I'm loving M$ having to admit they're intentionally abusing their users by disrespecting their preferences even when it would cost them nothing to do so.
When will Apple admit?
When their market size across EU is big enough for it to be relevant.
Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
281–290 of 366 posts
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#282Earlier quoted context omitted.
Apple doesn’t disrespect set user preferences in the same way that Microsoft does. This sort of oversimplified drive-by whataboutism isn’t great for conversation.
Oh, they do. On my iPhone, I've: -changed the 'default browser' -'uninstalled' Safari Yet, whenever I want to search for a highlighted word, it opens Safari. This is such an absurd situation where I am browsing a site and want to do a search for something I just read and, instead of just opening a new tab or replacing the active tab with a web search, it opens a different browser app I do not want to use. This is jus…
> Yet, whenever I want to search for a highlighted word, it opens Safari.
I cannot replicate, it opens Firefox for me BUT it completely disregards my search engine choice, so it opens Google even though Kagi is my default search engine.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#283Earlier quoted context omitted.
So you're saying, MS' tactics of forcing Edge would actually be perfectly fine if just the browser was nicer?
Only in part - and it would certainly not be “just fine”. Edge is pretty nice nowadays. It’s the tactics to promote it as the default - now and in the past - that have drawn so much scrutiny. And IE did used to be objectively inferior to the competition. I’m saying the people at MS promoting this in this particular way are, well, dumb.
As a developer targeting Edge is fine, there's not really any significant difference between building a page that supports it versus any other Chrome derivatives.
But as a user wow is it the most trashy and abusive program I routinely encounter. Start it for the first time and you're confronted with tabloid news and advertising. Sponsored links are mixed into your frequently visited sites by default. It injects itself into your online shopping and sends all your images and browser behavior to their servers for various weak justifications. You can turn it into a passable experience by scrolling through and configuring something in nearly every single settings tab, but then they just ignore you and inject new advertising sidebars or icons in a random update. Keeping it restricted to "just a browser" requires constant vigilance. It's clearly first and foremost just an advertising revenue funnel for Microsoft, which is completely pathetic of them. At least IE was mostly just a browser even if it did that pretty badly most years.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#284> In the European Economic Area (EEA), Windows system components use the default browser to open links. That shows such complete and utter contempt for the wishes of their users. The user has actively selected a browser as the one they want to use by default, but windows only uses it in the EEA because they were forced to. As it will be used by EEA system components, there's presumably no technical/compatibility issu…
I have to ask a really basic question: Why does Microsoft have such a vested interest in users using Edge over competitors? I get the argument: "it's their browser, of course they want people to use it" but for me that answer isn't satisfactory. What is the financial motive to go through all the trouble of pushing Edge? The only reason I can think of is "your data" but even then, what sort of data might MS want to ex…
Not necessarily an answer, but an overview of the topics in the domain space of your question might include:
- DATA COLLECTION: Allows Microsoft to collect user data for analytics, targeted advertising, and product improvement.
- REVENUE GENERATION: Advertisements and search engine partnerships generate revenue for Microsoft.
- ECOSYSTEM INTEGRATION: Encourages use of other Microsoft products, enhancing user experience.
- VENDOR LOCK-IN: User familiarity discourages switching to competitors, ensuring long-term revenue.
- COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: Maintaining a popular browser aids in negotiation with third-party service providers.
- SOFTWARE CONTROL: Allows Microsoft to guide software standards, impacting web development.
- USER EXPERIENCE: Direct control over browser enhances customer support and troubleshooting.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#285Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#286Earlier quoted context omitted.
Let's see what the people always screaming about how the EU only cares about fining American tech companies who do nothing wrong will respond to this.
I think the stance is that while what the EU does is good for the consumer it's annoying as hell for American tech companies to be assessed billion dollar fines all the time. If the punishment was "comply in 180 days or we'll suspend your business charter" I think you'd see a lot more support.
> If the punishment was "comply in 180 days or we'll suspend your business charter"
The punishment is generally "comply in 180 days [actually it's usually measured in years] or we'll fine you". And they often don't comply, and then get fined and sometimes end up complying.
Why would your proposal be better?
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#287meanwhile the other article currently on the front page about microsoft is them using malware-like popups to get people to ditch chrome
nice
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#288Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have to ask a really basic question: Why does Microsoft have such a vested interest in users using Edge over competitors? I get the argument: "it's their browser, of course they want people to use it" but for me that answer isn't satisfactory. What is the financial motive to go through all the trouble of pushing Edge? The only reason I can think of is "your data" but even then, what sort of data might MS want to ex…
Your web browsing habits reveal a lot more about you than your desktop habits.
Really hard to hide your web browsing habits from the OS itself. They could trivially grab most of the data, if they wanted.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#289Earlier quoted context omitted.
Let's see what the people always screaming about how the EU only cares about fining American tech companies who do nothing wrong will respond to this.
I think the stance is that while what the EU does is good for the consumer it's annoying as hell for American tech companies to be assessed billion dollar fines all the time. If the punishment was "comply in 180 days or we'll suspend your business charter" I think you'd see a lot more support.
It is just a culture difference basically.
Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe
#290As an American, I'm more annoyed that our government isn't working to protect consumers than I am at Microsoft. Microsoft is acting predictably from a business perspective. This is just a repeat of the Internet Explorer debacle decades ago.
We just need a new era of trust-busting. It's what pulled our economic system back from where it was headed in the "robber baron" era of the early 1900's, and allowed for the post-war boom. The Fortune 500 has learned to stop at duopolies and triopolies, but private equity is quietly trying to monopolize literally everything else. Lina Kahn and the current FTC have been trying, but they are hampered by the economic forces, corporations, and billionaires that have gotten us to this place already, and I just don't see them making much substantive progress. It certainly doesn't help that the public is also filled with Microsoft stans who think allowing them to buy Activision somehow "increases competition," when what they really mean is that they just hate that Microsoft is in third place behind Sony and Nintendo, as if this means the gaming division is somehow a failure, and pressure the FTC to back off of preventing more consolidation.