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Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

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Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#161
post #160

Just recently I was setting up Windows 10. One of the first things it asked for is an email account or you can create one. Ugh. I remember the days when you didn't need an email account to setup an OS. Also Windows 10 has many nagging notifications if you are not logged in to Microsoft services.

The unofficial workaround being to not provide any WiFi information. But if you do it once, it remembers.

Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#162
post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maintaining browsers has become a significant undertaking, so complex that only well-funded corporate interests can afford to keep one patched and up-to-date with the latest web standards. It surpassed operating system complexity. It surpassed pretty much everything else too. So we can forget about it ever being truly "free" (and free from ads) unless we simplify the web somehow. I also don't think we're going to go…

Back to gopher. Use native compiled apps and APIs for everything else. I’m serious. Probably shave a few gigawatts off the grid killing off electron apps.

The advantage of browsers is that they are becoming the de-facto "universal operating systems". That's why users like them, and that's why devs like them, despite all their defects. I kinda believe in that direction too. It's just the path that is a massive mess. Would I delete and rewrite? Yeah, but browsers and traditional OSes both, to become a single thing.

..and then regret it afterwards :D

Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#163
post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maintaining browsers has become a significant undertaking, so complex that only well-funded corporate interests can afford to keep one patched and up-to-date with the latest web standards. It surpassed operating system complexity. It surpassed pretty much everything else too. So we can forget about it ever being truly "free" (and free from ads) unless we simplify the web somehow. I also don't think we're going to go…

A new HTML/JS/CSS standard should be defined based on lessons learned implementing past browsers. Such a standard would make it easy to implement a browser.

Oh yay a new standard! https://xkcd.com/927/

Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The interest on $35 is only $4 since it is a flat rate not a reoccurring rate.

Right. It's a fixed term loan. Not revolving credit. These 2 loans are mathematically equivalent: $35 at 0% APR, $4 fees, 6 weeks fixed term $35 at 123% APR, $0 fees, 6 weeks fixed term You could argue the high APR loan is worse because interest will be compounding if you miss your payments. But I'm guessing the Zip loan also has late payment fees.

But people are probably going to use it for larger amounts where that flat fee would equal a much lower apr.

Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#165
post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I typically respect Apple products, but they also shove ads in the settings app...

Does “Sign up for iCloud” count as an ad? It’s a core (albeit optional) feature, included with the product the user has bought. The same could be said of Fitness+, or any of their other services. Yes, it’s “advertising”, but sits pretty inoffensively on the spectrum.

I literally sold my iphone because it would not shut the fuck up about icloud. So here's one data point.

Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#166
post #39

Microsoft finally made a browser which renders websites as expected, is up-to-date regarding security and features, and (most) people actually don't have the need to replace it with anything else. I will never understand why they NEED to ruin this. It's baffling.

Because Microsoft's raison-d'être is to extract as much money as possible from computer users. No matter how much they try to not be evil, no matter how many overtures they make to developers, it won't change the fact that Microsoft is basically just a hostile entity out there to extract as much money as possible from the computing scene.

It's a business

Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#169
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm honestly not sure how much profit a 2 trillion dollar company is supposed to generate from an interest free pay later browser bloatware feature Even if you're Scrooge McDuck that sounds not worth it

The goal is per team, Edge team must find new ways to generate profit, how much they make doesn't really matter, but the goal is to keep increasing this profit.

What about WSL?

Re: Microsoft pushes ahead with controversial ‘buy now, pay later’ feature for Edge

#170
post #136

I don't understand the controversy. Google and Apple make lots of money from their app stores. MS offers loans at a $4 fee and everyone loses their mind. Would everyone be as hostile if say, Opera did the same thing?

Suppose your fridge would offer to order from a fast-food "restaurant" near you everytime you get close to it. Sounds illogical, unexpected and puzzling?

That's nothing like it at all. It's more like the fridge offering to buy groceries for a flat rate of $4 after delivery costs.
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