Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

support.microsoft.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 645 posts

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#81

Post by jjoonathan »

SpaceL10n wrote: post #70

I changed it back to use default browser. It took all of 60 seconds to google the answer. They totally should take a calculated risk like this in order to gain more market share. Exercising control over software defaults rarely causes users to abandon a product entirely. The pain of changing the default back is much less than the pain of finding a new tool. Microsoft will not lose Outlook users by doing this. They wi…

Yes, this dirty tactic will almost certainly work unless we conk them with the regulatory hammer, which we absolutely should. Harder than last time, so that they remember.

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#82

Post by ninju »

rationalist wrote: post #33
frob wrote: post #4

Windows is just full of hostile, anti-user patterns these days. I've considered building a windows box just to have a gaming rig multiple times over the last few years, but every time an article like this or their crusade against Chrome reminds me that Bill Gates is still the same anti-trust monster he was in the 90s.

Is Bill Gates still involved with Microsoft, I thought he retired to run his foundation?

Bill Gates' involvement with Microsoft fully stopped on June 27, 2008 -- 15 years to the date

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#83

Post by [deleted] »

SpaceL10n wrote: post #70

I changed it back to use default browser. It took all of 60 seconds to google the answer. They totally should take a calculated risk like this in order to gain more market share. Exercising control over software defaults rarely causes users to abandon a product entirely. The pain of changing the default back is much less than the pain of finding a new tool. Microsoft will not lose Outlook users by doing this. They wi…

[deleted]

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#84

Post by InCityDreams »

elboru wrote: post #57
dm_me_dogs wrote: post #46

Microsoft, why?? It's an easy fix sure (within the Microsoft 365 Apps admin center) but why is it so hard for you to respect people's default browser choice?

Even respecting the settings. Every time Windows gets an update it asks me if I want to change my Edge settings, the first couple of times I didn’t pay attention and it changed my default search engine and started showing the useless news thumbnails that I explicitly took the time to hide. I’ll need to reconsider Chrome or Firefox, which is a shame since I really liked some Edge’s features.

Try brave browser? The bitcoiny stuff can be hidden (and blocked). As for the rest, I'm remarkably impressed. I even go through the brave://flags for extra oomph. I rn it from a ramdrive, too.

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#85

Post by e-shrdlu »

postalrat wrote: post #6
frob wrote: post #4

Windows is just full of hostile, anti-user patterns these days. I've considered building a windows box just to have a gaming rig multiple times over the last few years, but every time an article like this or their crusade against Chrome reminds me that Bill Gates is still the same anti-trust monster he was in the 90s.

Well at least Microsoft allows you to install other browsers. Apple only allows skins for their mobile browser.

Are you saying all ios browsers are just safari with a different UI?

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#86

Post by hospitalJail »

Analemma_ wrote: post #23
jeltz wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is on iOS, on MacOS they allow other browsers and respect the systemwide defaults. Personally I use Linux unless forced to use something else by my employer.

> That is on iOS, on MacOS they allow other browsers and respect the systemwide defaults. Why is that in any way exonerating? Most people do most of their actual computing on their phones now, it is not an irrelevant toy platform. We should be more, not less, hard on Apple than Microsoft for pulling this shit on their mobile platform.

Apple sells the ability to be part of an 'in-group'. People don't buy their phones for their computing abilities, they do it to have access to other Apple users.

Its a psychology trick that took decades of marketing to pull off, but they are deeply entrenched as someone's identity. These users have a religious devotion and will defend them, because an attack on Apple is an attack on them and their group.

If you don't care about a corporate in-group, you are most likely wanting a quality computing platform. Which is why people are so hard on Google an Microsoft when they restrict computing.

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#87

Post by 1ain0n_dev »

procarch2019 wrote: post #63
bbotond wrote: post #25

I switched to Linux 4 years ago because of these dark patterns. No regrets.

I think anyone using outlook is probably using it out of necessity for work. Not everyone can just jump to Linux when they work in a company.

Do you not have different machines for work and personal use?

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#88

Post by shawnz »

yaky wrote: post #44
mikepurvis wrote: post #37

Google does something like this with the GMail app on iPhone— you click links and instead of just opening Safari, it pops up a "which browser to use" selector modal, which is really just an advertisement for you to install Chrome.

Google Chat on Windows as well. Even if it is “installed as an app”, it does not act like one, and always opens links in Chrome. I understand that the “app” in this case is a Chrome wrapper, but it at least should respect system defaults.

PWAs in Edge have the same issue -- links clicked inside the PWA always open in Edge. This is especially annoying because certain apps in the Windows store (like Snapchat) are really just Edge PWAs.

FirefoxPWA gets it right and opens in the default browser (but it is a bit janky for other reasons).

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#89

Post by acomjean »

Its getting worse everywhere:

some things I've noticed: Mobil Safari seems to be using the search bar to hijack my google search (Particularly for locations which open in apple maps)

Although I'm mostly linux these days I went to install an alternative browser on a windows machine (using edge to download). I mentioned this in another post, but edge seems to watch for "chrome" or "firefox" downloads and politely reminds you that 'Edge is a great browser with added "trust of microsoft"' (A company who happen to be watching when you download a web browser).

https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/2/22813733/microsoft-window...

Linux seems like an OS that is way more respectful.

Re: Outlook now ignores Windows' Default Browser and opens links in Edge by default

#90

Post by loganc2342 »

SpaceL10n wrote: post #70

I changed it back to use default browser. It took all of 60 seconds to google the answer. They totally should take a calculated risk like this in order to gain more market share. Exercising control over software defaults rarely causes users to abandon a product entirely. The pain of changing the default back is much less than the pain of finding a new tool. Microsoft will not lose Outlook users by doing this. They wi…

Will this be a “good” move for them, money-wise? Perhaps. SHOULD they do this unequivocally user-unfriendly move? Absolutely not. Businesses SHOULD never screw over their customers for a little extra profit, but of course this sentiment will never stop them.
Post reply on HN