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."

Comments

Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[SlashDread]

an anti-trust investigator wokeup.

Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[MrDoh!]

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.

Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[gnoshi]

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/...)

Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[DanJ_UK]

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

Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[squiggleslash]

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.

Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[Joce640k]

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.

Re:Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[CanEHdian]

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.

Re: Meanwhile, somewhere in Europe..

[Ralgha]

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

Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S...

[arglebargle_xiv]

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

Playing with fire

[evolutionary]

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.

Windows RT Mark 2

[ReluctantRefactorer]

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.

Re:Windows RT Mark 2

[Place a name here]

30% of 0 is still 0.

it worked perfectly last time (not sarcasm)

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

How fines should work

[houghi]

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.

Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S..

[arglebargle_xiv]

According to the summary, the S stands for sexperiment:

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

Webkit

[mykepredko]

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.

Re:Webkit

[Wootery]

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.)

Then rename Win10S laptops to "Edgebook"

[mykepredko]

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".

Chromebook

[puddingebola]

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.

Re:Challenge: Accepted

[FerociousFerret]

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.

Not on phone either and it eats power

[stealth_finger]

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.

Re:Was anyone else's first reaction to Windows S..

[jandersen]

... "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)