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Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

politico.eu

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Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#21

Post by anygivnthursday »

protocolture wrote: post #5
wavemode wrote: post #2

> Microsoft leverages its immensely powerful position as the supplier of the ubiquitous Windows PC operating system, as well as many productivity and other must-have apps, to push users towards its first-party browser, Edge, through tactics that restrict, distort and subvert user choice. Heh. This could have been written 25 years ago. Though at least back then, Microsoft was winning. Since then, the market share of I…

>Heh. This could have been written 25 years ago. I am reading this wondering if I got pranked and its a historical article. Until I got to "Edge"

Maybe this is what they meant by Internet Explorer mode in Edge

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#22

Post by globalnode »

hilbert42 wrote: post #7

Microsoft is effectively a monopoly, to say it's anything else and that other browsers are available is a nonsense for reasons that everyone knows. Appealing to reason is a waste of time as no big monopolistic corporation will willingly forfeit money. The only realistic (effective) solution is legislative. I don't see that happening anytime soon in the US but perhaps it's possible in other jurisdictions (more likely…

the other "realistic" solution is to use another o/s.

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#23

Post by thunderbong »

Don't many of these points apply to iOS and Android as well?

From this article [0]

> Smartphones have become the dominant gateway to the internet.

> Mobile Share of Web Requests (Dec 2024) - 63%

IMHO, this is far more pernicious and insidious.

[0]: https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/device-usage-trends/

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#24

Post by utopiah »

villgax wrote: post #13

You are not forced to use microsoft, in fact you have consiously paid them to be your OS. You can only beg them to consider this or move to macOS or linux in general.

> You are not forced to use microsoft

You absolutely are. That's precisely why they were forced to make the browser not a core part of their OS.

The entire strategy of Microsoft has been since its inception to force people to use their solutions! They got the OS on the computer itself, not something to install after with a conscious choice. Once they do this they bundle writer, spreadsheet, etc suite as one-way interoperable, then browser then online suite, then cloud, then AI... and it doesn't start with with your CTO or CIO, no it starts in school, giving licenses for poor students who can now "afford" the tool and be trained for life.

Microsoft a single uninterrupted chain of bundling despite being an illegal practice. Of course none of that would work on merit itself so they do the lobbying to insure it's used in institutions and everywhere else they can to insure that their tools are basically required.

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#25

Post by sevenzero »

thunderbong wrote: post #23

Don't many of these points apply to iOS and Android as well? From this article [0] > Smartphones have become the dominant gateway to the internet. > Mobile Share of Web Requests (Dec 2024) - 63% IMHO, this is far more pernicious and insidious. [0]: https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/device-usage-trends/

Yup has been like that for a while. Mobile-first design has been a thing for forever now and at work we often times doubt that its still worth it to even have a non mobile design.

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#26

Post by protocolture »

anygivnthursday wrote: post #21
protocolture wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Heh. This could have been written 25 years ago. I am reading this wondering if I got pranked and its a historical article. Until I got to "Edge"

Maybe this is what they meant by Internet Explorer mode in Edge

We have heard the complaints and are reverting to delivering the OS marketplace domination you all know and love.

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#27

Post by kstrauser »

bruce511 wrote: post #17
zerobees wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't. Apple has its share of anticompetitive behaviors, but Microsoft is uniquely bad. I recently went through both experiences and, at least for the US region, the number of weird pop-ups and nags you get on Windows as you try to change the search engine and install Chrome is absolutely bonkers. It almost feels like some sort of a malware situation.

I'm no MS fanboy here, but I think Apple is worse. Firstly Windows is arguably the most unrestrictive OS (certainly among the commercial options). You can install pretty much anything you like, from anywhere you like. Contrast to say Android or iOS it's a wild-west. If one wants to get on the "browser freedom" train, Windows is a strange choice over say iOS. I guess the browser change process is not universal even on…

Compare Windows to macOS instead of iOS and the equation changes significantly.

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#28

Post by giuliomagnifico »

thunderbong wrote: post #23

Don't many of these points apply to iOS and Android as well? From this article [0] > Smartphones have become the dominant gateway to the internet. > Mobile Share of Web Requests (Dec 2024) - 63% IMHO, this is far more pernicious and insidious. [0]: https://www.theglobalstatistics.com/device-usage-trends/

I don't know what the situation is on Microsoft Windows, but these requests that are being asked are mostly already applied on iOS:

We call on Microsoft to respect its users and implement the following changes immediately and on a worldwide basis:

-Allow browser suppliers to compete for preinstallation and default deals with Windows PC manufacturers.

-End dark patterns targeted at users seeking to download and effectively use other browsers (including as system level default).

-Bring back the ability for users to make switching default browsers simple and transparent with a “single click” change for all relevant file types and apps (including PDFs).

-Open all web links in users’ selected system-level browser of choice.

-Eliminate manipulative Microsoft-exclusive banners pushing Edge in Windows, including when users are searching for other browsers.

-Stop using operating system updates to push users back to Edge.

-Remove the restrictive configurations of existing S mode devices that block usage of third-party browsers

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#29

Post by cess11 »

wavemode wrote: post #2

> Microsoft leverages its immensely powerful position as the supplier of the ubiquitous Windows PC operating system, as well as many productivity and other must-have apps, to push users towards its first-party browser, Edge, through tactics that restrict, distort and subvert user choice. Heh. This could have been written 25 years ago. Though at least back then, Microsoft was winning. Since then, the market share of I…

'At this point, it mostly just comes across as adorable when Windows tries to push you to use Edge. Like "wow, they're still trying."'

Among people who aren't nerds it is working. You'll see this in e.g. the public sector and at the top of corporations.

They also do things that force certain people to use Edge under Windows, like bulk downloads from 365 through their compliance portal. This requires a particular type of browser plugin that will only function under those conditions. I perceived this as despicable rather than adorable when I had to work around it to provide services to lawyers.

Re: Dear Microsoft, enough is enough

#30

Post by underlines »

Controversial thought: Browsers will become a niche and fall into obscurity like IRC nowadays, based on what I observed working in South East Asia, where people don't even know what browsers are and "the internet" are walled social networks and apps.
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