonna happen, so we're headed to another fail...

    4. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by NetNed · · Score: 1

      Google's products are not exactly open source either. Search results are getting more and more controlled from what I have seen. The suggested search is the first proof of this. But yes, if 10 S can not run the legacy stuff it will not be long for this world.

    5. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by Megol · · Score: 1

      They never said they wouldn't make special versions of Windows... And the last version blah was about changing the distribution and update model of the operating system.

      But I guess you just wanted to rant without worrying about getting anything right? If so you succeeded, congratulations!

    6. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Windows RT didn't fail because it was unable to run legacy windows programs. It failed because it wasn't clear that it was unable to run legacy windows programs at a time where every computing device was expected to be able to run windows programs.

      Windows RT was a victim of it's time. If there's anything we've learnt in the past 5 years it's that there's a LOT of people who are perfectly happy with the idea of a computer being something that opens a browser from which they do everything.

    7. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by bad-badtz-maru · · Score: 1

      One major problem with RT was, even inside the realm of Windows store apps, it could only run apps targeted for ARM. Those were a subset of Windows store apps. The failure of RT may have been caused by the failure by Microsoft to produce a viable ARM compiler.

    8. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by ReluctantRefactorer · · Score: 1

      The "silly" part of my comment was referring to the subject of this article: The inability in Windows 10 S to change the default browser from Edge. https://tech.slashdot.org/stor...

      --
      RR
    9. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by erapert · · Score: 1

      About 90% of PCs run Windows despite being abused for decades with plenty of perfectly good alternatives available.
      Why? Because Windows is where all the legacy programs are. The only thing the windows store lacks is the ability to get legacy programs into it-- so far.
      The M$ store will get traction and it will generate sales if M$ has even a tiny shred of competence.

      But let's say the M$ store doesn't succeed. It still doesn't matter. M$ can simply start charging a subscription to use their OS or start distributing it for free and tracking everything their users do and renting advertisements on the desktop... oh, wait, they're already doing that aren't they?

      If you're still on Windows then you're a cuckold. That's all well and good, just don't complain about the choice that you're making.

    10. Re:Windows RT Mark 2 by R.Mo_Robert · · Score: 1

      Windows 10 S is the walled-garden edition, so this is not surprising (but still a silly move from MS). I predict Windows 10 S will fail for the same reason that Windows RT failed: The inability to run "legacy" (desktop) Windows programs.

      Actually, you can distribute "legacy" apps (Win32 or non-Universal .NET apps, for example) through the Windows Store and, thus, presumably run them on Windows 10 S. With Windows RT, you really couldn't because both the processor and (I'd assume) most of the OS were not compatible. But of course, the key here is that the "legacy" app developer would have to repackage the app for distribution in the Store, and it will be sandboxed like Univeral/Store apps are. I doubt this would for for any kind of app. Maybe someone will develop a sort of "jailbreak" for 10 S, but if I were in this situation I'd just upgrade to Pro--or not buy this in the first place.

      --
      R.Mo
  7. it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It worked last time. Netscape was destroyed. That was worth the eventual fine,

    Let's say this time it takes three years to go through the courts and all the appeals. Then they get a billion dollar fine. That is peanuts to Microsoft. They are facing an existential threat from Google and Chrome.

    1. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

      The world is quite different than 1998. Back then, Microsoft owned the operating system that dominated the consumer and enterprise world. It had the leverage to destroy just about any competing software, simply because those competitors had to run their software in a Microsoft ecosystem (remember how it destroyed Lotus 1-2-3).

      Now, while MS still dominates the desktop, the desktop itself is become more marginalized as smartphones become if not primary computing devices, then heavily used computing devices. At the low end Chromebooks do seem to be nailing Microsoft pretty hard as well.

      So how exactly is Microsoft going to crush Chrome? Sure, this Windows variant is going to make things a bit more difficult, but it's not really all that clear that it's going to be a big seller, and even if it is, it's still just going to be going up against a vast array of iOS and Android smartdevices.

      Twenty years ago Microsoft was the king. It won the battle, it retained desktop champion status. Well bully for that.

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by evolutionary · · Score: 1

      Netscape wasn't "destroyed". It was reincarnated as Firefox. kind of like the Phoenix. :D

      --
      "Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Einstein
    3. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      It won't because it's not a continuation of a product line. This is a new product in a market not dominated by MS in any way and their market share as it stands is 0% with no upgrade path from previous devices to consider to this product. Therefore it can't be in any breach of anti-trust laws.

      They are facing an existential threat from Google and Chrome.

      They are not. They are opening into a market they weren't in previously. Microsoft itself is marking money hand over fist competing in the cloud market. There's nothing existential about them. And actually right now as of writing their share price has never been higher.

    4. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by mamer-retrogamer · · Score: 1

      Netscape, the company, was destroyed by Microsoft's antics. Releasing Netscape Navigator's source code (which eventually became Firefox) was the last ditch nuclear option. It did not work in saving the company as Netscape had hoped. But the move did (eventually) break Microsoft's stranglehold on the web browser market when Microsoft, having toppled their only perceived competitor, stopped innovating with Internet Explorer 6.

      --
      Schrödinger's cat is not amused—maybe.
    5. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      It was reincarnated as Firefox

      No, it was simply renamed 'Seamonkey', and remains as it always was, the best browser ever, and with a familiar user interface.

      Firefox is just another browser (very Chrome like) that uses the gecko engine. It is just as fat as Seamonkey with none of its extra features. I really don't know why it remains so popular. It's illogical

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    6. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by Gregg+M · · Score: 1

      Netscape, the company, was destroyed by Microsoft's antics.

      If being bought by AOL for 4.5 billion dollars is being destroyed then sign me up! AOL on the other hand, did nothing with Netscape. They could have rolled it into the AOL software giving it a big boost in market share. They could have made the Netscape home page the most valuable page in the world.

      --
      Linux is only free if your time has no value. Windows is only free if you threaten to use Linux.
    7. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by TangoMargarine · · Score: 1

      I really don't know why it remains so popular.

      It doesn't. Have you seen their user graph? They're hemorrhaging their userbase.

      --
      Unity? Screw that: XFCE. Slashdot Beta? Screw that: SoylentNews. Australis? Screw that: Pale Moon. UX developers DIAF
    8. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 1

      If it's possible for a corporation to have an afterlife, Netscape must be in hell right now for inventing JavaScript.

    9. Re:it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm) by Waccoon · · Score: 1

      Netscape destroyed themselves.

      Navigator was becoming stagnant due to a lack of competition (somewhere around 75% of the market). When IE was becoming a real threat, Netscape went into panic mode and suffered feature creep, and Navigator 4.0 was a horrible crash-fest. It didn't help that Netscape tried very hard to push all their value-added software like e-mail and web authoring with the browser itself (ironically, a huge amount of "bundling"). When I was at school, everyone was using Explorer 5.5 for Mac, because Netscape was well-known to be shit. For the record, Netscape shipped with the MacOS install CD, and IE did not. Even Apple fans were explicitly going out of their way to replace Netscape with Microsoft software.

      We're seeing the same thing with Mozilla right now. Will people eventually blame Google's dominance of the smart phone market as the true reason Firefox died, or will people correctly remember that Firefox just went to all levels of suck?

  8. Re:Ok, KTHXBAI Microsoft. The Consumer is WRONG! by Bozzio · · Score: 1

    If by "dickish" you mean "anti-consumer" then I agree.

    But why the Windows Phone hate? As somebody not interested in the hyper-configurability of Android or even in apps, I loved WP! It was solid and convenient.

    --
    I just pooped your party.
  9. Will it help or hurt microsoft? by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1
    Back in the day, when computing meant desktop, when most people used wintel boxes at work and so bought wintel machines for their homes, when being kicked out of the windows desktop etc meant certain death to the application, such moves surely helped Microsoft. Might have hurt them in the long run, but that is debatable.

    In this day and age, not being able to change browser default might actually hurt Windows. It is not 1996 anymore. On the other hand, browser might not even matter anymore nor the search engines. People pick a few applications and do not seem to be "searching" or "browsing" for anything anymore.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  10. How fines should work by houghi · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Fines about these should work exponentially. So if the first one is 1000, the second should be 1000^2 and the third 1000^3.
    They should also be based on the income (not profit) of the company. for the first one.

    It should also be linked to the CxOs, so if they pull of the same at a different company, the same fine applies.

    OTOH they paid for their politicians fair and square, so there's that.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    1. Re:How fines should work by GuB-42 · · Score: 1

      Fines about these should work exponentially. So if the first one is 1000, the second should be 1000^2 and the third 1000^3.

      So, the more valuable the currency unit is, the steeper the slope.
      If the first fine is in 2009 Zimbabwean dollars, the second one will be worth more than the entire world economy.

    2. Re:How fines should work by epine · · Score: 1

      If the first fine is in 2009 Zimbabwean dollars, the second one will be worth more than the entire world economy.

      Not quite. You've failed to correct cubic Z$ for the inflationary event horizon using the Specie Rhodesity Lowrents transform.

      It's not as much as you think.

  11. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    S stands for "soon" because these features will eventually make their way into other versions.

  12. Good by FredrikKarlsson · · Score: 1

    I like this. Now they need to make Edge better.

  13. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by infolation · · Score: 2
    According to the summary, the S stands for sexperiment:

    If developers do start leveraging the Windows Store, the Windows 10 S experiment could take off,

  14. It includes Internet Explorer? by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

    A product they are keeping around to support legacy business applications is still on a machine focused on education? No wonder Edge is losing, it can't even beat out its predecessor.

  15. Chromebook by MoarSauce123 · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Try to change the default browser on a Chromebook....but let's bash Microsoft because it is so much fun!

    1. Re:Chromebook by wierd_w · · Score: 1, Informative

      OK!

      Step 1) Install MrChromebox
      Step 2 (full UEFI installed) Install Linux (or Windows), Or OSX
      Step 2A (Legacy boot)) Install GalliumOS

      Step 3) Configure a new default browser of your choosing, and be free from Google's obsession with tracking everything you do, and owning your documents.

    2. Re:Chromebook by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

      Chrome OS is basically designed to run the browser and nothing else. I wouldn't expect to be able to change it. Windows can run many browsers, seems like being able to choose the default one would be a feature of such an OS.

    3. Re:Chromebook by colonslash · · Score: 1

      ....but let's bash Microsoft because it is so much fun!

      Ok! Windows Phone! Clippy! IE! Azure!
      But to be fair, it's nice to see MS participating in online forums, even if they need to use paid shills to do it.

    4. Re:Chromebook by zennyboy · · Score: 1

      Or "Microsoft BingBook" Or "Windows EdgeEdition"

    5. Re:Chromebook by guruevi · · Score: 2

      I run Firefox and Opera on a Chromebook, you can buy them in the Google App Store. Even the Apple App Store has Firefox, Opera etc

      The problem is that Microsoft actively banned Firefox from their App Store and currently does not have any browser build on the Windows Store.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    6. Re:Chromebook by tepples · · Score: 1

      Step 4) WIth the manufacturer's warranty having been voided, how do you fix a broken hinge or power jack?

    7. Re:Chromebook by aitan · · Score: 1

      In the Apple store, those "Firefox", "Chrome" and "Opera" are just skins over Safari. Apple doesn't allow anyone to provide a different rendering engine.

      I don't think that Microsoft "banned Firefox", but instead that the APIs that can be used by the App Store apps are quite limited and as Mozilla is struggling to avoid death they didn't try to waste resources working in something that no one would use.

    8. Re:Chromebook by wierd_w · · Score: 1

      With how cheap a chromebook is, and how short the warranty period is, this is a nonsensical question to ask, Mr Tepples.

      Besides, most have much better made hinges than most laptops. (One giant hinge, vs 2 small ones with high torque forces applied. The weight class is also a significant factor, as there is significantly less weight on the hinges.)

      Power jack is often attached to a small daughter board, held in with some screws. Replacements available cheap on amazon.

      Either way, doing it yourself is not that big an imposition.

  16. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 4, Funny

    According to the summary, the S stands for sexperiment:

    As in "Bend over and take Microsoft's Sexperiment up your Back Orifice", I assume.

  17. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by mykepredko · · Score: 1

    I think "shart" says it all.

    You think it might be one thing, so you go for it, but discover it's something else entirely.

  18. Webkit by mykepredko · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The real issue is that Edge/IE are not Webkit based browsers, which mean that they are unpredictable when viewing/accessing certain content.

    If Edge displayed pages & content in exactly the same way as:
    - Chrome
    - Safari
    - Firefox
    - Opera
    - etc.
    then I don't think there would be the same outcry by locking in the browsers.

    1. Re:Webkit by Wootery · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If only there were a total monoculture for the web, huh?

      No. I, for one, don't want WebKit to be the only game in town. That Mozilla and Microsoft are still maintaining their own rendering-engines is a good thing. (Especially considering that Microsoft is actually doing a good job these days.)

    2. Re:Webkit by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      What's old is new again, but now we're shooting the underdog instead of cheering them on? Go Microsoft. Lock it down. I hope you get enough of a market share to prevent the entire internet becoming the monoculture that it was back in the IE6 days. There's nothing good about a Webkit only internet.

    3. Re: Webkit by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

      What about if you're a developer who doesn't want to have to buy a copy of Windows solely for the purpose of running Edge because it's the only non-cross-platform rendering engine?

      --
      This space intentionally left blank
    4. Re: Webkit by sanf780 · · Score: 1

      I got a message a few weeks ago from an intranet website (maybe an old version of Jira or Confluence?): Internet Explorer not supported. It looks like you do not need to target IE anymore.

    5. Re: Webkit by tepples · · Score: 1

      What about if you're a developer who doesn't want to have to buy a copy of Windows solely for the purpose of running Edge because it's the only non-cross-platform rendering engine?

      "Only" other than perhaps the Safari branch of Apple WebKit. This makes two out of four current web browser engines that in practice are exclusive to one manufacturer's proprietary operating system: EdgeHTML (Windows only), Apple WebKit (Mac and iOS only), Blink (Windows, Mac, GNU/Linux, Android), and Gecko (Windows, Mac, GNU/Linux, Android). The only (legal) way to test on all four engines, particularly to cover the slowly increasing difference between Blink and Apple WebKit, is to buy a Mac and a Windows license for it.

    6. Re: Webkit by aitan · · Score: 1

      You use BrowserStack for free https://developer.microsoft.co... or you download one of the many VM that Microsoft provides for free https://developer.microsoft.co...

      Now, please tell me how to test that "cross-platform" Safari for both Mac and iOS without paying huge amounts to Apple or a monthly fee to BrowserStack

    7. Re:Webkit by aitan · · Score: 2

      I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but Firefox uses Gecko, and Chrome and Opera use Blink. Safari is the only mainstream browser that keeps using Webkit.
      So you really need to test all of them and checking that Edge works as expected is not too hard (really, most of the time Edge works out of the box)

    8. Re: Webkit by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

      Webkit is open source, and you can use it in Konqueror or other browsers. Not remotely analogous to Edge, there's no need for a Mac.

      --
      This space intentionally left blank
    9. Re: Webkit by erapert · · Score: 1

      disclaimer: I'm a web developer.

      I don't care about which browser is used as long as it is fully standards compliant. There's only two reasons to do webapps:
      1. It runs on literally everything.
      2. There's no installation. Just go to the site and start using the app.

      If some browser isn't standards compliant then that directly defeats number one.
      Nobody tolerates a platform that doesn't have or support a C or C++ compiler-- because that's the foundation of everything.
      Nobody should tolerate a standards non-compliant browser.

    10. Re: Webkit by tepples · · Score: 1

      Are you sure Apple doesn't deliberately disable parts of WebKit, particularly on iOS?

    11. Re: Webkit by Wootery · · Score: 1

      Konqueror isn't identical to Safari. They might both be WebKit based, but that doesn't guarantee identical rendering behaviour. They could use different build options, different configurations, etc. And that's not to mention the big one: they use totally different JavaScript engines.

      Seems to me the sensible way to go is to do what everyone already does: ignore Konqueror completely, and just bite the bullet getting a Mac for Safari.

    12. Re: Webkit by Wootery · · Score: 1

      But no browser is fully compliant, and you know it.

      These days the browser vendors are taking the standards pretty seriously (unlike the bad old days), but we still don't live in a perfect world. There's a similar situation in the C++ world too.

      Hiding browser flaws is half the reason web development frameworks exist, and coping with browser flaws is part of the job of a web developer.

    13. Re:Webkit by Wootery · · Score: 1

      Eh? I was just saying a monoculture would be a bad thing.

  19. Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook" by mykepredko · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This goes with my previous post. With "Chromebook", the name tells you what you get.

    The backlash is over the fact that Microsoft is performing a bait and switch telling you that this is a Windows machine and you should be able to configure it the same way you can with any other Windows machines.

    But, if you're locked in to a browser and you want to compare it against the locked in browser of a "Chromebook", then you need to label it the same way - call it an "Edgebook" and let the market decide whether or not they feel it is superior to the "Chromebook".

    1. Re:Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook" by c · · Score: 1

      The main problem with "Edgebook" is the lack of brand recognition for "Edge". Mind you, with Microsoft it can sometimes be a good thing that people don't associate a product with their existing stuff.

      Personally, I'm somewhat surprised they didn't double-down on the tone-deafness and call it the "Bingbook"...

      --
      Log in or piss off.
    2. Re:Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook" by nuckfuts · · Score: 1

      Microsoft is ... telling you that this is a Windows machine and you should be able to configure it the same way you can with any other Windows machines.

      Where is Microsoft telling you that?

      You don't think the big "S" in the name means anything? Did you also assume "98", "XP", "7", etc. would all behave identically?

    3. Re:Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook" by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      performing a bait and switch

      By telling you up front what it can and can't do?

      Great idea there.

    4. Re:Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook" by TangoMargarine · · Score: 1

      The main problem with "Edgebook" is the lack of brand recognition for "Edge". Mind you, with Microsoft it can sometimes be a good thing that people don't associate a product with their existing stuff.

      That's the computer put out by Edge, that guy in U2, right?

      --
      Unity? Screw that: XFCE. Slashdot Beta? Screw that: SoylentNews. Australis? Screw that: Pale Moon. UX developers DIAF
    5. Re:Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook" by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      I expect XP and XP SP3 to execute the same code, yes.This is windows 10, with restrictions added, not a 'new' version of windows.

      --
      Good-bye
    6. Re:Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook" by c · · Score: 1

      That's the computer put out by Edge, that guy in U2, right?

      Obviously. Did you think it was a coincidence that the Windows 10 forced upgrades were basically just a shittier variation of an unpopular U2 album release?

      --
      Log in or piss off.
  20. It's called "services rendered" by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 2

    If you're still buying something to use with any variant of Windows 10 then you are just begging to be abused. If you buy this, you are just getting the abuse you paid to receive.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  21. Chromebook by puddingebola · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not being able to change the default browser, well, Microsoft's response is you can't do that on a Chromebook either. As for not being able to change default search, they are getting sued. Maybe they don't plan to sell it in Europe and can get away with it. It's not like you can't type duckduckgo.com in the URL bar, but Chrome, for example, gives you the choices of Yahoo, Bing, Ask, and AOL on a Chrombook.

  22. I think that's great! by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 1

    I'll use Edge just as much as I'll use Windows 10 C. (It is C for C..p, isn't it? Oh, so it's S for S..t? OK.)

    Then again I'm not in the target market since I destroy Metro (*, **, ***) on every box I own. I guess I keep the store around just because. If I wanted Metro on my server I'd ... well, I don't. Ever.

    * one
    ** two
    *** Anniversary Update EXCEPTIONS

    --
    If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
  23. Stardock Start10 by zifn4b · · Score: 1, Interesting

    No I don't work for Stardock. Pay the $5 for Start10. Customize all your registry settings. Re-create quick launch bar. Turn off all the Surface crap that's on by default. Bam, you have the operating system in the format that you most likely want it. I don't even mess with the Windows 8/10 features at all so I forget that Microsoft's Metro UI even exists and all the flaws with its UX.

    I've been running Windows 10 like this for a year-ish with no problems. The only quibble I have is with the Windows Telemetry crap which is difficult to turn-off/thwart. It's do-able though.

    --
    We'll make great pets
    1. Re:Stardock Start10 by CanEHdian · · Score: 2

      The only quibble I have is with the Windows Telemetry crap which is difficult to turn-off/thwart. It's do-able though.

      There are several options, e.g. O&O's ShutUp10 (awful non-intuitive interface alert) or Spybot's Anti-Beacon which also works for Win7 and 8/8.1.

      --
      When the copyright term is "forever minus a day", live every day like it's the last.
    2. Re:Stardock Start10 by LVSlushdat · · Score: 2

      The only quibble I have is with the Windows Telemetry crap which is difficult to turn-off/thwart. It's do-able though.

      Oh you are sooo precious... You *actually* believe that the "telemetry" you turn off is actually turning OFF?? or if it does actually turn off that it will STAY turned off... This is Microsoft we're talking about here.. Not the most trustworthy entity out there.. I trust them exactly how far I can throw them... hint: NOT very far at ALL...

      Oh the entertainment value of these endless stories about the latest way MS has found to abuse those who still use their products... I've been MS-free for the last seven years and it certainly does feel GOOD....

      --
      THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
    3. Re:Stardock Start10 by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Why would I pay money to get rid of something I never see and never use? Start menu? Just hit the windows key and type the name of the application. I couldn't tell you what tiles I have on my metro start menu right now and I use this computer daily. Mind you with 25 icons pinned to the tray the only time I open the start menu is to shut the computer down.

    4. Re:Stardock Start10 by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      Sounds nice but since you can't disable telemetry or Cortana I'm not touching 10.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    5. Re:Stardock Start10 by zifn4b · · Score: 1

      Oh the entertainment value of these endless stories about the latest way MS has found to abuse those who still use their products... I've been MS-free for the last seven years and it certainly does feel GOOD....

      Oh the entertainment value of the endless rhetoric where the alternatives to Windows can't seem to find a way to adequately run the software people want to use. When that happens, Microsoft will be a thing of the past. And honestly I say, good riddens! But the reason M$ is still around is because the alternatives just don't stack up in the consumer space as it relates to applications.

      --
      We'll make great pets
  24. Microsoft, please get a clue by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    When you do shit like this on your desktop systems, it doesn't sink the system, but any time you do this on ... well, anything else, from MP3-players to phones to tablets to ... you name it, it sinks the system.

    Do I really have to put on my consultant hat and charge 1000 bucks an hour when telling you why so you finally believe me and get it?

    You don't get away with it on the desktop because people accept this or even (*snicker*) like that. You get away with it because people have no choice. You get away with being an asshole because people have already sunk too much time, money and staff cost to switch. You get away with it because people are dependent on software that only runs on your OS and they can't put into a VM. That is the ONLY reason people put up with this. If they could, they would dump you faster than a chick that said "oh, and by the way, you should probably get tested" after you fucked her.

    You are not in that position in ANY other area than desktop. You MIGHT get away with it to some degree in the server department. And maybe in the console market, mostly because anyone competing with you is at least as much a dick as you are. But anything like that will NOT be accepted in ANY other market. People will happily dump you and switch to something else because they easily can do so in all other areas.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:Microsoft, please get a clue by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Only way I can write something that could teach someone here a thing or two.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  25. Anti-trust by Dunbal · · Score: 1

    Didn't Microsoft already lose a lawsuit because of exactly this?

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  26. Aaaaahahaha .... MS won't learn, will they? by Qbertino · · Score: 1

    I bet some guys at Apple are really righfully laughing about this. MS never fails to screw up, do they?

    Any curiosity I had about this thing has vanished in an instant. It's amazing to watch.

    --
    We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
    1. Re:Aaaaahahaha .... MS won't learn, will they? by LVSlushdat · · Score: 1

      hehe theres "some guys" at Linux laughing our asses off at it too....

      --
      THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
  27. Re:Change the Default OS by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 1

    The computer proficiency spectrum is pretty clear-cut: Mac --> Windows --> Linux --> BSD --> Unix. SystemD is the final frontier of high-computing/low-security meeting - move to BSD or higher if you want security.

  28. Is Microsoft really trying to push people away? by kilodelta · · Score: 1

    This whole default browser thing smacks of anti-competitive activity. Microsoft should have ceded the broswer war years ago.

  29. Challenge: Accepted by bbsguru · · Score: 1

    Seriously, how long will it take once this is available until there is a 'fix' for this irritation?

    1. Re:Challenge: Accepted by FerociousFerret · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Seriously, how long will it take once this is available until there is a 'fix' for this irritation?

      Oh no, no, no. Please, nobody 'fix' this. Let the market decide. Microsoft made this bed. Let them lie in it.

    2. Re:Challenge: Accepted by CanEHdian · · Score: 1

      Fixing it will be a violation of the EULA and the next automatic "patch" will have the nasty side-effect of boot-looping your machine. Which you cannot complain about, since you're in violation of the EULA.

      --
      When the copyright term is "forever minus a day", live every day like it's the last.
  30. This is a wedge by DrXym · · Score: 2
    Windows 10 S is designed to "normalize" the idea of running Windows without the ability to choose where you install your applications from or what applications are available to you.

    It's Windows RT all over again and I hope it flops as badly. A device capable of running 10 S is capable of running Windows 10. There is no excuse.

    1. Re:This is a wedge by ZZZaphod · · Score: 1

      A wedge for sure.. A plan to normalize software as a service, corporations as the make and seller and approver of all software. iOS was the first sliver in the door. Apple showed us that we could indeed attach the teat-cups of our industrial milking machine to the small-shop software development. A happy side effect was productivity, and income. Consumers bought, developers wrote, the gatekeeper made a fortune. In that process, we trained ‘consumers’ to trust only ‘the store’, we trained developers to submit to the store, we trained both the get on our continual OS upgrade path. The net is so wide, and there are so many fish, they will never really see it. It will appear to them as a ‘discomfort’ as we squeeze them. We are earning now from good will, but those profits are _nothing_ compared to what we will earn from having power. Now we have to let them slowly come around. Soon, we will move them, all of them wherever we want them to go. We own the devices, we own the secret keys to the devices - they are useless without us, we own the operating system and can change it instantly around the globe, at our whim! We don’t own the developers, but we own the entire development cycle, and keep the gate. We dictate what will and wont run and can use that to maximize revenue for the foreseeable future.

  31. 5000000th Antitrust Lawsuit.... by Zurkeyon3733 · · Score: 1

    Incoming! LOL!

  32. Microsoft going back to old tactics... by QuietLagoon · · Score: 1

    Microsoft has discovered that they are having trouble competing when the playing field is level, so Microsoft has to forcibly lock customers in, removing customer choice, in order to have their sub-standard products be used.

  33. Not on phone either and it eats power by stealth_finger · · Score: 3, Informative

    You're stuck with it on mobile too, and it seriously rapes the shit out of the power regardless of use or settings. I have it on power saving from 100% battery and I'm lucky to have 30% at the end of the day. It's 13:47 now, I'm at work so it's not been on at all really other than at lunch and i'm on 66%. I generally only use it for browsing too with maybe 4 or so tabs on the go.

    Let's have a little look now at the last 24 hours apps with usage shall we.

    Microsoft Edge (never allowed in background) 84%
    Audiobooked 4%
    Groove music 3%
    Start 2%
    Films & TV 1%
    Xbox and then some more all

    It's fucking ridiculous. Unless there's something going on with it that I don't understand but I've seen the articles where they claim edge is good for power but unless the mobile version is vastly different from the desktop that's bullshit. It's probably just too few people to make a fuss and they don't really give a shit.

    --
    Wanna buy a shirt?
    https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
  34. Users won't care.. by sqorbit · · Score: 2

    Those who actually accept S as their OS won't care because they aren't the users downloading and installing other browsers. It's a bad move for Microsoft because it brings bad press (and possibly another anti-trust lawsuit). In the real world though the users sticking with S are the same users that click on the blue E anyway. While I would never support a decision like this. I really don't think it does much of anything to an already broken and restricted product.

    --
    Sent from my TARDIS
  35. somebody needs to break microsoft by FudRucker · · Score: 1

    by building top quality alternative OS that is 100% compatible with third party Windows applications and sell it at half the price microsoft sells windows for, i tried ReactOS and found it to be a worse piece of crap than just using wine or virtualbox on Linux

    --
    Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
    1. Re:somebody needs to break microsoft by guruevi · · Score: 1

      You mean like Linux or Mac?

      Linux has Wine, it's pretty compatible and in Ubuntu, Windows programs can launch simply with a double click.
      Most important productivity programs are open source and available for Linux (Blender, Gimp, OpenOffice, ...)
      Most important "crappy big-name Windows Apps" (Adobe, Autodesk etc) have Mac versions if not Linux versions.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  36. Google Chomebook? Apple? Microsoft? by bigal123 · · Score: 1

    Some companies can tell you ... this is obsolete you must upgrade.... other companies can lock you to certain features without choice..... other companies can have a very locked down environment..... Apple on Mac and iOS can be in "control", Google Chrome OS can be in "control".... but if Microsoft does something similar people complain. It is almost comical now to watch some of the post when there is an Apple announcement posted here vs a Microsoft one.

  37. MS trying to do what Apple did by p51d007 · · Score: 1

    Back in the late 80's, early 90's, Apple pretty much gave away computers to public schools. Getting kids use to the Apple ecosystem. The difference is, where Apple has computers, ipads, ipods, phones, watches...MS has...a computer operating system...that's it. No phones, not much of a pad, no real smart watches.

    1. Re:MS trying to do what Apple did by guruevi · · Score: 1

      Microsoft tried the same tactic as well, giving away Windows systems. It didn't work because even when you give Windows away for free, it's still more expensive than anything else.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  38. Re:Ok, KTHXBAI Microsoft. The Consumer is WRONG! by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

    iPhones and high end Android phones were "solid and convenient" as well, and they actually had a useful number of apps in the app store.

    And then we can talk about Microsoft's long history of developing and then abandoning mobile platforms which, if rumors are true, is about to happen again.

    I can't figure out why anybody would buy a Windows phone. And apparently they didn't. Microsoft has been in a race to the bottom with Blackberry for the last two or three years.

    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  39. Selling Windows 10 S to consumers is a bad idea by zerofoo · · Score: 1

    Microsoft learned nothing from their "RT" experiment.

    If it's labeled "Windows" people expect to be able to run windows apps - yeah like that copy of Photoshop you got a few years ago. Windows customers buying Windows 10 S devices will find out the hard way that their desktop computing experience is now limited to the Windows App store - probably the most sparse app store on the planet.

    For schools deeply entrenched in the G Suite ecosystem, there is no benefit to switching to Microsoft's "Windows Lite" platform - only the drawbacks of running a windows based product - without the application compatibility benefits.

    Finally, in the 3 years that we've been on G Suite we've become dependent on apps that only run in G Suite. Moving away at this point would be painful.

  40. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  41. The Horror, The Horror! by careysub · · Score: 1

    In the very good horror movie (still in theaters) Get Out one of the key horror elements (it appears) is that everyone uses Windows phones, the Edge browser and searches on Bing! This brings that horror to real life!

    --
    Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
  42. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by jandersen · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... "I guess the S stands for Shit"?

    Ah, but that is the selling point, you see, just listen to this wise tale:

    In the beginning was the plan, and then the specification;
      And the plan was without form, and the specification was void.
      And darkness was on the faces of the implementors thereof;
      And they spake unto their leader, saying:
      "It is a crock of shit, and smells as of a sewer."
      And the leader took pity on them, and spoke to the project leader:
      "It is a crock of excrement, and none may abide the odor thereof."
      And the project leader spake unto his section head, saying:
      "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide it."
      The section head then hurried to his department manager, and informed him thus:
      "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."
      The department manager carried these words to his general manager, and spoke unto him saying:
      "It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants, and it is very strong."
      And so it was that the general manager rejoiced and delivered the good news unto the Vice President.
      "It promoteth growth, and it is very powerful."
      The Vice President rushed to the President's side, and joyously exclaimed:
      "This powerful new software product will promote the growth of the company!"
      And the President looked upon the product, and saw that it was very good.

    (http://foldoc.org/SNAFU%20principle)

  43. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by Megol · · Score: 1

    (snip)
    Note the Browser is NOT part of the OS, so this is a marketing decision.

    Hello time-traveler and welcome to the future. Here the web browser is an integral part of everyday work and leisure-time. Not having a browser is like not having man on a UNIX system (though it is commonly spelled Unix today).
    I recommend that you check out the free Unix compatible systems that are available here in the future, Linux based ones are most popular but alternatives like FreeBSD may be more familiar to you. Use a web browser to search for them.

    P.s. All normal installations of those Unix compatible systems come with a web browser too!

  44. Better for everyone by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

    It won't fail. It's cheaper for OEMs to include and less things can go wrong on it. No more bonsai buddy toolbar cleanups etc. Harder for app piracy to take place. The publishers, users, and manufacturers will see it as a win.

    The only people who will be upset are more hard core users, and they've shown much tenacity when it comes to putting up with the crap Windows throws at them. Windows' share is about the same even after Vista, Win8, and Win10 shenanigans, and die hards are sticking to Win7 come hell or high water.

    I'm sure whoever gets stuck with 10 S is going to stick with it as well. (The S stands for Stockholm!)

  45. Re:So what by swimboy · · Score: 1

    Actually, I have, and it's dead simple on a Mac, just like almost everything else. Go to the General panel in System Preferences and right there in the middle of the window is a dropdown for default web browser. Any browser installed into your global applications folder or your personal applications folder shows up there.

    --
    Ask me how the Heisenberg Principle may or may not have saved my life.
  46. No one wants non-legacy Windows. by IGnatius+T+Foobar · · Score: 1

    Time and time again, Windows succeeds where it can run the broad selection of off-the-shelf software that is available for the existing platform. Windows fails where it cannot leverage that advantage: phones, tablets, (usually) servers, IoT devices, infrastructure OS, supercomputing, you name it. By restricting 10S to "Store Apps" Microsoft is throwing away the only reason people choose Windows in the first place. Uncoincidentally this is the same reason the ARM version of Windows failed to gain any significant traction.

    --
    Tired of FB/Google censorship? Visit UNCENSORED!
    1. Re:No one wants non-legacy Windows. by cwsumner · · Score: 1

      Just for those who don't know the latest spin-buzz:

      Legacy Windows - Real Windows programs that actually do useful stuff.

      Modern Windows - Some other type of program made for non-existent cellphones that no one buys.

      Ok?

  47. If you open an .htm file? haha by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

    but Microsoft Edge will remain the default if, for example, you open an .htm file.

    What is this, the 90s? When was the last time anyone opened an .htm file?

    "When you open a link in another program" would have been a far more up-to-date example.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    1. Re:If you open an .htm file? haha by tepples · · Score: 1

      When was the last time anyone opened an .htm file?

      Last night. I run a catcher program that reads a particular infotainment site's RSS feed and downloads and distills each article to an HTML file so that I can read the articles later on my laptop while offline.

  48. Before people talk about Antitrust.. by foradoxium · · Score: 1

    Remember this is basically an embedded OS that is competing directly with Chrome OS.

    Chrome OS also does not allow you to change the browser.

  49. Re:Ok, KTHXBAI Microsoft. The Consumer is WRONG! by Bozzio · · Score: 1

    I bought one, and for about half the price of an iPhone.

    Here's a question for you. Do you think Windows Mobile (the pre-WP7 stuff) would still be around today if MS hadn't killed it? Would it really have been able to compete?

    --
    I just pooped your party.
  50. Re:NONSENSE!! Changing the default browser is EASY by tepples · · Score: 1

    "UEFI error: Secure boot failed."

  51. compete, don't cripple by LesserWeevil · · Score: 1

    Sorry, I'm done with MS hardware with the exception of mice and the like. Every time a programmable item comes from Redmond it's artificially crippled or limited in such a way as to harm the user and benefit MS. Enough already!

  52. Deja Vu by meglon · · Score: 1

    Does the name Netscape not ring a bell?

    In other news: fuck Microsoft.

    --
    Fascism: An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. See also: NAZI's
  53. slave software by cas2000 · · Score: 1

    it's the opposite of free software - when the software (or the corporation who wrote it) owns you.

    popular with microsoft, apple, google, and many others.

  54. Can I wipe it by vandamme · · Score: 1

    .... and load an open source OS?

    And when do the fire sales begin?

  55. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by cwsumner · · Score: 1

    ... "I guess the S stands for Shit"?

    Ah, but that is the selling point, you see, just listen to this wise tale:

    In the beginning was the plan, and then the specification;

      And the plan was without form, and the specification was void.

      And darkness was on the faces of the implementors thereof;

      And they spake unto their leader, saying:

      "It is a crock of shit, and smells as of a sewer."

      And the leader took pity on them, and spoke to the project leader:

      "It is a crock of excrement, and none may abide the odor thereof."

      And the project leader spake unto his section head, saying:

      "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide it."

      The section head then hurried to his department manager, and informed him thus:

      "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."

      The department manager carried these words to his general manager, and spoke unto him saying:

      "It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants, and it is very strong."

      And so it was that the general manager rejoiced and delivered the good news unto the Vice President.

      "It promoteth growth, and it is very powerful."

      The Vice President rushed to the President's side, and joyously exclaimed:

      "This powerful new software product will promote the growth of the company!"

      And the President looked upon the product, and saw that it was very good.

    (http://foldoc.org/SNAFU%20principle)

    True, that. In more companies than one...

  56. Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S.. by samwichse · · Score: 1

    I believe it's commonly known that The "S" is for Sucks.