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Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

blogs.windows.com

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Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#301

> 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…

Microsoft is unwilling to evolve ethically as a company on this point. They don't understand that we remember who they are, and you don't have to use the wayback machine to remind yourself: https://www.theringer.com/tech/2018/5/18/17362452/microsoft-...

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#302
post #260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The games with kernel anticheat are exactly the user-hostile games you wouldn't want to play anyway. (PUBG, Valorant, Fortnite, etc.) Normal, enjoyable games don't have kernel anticheat.

You're missing the point. These are all games you likely play because your peer group does. Also, the experience on Wine/Proton isn't always the best. If you have high-end hardware, you probably want features that just don't work because of your GPU driver of implementation gaps in Wine/Proton.

"You're missing the point. These are all games you likely play because your peer group does."

No, I'm not missing the point. I'm not really big on activism or proving points or things like that - but this is something which is something you don't do if you have principles.

These games make people addicted because your friends play them. Learning to say "no" to these exploitative practices is a very useful thing. Make your friends play better games, or simply refuse to play their games.

(Full disclosure: I use windows myself, I'm not disagreeing with you on that regard about proton)

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#303
post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not better anywhere. That's the problem, everything is a game of compromise and when you try to fix things for yourself a big company gives you the stink-eye. The web is the last place left where developers feel they have freedom, which should make us all feel very sad considering they run a whole-ass computer that they effectively ignore because of arbitrary restrictions.

> The web is the last place left where developers feel they have freedom Come on, we have excellent open computing platforms; it's just not where the money is right now . Nobody can see passed their nose for profits though so we end up with lowest common denominator everything: which forces you to run a whole code interpreter on everything. Apple said "no, you can't" and that's where the money is, so you had (and con…

Largely, I don't disagree with you. Apple's stance is entirely business-oriented. My original point isn't taking a stand here either; this is just why native apps suck and why people disregard them to make Electron apps. We both seem to agree that business is the core concern.

Apple is at least complicit in the status-quo as a vendor of native app SDKs, and it's something they could probably fix with the right initiative. At the business layer, they have no motivation to fix this issue. On an individual level, it's a black hole of annoyance, confusion and hand-wavey abstraction as to why certain things are off-limits or why certain apps aren't on iPhone. Treating your userbase as a hostage situation is an obvious ploy, and one I can't encourage even to fix another problem. If we rely on the altruism of businesses to fix our market problems, then we are subject to their whims when they want to change things for themselves.

If we can both agree that Apple can and does make decisions that harm their users, then we're basically on the same page. I want to scrutinize that harm, and hopefully spread enough awareness to codify a change. You're free to feel however you want on the topic, but I would object to this behavior from any company.

> They set the rules, you all agreed to play by them

The internet did not agree to "Apple's rules". That's like saying Sony made their "rules" with the Playstation 3 browser, and now everyone has to play by that. They released a client, and their customers agreed to their Terms of Service. The internet will do whatever it wants, including whittle itself down to the lowest common denominator of 'document rendering' to hit Apple's platforms. If that's an undesired outcome for them or their users, maybe they should change their approach.

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#304
post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft want to advertise to users because it makes them money . That money will come from the pockets of the people you're describing, and not as a fraction of their income as with many taxes.

Companies making more money isn't bad? > That money will come from the pockets of the people you're describing Very indirectly maybe. Ad spend is a cost to businesses, not consumers. I'll also add that making ad spend less inefficient (as this regulation will do) will ultimately cost either the business or consumer as someone will need to eat those extra costs. Assuming that those inefficiencies are not passed to the…

Money spent on ads doesn't cost businesses money, it makes them money. Otherwise they wouldn't do it. That money comes directly from consumers, who are also taxpayers. I haven't said whether this is good or bad.

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The web isn't made open by forcing people to run specific client software. It's a bit like arguing that Explorer was the only thing keeping Netscape in line. With Apple shipping private attestation in their browsers and dragging their feet on open standards, it's hard to consider them a friend of the weak.

I'm not sure a comparison between Netscape & Google works

It's a pity the Explorer/Safari one does. Maybe if Netscape had an Open Source version the metaphor would work a little better, though.

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#306
post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Because the fines are just priced in as cost of doing business. They don't actually change anything.

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#307
post #232

> 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…

> there's presumably no technical/compatibility issues that would stop the rest of the world using it to. There never were an technical issue in defining the default browser. It's something that worked on any OS since nearly 30 years, including Windows. It's 100% disrespect.

Complete disrespect for the end luser is nothing new with Microsoft.

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#308

> 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…

> I have to ask a really basic question: Why does Microsoft have such a vested interest in users using Edge over competitors?

FOMO and Paranoia. Anything that looks like a market they might miss out on they get scared, freak out, create a shit product and jump in the market with HUGE marketing/info campaigns to convince everyone theirs is the best product, and then it turns out it's not really a profitable market at all. But at least they weren't usurped.

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#309

> 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…

With Github. Microsoft now controls much of the world's open source code. Wonderful.

Re: Windows 11 system components use the default browser to open links in Europe

#310
post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't duplicate this. Can you tell me what your default browser is and how you are 'searching for a highlighted word'

Go in any app, highlight a word, "Search on the Web"

Got it. Yeh, not great. Reported as a bug
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