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Microsoft Windows U-turn Removes Warning About Installing Chrome, Firefox (cnet.com)
Earlier last week, several users with a new Windows 10 build reported that they were seeing a warning when they attempted to install Chrome or Firefox browser. It turns out, Microsoft has listened to the complaints and is reversing course. CNET reports: A new "fast-ring" test version of Windows, Insider Preview Build 17760, no longer interrupts the installation of rival browsers, a CNET test shows. Earlier this week, an earlier test version of Windows would warn people who tried to install the Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Vivaldi web browsers, "You already have Microsoft Edge -- the safer, faster browser for Windows 10." The dialog box presented two options: "Open Microsoft Edge" -- the default -- and "Install anyway." The feature raised some hackles and brought back memories of Microsoft's strong-arm tactics promoting its old Internet Explorer browser in the first browser wars two decades ago. But Microsoft isn't alone in such tactics: Google promotes its Chrome browser as faster and safer to people who visit its own websites with other browsers.
Installing those browsers could endanger the feelings of Edge. Why doesn't anyone love our little Edge? You Racists!
That should at least get the left back into the boat.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
Unlike Google I actually pay to use Windows on my systems. It needs to be an operating system, not a fucking ad machine, which is what it is becoming.
You shouldn't have to. But if something bothered me that much, I'd start getting active instead of hoping that someone might one day do it for me.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
The best browser to use to download a better browser.
don't kid yourself.. they don't give a shit about you.
they're listening to their lawyers.
Microsoft still bugs you about Edge when changing default browser making you “switch anyway”. Plus like I said in a previous post Microsoft Edge is evil.
They tried putting it on Bing, but nobody visits that site.
Every time I visit the Google homepage with something other than Chrome I get a big prompt with a button to go and install a "more secure browser". Can we get Google to take this down next or does only Microsoft live by this standard?
That is a serious false-equivalence. If we're holding them to the same standard then Microsoft is free to promote Edge on a website that it owns. (assuming that you're even telling the truth about the Google homepage - I can't reproduce what you're reporting so I'll just have to take your word for it)
Now, if having Chrome installed on your computer also added a routine to monitor for and interrupt attempts to install any competing browser then you might have a point about Google, but it still wouldn't excuse Microsoft.
Yeah, Microsoft is alone in these tactics as Google isn't interrupting other installations. If Microsoft put up an ad on Bing.com calling Edge the fastest secure browser, then you'd have a comparison.
They should've known they'd catch hell for this so why do it only to have to walk it back?
They knew they would catch hell for it, but they also knew there would be no real consequences. In the meantime, maybe they could get more suckers to try Edge before Microsoft had to stop its attempt to leverage its desktop monopoly to get back into browsers.
I'm going to guess trying to *intentionally* invoke Streisand effect.
They *know* that pulling these shenanigans in a beta build won't have *substantial* negative impacts. No legal troubles (it was just a preview) and people moving to a different desktop OS? Maybe if MS wasn't pretty much a monopoly and there were viable choices, but they know their users aren't going anywhere.
What they *did* get was every tech media outlet mentioning that MS considers edge good enough to tell people not to bother with chrome/firefox.
So people mock Edge some more, but edge *always* gets mocked. I wouldn't be surprised if some casual users latched on to the 'hmm... maybe Microsoft has something if they are willing to try to take things that far, maybe I'll give it a try now.
Basically, MS has nothing to lose, but the publicity might move the needle a little. I guarantee that edge nor Windows *loses* any share over this.
One could argue this undoes their efforts to earn goodwill by appearing to be industry friendly, but realistically speaking people don't trust them anyway.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
Are we replying to questions with other questions? It looks like it.
#DeleteFacebook
Take a look at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-... section 10.2.1
"MS is not allowed to limit windows software to their own products only."
And by virtue of the install anyway button, they are not.
Horrible practice, but ultimately rather meaningless as they don't prevent installation.
Other than the blatant pop-up, I don't see this as differing much from the difficulty of installing third party non-Apple approved apps on an iDevice...
Donald Trump, on a crusade to make Nixon look respectable
Now can the tech world stop being hypocrites and come down on Google next for the shit they're pulling with Chrome?
Drive-by trojan installs inside of unrelated software. Endless nagging to change the default browser, leveraging their market share of online services (search, email, etc) to do so. Proprietary web markup resulting in "This page requires Google Chrome" crap that Microsoft got their ass reamed out about during the original browser wars.
https://www.theverge.com/2018/...
People have short attention spans. Google is pulling all the same shit Microsoft got held to the fire over but for some reason everyone is willing to give Google a free pass. What the fuck? Browser monoculture is NOT ok... all the same reasons apply even when it's Chrome and not IE.
Chrome is a fucking arrogant RAM and resource hog and you're better off using Firefox anyway. Is Firefox perfect? Of course not, they have lots of room for improvement. But compared to the clusterfuck that Chrome has become, it's the lesser of 3 evils by a mile.