Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround • Hacker News Board

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#41

Post by cronix » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:38 PM UTC

josephcsible wrote: post #23

cronix wrote: post #22

So far in the last year or so, I've heard 0 reasons why I'd even need, want or benefit from Win11 over Win10. Tons of reasons in the negative column though. There isn't even anything to salivate over that might make you think it might be worth it to deal with the other tradeoffs. Hard pass.

Unfortunately, there's one very big reason you'll need Windows 11: that Windows 10 won't get security updates forever. After October 14th, 2025, you'll need to "upgrade" to it to stay secure.

Considering the state of security in modern computing devices and the various OS's that power them, security updates mean less and less to me over time. Nothing is secure and likely won't ever be. I'd argue we're collectively less secure in 2021 than in 1995 despite massive advances in all other areas of the field.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#42

Post by ghosty141 » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:38 PM UTC

Liquid_Fire wrote: post #3

anshumankmr wrote: post #2

As someone who used Firefox and has Windows 11, how is it going to affect me? My links open in Firefox only (and the only time I open links is either from WhatsApp or occasionally some link in a doc file or PDF I am reading). It works fine for me so far.

I think it's only for 'microsoft-edge:' URLs, used by certain Windows features (e.g. Bing search from the start menu, or opening the online help via a link in the Settings). Most other links will just be normal http:/https: links and will use your actual default browser.

I'm pretty sure there will be some community programs that will fix this again. Just takes some time I guess. Currently I'm still waiting until I get the feeling that win11 is "finished".

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#43

Post by xgbi » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:38 PM UTC

soco wrote: post #28

josephcsible wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, there's one very big reason you'll need Windows 11: that Windows 10 won't get security updates forever. After October 14th, 2025, you'll need to "upgrade" to it to stay secure.

That's 4 good years to wait and see.

> That's 4 good years to see if the grass is greener on the Unix side

There, I fixed it

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#44

Post by aceazzameen » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:39 PM UTC

soco wrote: post #28

josephcsible wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, there's one very big reason you'll need Windows 11: that Windows 10 won't get security updates forever. After October 14th, 2025, you'll need to "upgrade" to it to stay secure.

That's 4 good years to wait and see.

Yeah, that gives me 4 more years to investigate Linux.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#45

Post by jimnotgym » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:39 PM UTC

josephcsible wrote: post #23

cronix wrote: post #22

So far in the last year or so, I've heard 0 reasons why I'd even need, want or benefit from Win11 over Win10. Tons of reasons in the negative column though. There isn't even anything to salivate over that might make you think it might be worth it to deal with the other tradeoffs. Hard pass.

Unfortunately, there's one very big reason you'll need Windows 11: that Windows 10 won't get security updates forever. After October 14th, 2025, you'll need to "upgrade" to it to stay secure.

I got XP, skipped Vista, got 7, skipped 8, got 10...I think I will skip 11

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#46

Post by causality0 » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:39 PM UTC

josephcsible wrote: post #23

cronix wrote: post #22

So far in the last year or so, I've heard 0 reasons why I'd even need, want or benefit from Win11 over Win10. Tons of reasons in the negative column though. There isn't even anything to salivate over that might make you think it might be worth it to deal with the other tradeoffs. Hard pass.

Unfortunately, there's one very big reason you'll need Windows 11: that Windows 10 won't get security updates forever. After October 14th, 2025, you'll need to "upgrade" to it to stay secure.

Good news, in four years I run out of reasons not to go back to Windows 7, an OS that doesn't treat me with naked contempt.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#47

Post by criddell » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:39 PM UTC

0xC0ncord wrote: post #16

recursive wrote: post #13

Firefox, if it makes you feel any better, you can just make your own firefox: (or mozilla:?) protocol handler, and probably no one will mess with it.

The problem is that the microsoft-edge:// protocol is used throughout the Windows UI and menus and will always open in Edge regardless of the user's preferences. If you click on a link in say, the Settings UI, it will ignore your default browser preference and open in Edge with no way to change it.

I wonder if they plan on using that protocol to do non-standard stuff that third party browsers won't support? That's the only technical reason I can think of for Microsoft to create a new protocol.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#48

Post by tomsmeding » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC

cronix wrote: post #41

josephcsible wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, there's one very big reason you'll need Windows 11: that Windows 10 won't get security updates forever. After October 14th, 2025, you'll need to "upgrade" to it to stay secure.

Considering the state of security in modern computing devices and the various OS's that power them, security updates mean less and less to me over time. Nothing is secure and likely won't ever be. I'd argue we're collectively less secure in 2021 than in 1995 despite massive advances in all other areas of the field.

Adding features probably increases the number of bugs, but security updates generally reduce the number of (exploitable) bugs. So I think that not taking security updates is throwing the baby away with the bathwater; stay on Win10 as long as you like, but apply the security updates.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#49

Post by zionic » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC

cronix wrote: post #22

So far in the last year or so, I've heard 0 reasons why I'd even need, want or benefit from Win11 over Win10. Tons of reasons in the negative column though. There isn't even anything to salivate over that might make you think it might be worth it to deal with the other tradeoffs. Hard pass.

If you're a gamer autoHDR and direct storage support are both wins. Also, if you have alder lake you want the new scheduler.

Re: Windows 11 Officially Shuts Down Firefox’s Default Browser Workaround

#50

Post by dorchadas » Thu, Dec 16, 2021, 5:41 PM UTC

I need a new computer, and I was going to switch to Windows so I could game with friends (while dual-booting into some linux distro for anything programming related), which would force me into 11. It's already a shame that I have to have a Microsoft account to even set up the damn thing, but now I can't even use whatever default browser I want? I'm seriously about the say screw it and pay for another Mac. I love mine, but wanted to game but at this point it might not be worth it.