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Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

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Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#241

Post by donmcronald »

jeroenhd wrote: post #190

Back when Edgeium was new and just Chrome but with a lot of Google cruft removed, I actually used Edge instead of Chrome when I was on Windows. It was the same browser with some additional tweaks that I quite liked. Then Microsoft started this aggressive, disruptive push to bring it to iOS Safari's level as the only browser people should use. I don't know any good operating systems for normal people anymore. Windows…

> Back when Edgeium was new and just Chrome but with a lot of Google cruft removed, I actually used Edge instead of Chrome when I was on Windows.

I fell for it too. There was a brief period where you could do a clean Win10 install, log in to the OS with your MS account, and everything just worked and synced in a "this is nice" sort of way. The cynic in me kept thinking "don't fall for it," but it was too convenient.

Now I regret it and the only reason I haven't switched back to local accounts is because I'm not happy with any of the competition either.

Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#242

Post by amykhar »

bko wrote: post #237
Angostura wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> iOS Safari's level as the only browser people should use. FWIW, iOS doesn't chide you when you download Chrome or Firefox. Of course Apple requires them to use the iOS rendering engine - but that's perhaps a slightly different point.

Is it still impossible to set your default browser on iOS? That to me is even more hostile than just having me click an extra button once to download it.

No. You've been able to change the default browser for years.

Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#243

Post by [deleted] »

tobias3 wrote: post #143
AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn't so straight forward if you aren't in the know on special tooling like O&O ShutUp 10 to accomplish it for you. Even then it'll get reset after updating and you'll have to fix it again. There is no "don't ever update unless I tell you to" checkbox, there is only the option to pause them for a limited time. Windows is actively user hostile when it comes to updates.

Use Windows Pro and Group Policy Editor. There isn't a checkbox there but a radio box that allows you to configure update behaviour in detail. Never had an issue with it during all upgrades. And if Windows Home users should be able to disable automatic updates is debatable.

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#244

Post by eropple »

handrous wrote: post #208
technobabbler wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Stuff like this (not my post): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29416956 I just remember that every time I reopen Firefox (to test it for something), some new annoying thing like Pocket or some other trendy extension I didn't ask for has suddenly appeared. And it's always bugging me with CHECK OUT WHAT WE ADDED popups. I don't CARE about your new features, just let me browse the web and stay outta the way, damn i…

That's not a dark pattern, it's just obnoxious advertising garbage. Which is still bad, but a different thing. FWIW this is also one of my least favorite things about FF. What the fuck is the point of unobtrusive background auto-updating if you're also going to annoy me with ads every single time you do it?

YMMV, but people talk about these ads firefox is throwing around and I just don't see them. Did I accidentally turn a knob or something and it's just carried with me through years of Firefox Sync'ing?

Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#246

Post by marginalia_nu »

bityard wrote: post #62
prepend wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t like this new form of writing, I’m not sure what it’s called. It’s not just informal, it’s cringy. I especially hate funny error messages as they just frustrate me. It’s ok when Reddit has a funny image because they can’t show my video game forum, but it’s infuriating when Microsoft shows a “whoops, what happened” when it just failed to sync the last 30 minutes of my work document.

> I’m not sure what it’s called. I call it "meme speak". It's the style of writing used on meme image captions or in tweets designed to generate the most number of shares and "likes".

It sounds like a 2010 rage comic. Only thing missing is that guy eating cereal.

Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#247

Post by criddell »

mmastrac wrote: post #155
technobabbler wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Firefox, for all it's modern faults, is the only browser that's actually different in any substantial way. That's the thing. I don't WANT a browser that's actually different. The web is a duopoly between Apple and Google, and everything else is a second-class citizen. The era of an "open" web came and went, passing us by as capitalism took over. Firefox offers no meaningful freedom when all the content it's suppose…

This comment reads like you've never lived through a browser monopoly. Sure it's great now, but do you think Google will work as hard and dedicate as much budget if there are two or even worse - just one - viable browser?

Sometimes I wish the pace of change would drop way, way back for a few years. If the main browser developers were to all agree to an X year ceasefire where no new features are introduced - only bug fixes and standards clarifications are allowed - I don't necessarily think it would be all that bad for users or developers.

Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#249

Post by technobabbler »

dralley wrote: post #178
technobabbler wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Stuff like this (not my post): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29416956 I just remember that every time I reopen Firefox (to test it for something), some new annoying thing like Pocket or some other trendy extension I didn't ask for has suddenly appeared. And it's always bugging me with CHECK OUT WHAT WE ADDED popups. I don't CARE about your new features, just let me browse the web and stay outta the way, damn i…

All of this combined is still less "dark" than Chrome automatically combining Chrome logins with standard Google accounts, and logging you into the browser account whenever you log into your Google account. To say nothing of things like FLoC, new web APIs that just so happen to be excellent ways to track you, neutering ad blockers, AMP integration, and so on.

> All of this combined is still less "dark" than Chrome automatically combining Chrome logins with standard Google accounts, and logging you into the browser account whenever you log into your Google account.

I actually find that a very useful feature that keeps my settings and logins in sync across multiple computers and accounts.

> To say nothing of things like FLoC, new web APIs that just so happen to be excellent ways to track you

Still falls into the "it just tracks you" category... basically the only major downfall, which isn't a big deal to me. Everyone tracks you these days, and mostly an adblocker negates the effects.

> AMP integration

Yeah, AMP and its ilk (FB Lightning pages, etc.) were good ideas evilly implemented. Good thing AMP is on its way out.

> neutering ad blockers

That would be a big deal if and when it comes to pass (seemingly soon, perhaps?)

The thing is, aside from the ad blockers, most of those supposed downsides have had little to no impact on my user experience, vs the constant hassling of Firefox. I get annoyed every time I open Firefox. Chrome just works and actively makes my life easier with its syncing and auto logins. To you those may be downsides, to me they are helpful and unobtrusive.

Re: Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

#250

Post by Quarrelsome »

loudtieblahblah wrote: post #133
Quarrelsome wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Great post until: > But F* windows and F* windows people in IT. The whole lot of em Maybe leave the late 90s.

maybe Windows guys should. "look at all this cool stuff Windows can do, that the stuff i was mocking could do 20 years ago". The way Windows people talk about all the "revolutionary" stuff Windows can do, like just piss off. This is like the jocks bullying kids for wearing Metallica shirts or NIN shirts freshman year only to act like the biggest fans 2-3 years later. It's like Star Trek fans getting mocked for decade…

there's a lotta people that use windows but you're imagining they're all the same as the people you hate. That's hate.
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