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Open Letter to Microsoft’s CEO: Don’t Roll Back the Clock on Choice and Control

blog.mozilla.org

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Re: Open Letter to Microsoft’s CEO: Don’t Roll Back the Clock on Choice and Control

#2

Post by slg »

Am I reading this right that the problem is that during an OS upgrade the default browser is reset back to the default OS settings? While that is certainly an inconvenience, I find it hard to really expect an OS upgrade to carry over every user setting. Isn't all the user has to do after the upgrade is open Firefox (which is still installed) and click yes to "make this default" question?

Re: Open Letter to Microsoft’s CEO: Don’t Roll Back the Clock on Choice and Control

#3

Post by jroblak »

slg wrote: post #2

Am I reading this right that the problem is that during an OS upgrade the default browser is reset back to the default OS settings? While that is certainly an inconvenience, I find it hard to really expect an OS upgrade to carry over every user setting. Isn't all the user has to do after the upgrade is open Firefox (which is still installed) and click yes to "make this default" question?

No, users now have to go to a settings page to change their default applications. Ostensibly this is for user protection (so apps can't trick users into setting defaults they don't want)

Re: Open Letter to Microsoft’s CEO: Don’t Roll Back the Clock on Choice and Control

#4

Post by nyrulez »

slg wrote: post #2

Am I reading this right that the problem is that during an OS upgrade the default browser is reset back to the default OS settings? While that is certainly an inconvenience, I find it hard to really expect an OS upgrade to carry over every user setting. Isn't all the user has to do after the upgrade is open Firefox (which is still installed) and click yes to "make this default" question?

Did you read the letter ? It answers your question. It's a short letter.

Re: Open Letter to Microsoft’s CEO: Don’t Roll Back the Clock on Choice and Control

#5

Post by reubenmorais »

slg wrote: post #2

Am I reading this right that the problem is that during an OS upgrade the default browser is reset back to the default OS settings? While that is certainly an inconvenience, I find it hard to really expect an OS upgrade to carry over every user setting. Isn't all the user has to do after the upgrade is open Firefox (which is still installed) and click yes to "make this default" question?

Windows has a history of carrying over user settings like that since the DOS times. You can literally upgrade from DOS through every version of Windows and end up with the same desktop background/widget colors/etc.

I'm obviously biased because I work on a browser (specifically a browser that isn't made by Microsoft), but to me this is clearly about trying to capture the users who stopped using IE over the years.

Re: Open Letter to Microsoft’s CEO: Don’t Roll Back the Clock on Choice and Control

#6

Post by DannyBee »

slg wrote: post #2

Am I reading this right that the problem is that during an OS upgrade the default browser is reset back to the default OS settings? While that is certainly an inconvenience, I find it hard to really expect an OS upgrade to carry over every user setting. Isn't all the user has to do after the upgrade is open Firefox (which is still installed) and click yes to "make this default" question?

"Isn't all the user has to do after the upgrade is open Firefox (which is still installed) and click yes to "make this default" question?"

No. This API for settings defaults deliberately does not work anymore.

Re: Open Letter to Microsoft’s CEO: Don’t Roll Back the Clock on Choice and Control

#7

Post by balls187 »

slg wrote: post #2

Am I reading this right that the problem is that during an OS upgrade the default browser is reset back to the default OS settings? While that is certainly an inconvenience, I find it hard to really expect an OS upgrade to carry over every user setting. Isn't all the user has to do after the upgrade is open Firefox (which is still installed) and click yes to "make this default" question?

> I find it hard to really expect an OS upgrade to carry over every user setting

True. However that default browser/file extension handlers preferences should be a priority to carry forward.

It may be easy to set your new default browser, but it's one more thing I have to do to personalize my computer, instead of using my computer to do the tasks at hand.

It's a fundamental difference between MSFT and AAPL's philosphy (and why I made the switch a while back). Everytime I upgrade OS X, my settings carry forward, so there is less time spent doing things like setting up my computer, and more time spent using my computer to solve problems that I care about.

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