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Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

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Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#61
post #36

This is a pretty sane move on MS's part... I find it reasonable that an OS doesn't let you remove what may be the only browser on the system, for a lot of reasons. I read this as a push to really ditch IE in the very near future, and don't really mind at all. In no particular order - Something has to provide a native webview for desktop applications - MS has no default package manager for users, and doesn't provide b…

> So removing the browser may leave a user unable to bootstrap another browser onto the system (at least once IE is actually gone) without outside help or another machine. Invoke-WebRequest 'https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest-ssl&os=win64&lang=en-US' -OutFile firefox-latest.exe

Those PowerShell commands just kill me.

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#62

This is a pretty sane move on MS's part... I find it reasonable that an OS doesn't let you remove what may be the only browser on the system, for a lot of reasons. I read this as a push to really ditch IE in the very near future, and don't really mind at all. In no particular order - Something has to provide a native webview for desktop applications - MS has no default package manager for users, and doesn't provide b…

It does go full screen, lock focus, and pin itself to the taskbar on first launch. Some have reported that i copied in their settings/bookmarks from Chrome without user prompt too but it did not for me.

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#63
post #43
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So removing the browser may leave a user unable to bootstrap another browser onto the system (at least once IE is actually gone) without outside help or another machine. Invoke-WebRequest 'https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest-ssl&os=win64&lang=en-US' -OutFile firefox-latest.exe

Did you use a browser to get that command? And did you type it by hand, or copy pasting it?

Powershell.

It's like telling normal users "just apt-get."

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#64
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So removing the browser may leave a user unable to bootstrap another browser onto the system (at least once IE is actually gone) without outside help or another machine. Invoke-WebRequest 'https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest-ssl&os=win64&lang=en-US' -OutFile firefox-latest.exe

Which is a complex string you need to google, as opposed to the cli command that easily uninstalls edge. How will you download this if you just moved out of your mom's house and bought a laptop and a router? How do you set up that router? Displaying a web page is part of the core os. You don't have to use explorer.exe as a file manager either, nor /bin/sh.

Let's not pretend we live in some Stone Age where only our hardlined desktops are able to access the internet.

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#65
There could certainly be a way to provide Edge via the Store and not force it on users. Possibly the reason it's not done that way is because there appears to be hard links to it. Despite setting Firefox as the default things still open in Edge, like from the Search in the Start Menu and from Settings help pages etc. Maybe there's a way to fix this but it feels wrong to me. And it also doesn't need to keep pinning itself to the task bar either.

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#67

Maybe I’m in a minority, but it’s really a pretty good browser. I wish it supported a few more features with the PDF reader (such as text box annotations). However, it still has way more features in that space than most competitors.

I tend to agree. It's a great PDF reader, and seems snappy on the web overall. The only reason I'm sticking with Chrome for the latter is basically laziness and Google ecosystem buy-in.

Agree about the PDF viewer. I love how you can draw on PDFs which is a godsend in meetings. Edge will eventually become the de facto Chrome install on Windows 10, IMO.

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#68
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which is a complex string you need to google, as opposed to the cli command that easily uninstalls edge. How will you download this if you just moved out of your mom's house and bought a laptop and a router? How do you set up that router? Displaying a web page is part of the core os. You don't have to use explorer.exe as a file manager either, nor /bin/sh.

Let's not pretend we live in some Stone Age where only our hardlined desktops are able to access the internet.

Cool, let's not. Let's not pretend I want to to type that long thing from my phone simply because my os doesn't have a web browser. If you want to, no one's stopping you. I want the basic tools included and always working.

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do I use that window app store to configure my router or internet connection? How about if you have a corporate account and log in through a connector like okta, which display a web page for login? How about when firefox and half your os gets infected and deleted by your av -will a windows install disk bring back your browser so you can download firefox again? Being able to show a webpage is an essential function of…

re: router config - Windows has Captive Portal support and all routers which require config will intercept dns requests to msftconnecttest.com and redirect to the local IP of the router which Windows will show in a modal window re: corporate account - The WebBrowser component (MSTML/Trident) will never be removed because it would require replacing a huge part of the OS that handles this, in too many places, and it wo…

Had to look it up, and I was wrong on connector needing a browser.

As far as routers, captive portal launches a browser on my pc, not a modal dialog. And none of the routers I have do what you say. I have to plug in a cable and go to the gateway ip. In a browser.

Re: Microsoft’s ‘can’t uninstall Microsoft Edge’ support page

#70
post #42
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So removing the browser may leave a user unable to bootstrap another browser onto the system (at least once IE is actually gone) without outside help or another machine. Invoke-WebRequest 'https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest-ssl&os=win64&lang=en-US' -OutFile firefox-latest.exe

> Invoke-WebRequest ' https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest-ssl&os=... -OutFile firefox-latest.exe A majority of Windows users can't be expected to do this. Think of the target demographic which uses Windows.

This could easily be packaged into a shell command by Microsoft and just let regular user click that to reinstall the browser.
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