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The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

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Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#51

Post by b112 »

neogodless wrote: post #13
skrebbel wrote: post #3

I’m a longtime Windows fan, and initially I was quite enamored by Edge as well. Base UX is excellent, lots of settings and they’re easy to find. Vertical tab bar, profiles, and it all Just Works. I flat out love its “turn this website into a desktop app” feature. But by now they've shoved their core consumer products so chock full of crap that even I am starting to look for a way out. I got my son a new laptop recent…

Exactly. While I get that live tiles and universal apps have their limitations, I vastly prefer a weather live tile that opens to a full screen weather app over the news widget that shows me weather in a random location among clickbait. And if you click weather, you go to an ad-infested web page. Remember when places hired UX designer to, you know, design a great user experience? This is not that. This is one hundred…

Remember when places hired UX designer to, you know, design a great user experience? This is not that

Some tortured soul, chained by NDA, not allowed to tell its tale of angst and woe, is hastily linking your comment, to email manager "See!!!! It's rubbish to do this, they hate it, see!!"

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#52

Post by crimsontech »

frankjr wrote: post #11

It would be interesting to hear what people outside of the HN bubble (or outside of tech in general) think about this. I bet a lot of people like seeing the news right after starting the browser because that's exactly why the opened the browser in the first place.

Some maybe, my guess is most people would just set their favourite news site as their home page if they wanted.

It’s not like what Microsoft shows is a good source of news either.

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#53

Post by mrweasel »

bell-cot wrote: post #44
mrweasel wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, not at all. That's my point. All these ads, data collection and selling of data, that's just unnecessary. Microsoft don't need the additional revenue, yet Edge is filled with stuff that I'd only expect from a shady online gaming company, or a company that's severely short on cash. As others have pointed out, maybe it's actually "features" that adds value for the general public, maybe it's just greed. In any case…

For any company of Microsoft's age & size, "doesn't need" is completely orthogonal to "corporate executive greed". You probably should "rightsize" your level of respect for MS.

> You probably should "rightsize" your level of respect for MS

Maybe it would be better if Microsoft tried to live up to the standard and ideal that people like me expects from a company in their position. Realistically you're right, it would be easier for me to adjust my expectations, but I won't because I see no evidence that I'm not morally right.

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#55

Post by Lendal »

I wouldn't call it "Dark" if switching it off is so simple and right there in front of your face. "Rapacious" is a great description though, and one I would see used in the title instead. These "features" shouldn't be default, they are extremely annoying and they are numerous. Some are arguably useful. But it's not "Dark" if you can switch them off right in the main interface where you'd expect, and doing so actually does what it says it will. Otherwise, this is an excellent article. Thanks for the tips!

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#56

Post by gibspaulding »

For everyone complaining about telemetry/popups/general bullshit in windows 10/11 itself, go download O&O Shutup 10+ and let it flip all of its recommended options. It gives the nice sane default that Microsoft should have in the first place.

Slightly off topic I know since I don't think it will change things in Edge itself, but for that, you can go install your own preferred browser just like the last 28 years.

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#57

Post by vanviegen »

tetrep wrote: post #16
skrebbel wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Internal) metrics may be short sighted.

What if they're not? What if it really is economically better for Microsoft to "double dip" and try to monetize Windows beyond its purchase price?

Of course they are. It's just not practicle to track long-term consumer sentiment around Microsoft, and life-time customer spending. So they track something else and convince themselves it's close enough.

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#58

Post by bdw5204 »

Nextgrid wrote: post #50
frankjr wrote: post #11

It would be interesting to hear what people outside of the HN bubble (or outside of tech in general) think about this. I bet a lot of people like seeing the news right after starting the browser because that's exactly why the opened the browser in the first place.

> I bet a lot of people like seeing the news right after starting the browser because that's exactly why the opened the browser in the first place. Does anyone, besides maybe the elderly (out of habit), use a desktop computer to read (clickbait, low-quality) news instead of their phone? As an anecdote, I know a non-technical Windows user who unlocks their machine by clicking the "like what you see?" prompt on the loc…

I wonder how many of the clicks on online ads in general are just accidental clicks. Especially clicks from phones where it is extremely easy to accidentally load the ads. This question will probably never be answered because it is a vital business interest of Google, Facebook, Microsoft and every company that makes phone apps that it not be answered.

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#59

Post by 404mm »

Nextgrid wrote: post #47
speg wrote: post #20

Oh man, as a longtime Mac user I have zero patience for this. Unfortunately my corporate laptop is a Windows one and when that giant, gaudy big blue Bing icon showed up in my toolbar yesterday I dropped everything to try and disable it. I was disappointed but not surprised there was no setting for it. A quick search online led to some policy and registry settings but the corporate policies my company has in place wou…

Any job that forces me to use a Windows machine for a significant amount of time is a job I will not take. The only way to fight against this bullshit is to make it a downside for the companies that deploy it, and in turn, their supplier (Microsoft).

Same. It became one of my interview questions and I haven’t had windows as my primary work machine OS for 9 years now. If I have to work with it for 8 hours a day then it becomes part of sanity. Protect your peace :)

Re: The dark defaults of Microsoft Edge

#60

Post by watwut »

skrebbel wrote: post #3

I’m a longtime Windows fan, and initially I was quite enamored by Edge as well. Base UX is excellent, lots of settings and they’re easy to find. Vertical tab bar, profiles, and it all Just Works. I flat out love its “turn this website into a desktop app” feature. But by now they've shoved their core consumer products so chock full of crap that even I am starting to look for a way out. I got my son a new laptop recent…

> I don’t understand why MS doesn’t get some sort of internal revolt.

Because companies are structured so that it never happens. Moreover, professionals who are too angry about direction are expected to leave. Not just in MS ... anywhere including in startups. Companies are not democracies.

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