Edge Chromium Pre Release So far...So Good

[Uttamattamakin]

I am using a leaked version of the edge browser redo which is based on chromium and so far so good.   The issues I notice are features which are missing in this version of Edge that are present in the Edge HTML version.   
 

• NO reading view.
• NO inking on web pages

One thing I have noticed is that for at least one web page updating the password required Windows Hello which worked to verify who I am.   Nice.   I can't wait to see how cross platform this version of edge will be.  Theoretically it should work on OSX and possibly even Linux.   Which would be sweet considering where Chromium's rendering engine started with the KDE desktop environment integrated browser in Linux as Konqueror (KHTML)...which became Webkit...which became Blink...which is soon to be the platform browser for Windows 10.   That's the circle of life right there.   

 

I am wary of providing a link since this is very pre release software that that might break some kind of a rule.    What probably wouldn't would be if anyone can suggest a web page that might cause this thing to break I can go to it.  That said, just about any HTML5 website will work given it's HTML5 test score of 535.   So it may break compatability with older corporate websites. 

 

Is this a good thing for the internet? 

Maybe.  With general agreement on what THE rederer for the internet is as long as  that renderer stays open source it could lead to a more interoperable internet.  The days where one company tried to own the internet may be over. On the other hand never underestimate the power of greed. 

[DrMacintosh]

7 minutes ago, Uttamattamakin said:

I am using a leaked version of the edge browser

WHY?!

[TheBean]

saw some videos on it too. looks like performace is much better compared to regular edge. 

[TheBean]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

WHY?!

its the only one available. (i think)

[Uttamattamakin]

36 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

WHY?!

As has been said.  Right now only versions of this Chromium based edge are available. 

Why a chromium based Edge is appealing.  

 

A browser with all the advantages of being supported by a major corporation WITHOUT that corporation being the evil empire known as Google.  Yes MS is about as bad....but if you have to use Windows 10 anyway they can gather telemetry on you anyway.    As a person who uses Linux when I want to do serious work, having a browser that presents no compromises is also good.  Chrome and chromium can be that but to get cross platform syncing I have to give information to Google on all my browsing. 

 

There are other alternatives but a good Edge would be a lesser evil. 

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, Uttamattamakin said:

Right now only versions of this Chromium based edge are available. 

It's not technically available if its a leaked browser. 

[Uttamattamakin]

39 minutes ago, Saksham said:

saw some videos on it too. looks like performace is much better compared to regular edge. 

Performance wise ... to my experience of using it not really.  For all the truly HTML5 compliant web pages I have dealt with EdgeHTML did just as good.  However, there are certain web pages that simply refuse to work right with Edge (and I am noticing the same with FireFox lately.    Kinda like how back in the day certain pages would only work with Internet Explorer even though if you changed the user agent they'd work just fine with Chrome. 

[Uttamattamakin]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

It's not technically available if its a leaked browser. 

Technicalities of law.  This is as available as beer during prohibition. 

[Giganthrax]

If you're concerned about privacy, how the heck is Micro "I Have An Entire OS Built Around Gathering Your Information" Soft in anyway better than Google?

 

Also, we all know Microsoft is going to screw up any version of IE/Edge they make in some way. Hell, back when it came out, I wanted to give Edge a shot, only to discover it didn't have Adblock support at the time. I mean, how incompetent can they be?

[aezakmi]

2 hours ago, Uttamattamakin said:

a person who uses Linux when I want to do serious work

what's the point of that if you still use windows+google for "non serious" work 

 

you're either black or white in this kind of stuff. I use Arch for everything except for 2 games that don't run on it so I have to use windows 7 for those, with ethernet cable unplugged, just in case.

[Uttamattamakin]

10 hours ago, aezakmi said:

what's the point of that if you still use windows+google for "non serious" work 

 

you're either black or white in this kind of stuff. I use Arch for everything except for 2 games that don't run on it so I have to use windows 7 for those, with ethernet cable unplugged, just in case.

I use windows for non serious work like GAMING.... because while Linux gaming is possible the experience isn't quite there yet.   So not google... you know you can use Windows and not use Google. 

[Giganthrax]

12 hours ago, PrinceNorris said:

Microsoft wants to support the sites by not providing adblocks so that the advertisements are profitable.

They enabled extensions, including adblocks, later anyway.

 

It was just pure incompetence to release a browser without extension support. 

[GoodBytes]

34 minutes ago, Giganthrax said:

They enabled extensions, including adblocks, later anyway.

 

It was just pure incompetence to release a browser without extension support. 

Nha it is fine, but it should have been labeled as Beta. I think people would have been far more forgiven.

But regardless, Edge was a mistake. The company is not only trying to catch up their engine to support all the web standards, but also the new coming stuff, do engine optimizations, race to put all the web browser features to match the mature web browsers that we have today, dev tools, and new features to make the web browser be apart...

 

They just eat more than what they can chew, for the given budget and resources provided to the Edge team. With the new Edge using Chromium, this will allow the team to simply focus on features that make the web browser apart from the competition. I expect version 1, to match Chrome (I don't even expect having Edge features inside), but after, expand with new features, and make its own identity.

[Uttamattamakin]

On 3/25/2019 at 3:31 PM, GoodBytes said:

Nha it is fine, but it should have been labeled as Beta. I think people would have been far more forgiven.

But regardless, Edge was a mistake. The company is not only trying to catch up their engine to support all the web standards, but also the new coming stuff, do engine optimizations, race to put all the web browser features to match the mature web browsers that we have today, dev tools, and new features to make the web browser be apart...

 

They just eat more than what they can chew, for the given budget and resources provided to the Edge team. With the new Edge using Chromium, this will allow the team to simply focus on features that make the web browser apart from the competition. I expect version 1, to match Chrome (I don't even expect having Edge features inside), but after, expand with new features, and make its own identity.

I cosign the above.  I used edge since it came out.  Before then it's spritual forerunner IE in touch/tablet mode.  It has always delivered a superior experience on my surface pro.  I think now that I am sure this isn't some rigged version... I'll go ahead and put it on my pro and see how it does touch wise.