Microsoft’s new Windows prompts try to stop people downloading Chrome

[Stahlmann]

50 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Chrome has those settings too but that's besides the point.

When it comes to how much data Google collects on you through Chrome, and how much data Microsoft collects on you through Edge, Microsoft collects far more. Microsoft may give you slightly more tools to prevent third parties (like websites) from tracking you, but they don't give you a whole lot of tools to prevent Microsoft from tracking you.

There are options to disable the sending of telemetery data for personalized ads, crash logs and "improving Edge", which is basically the useage data.

 

50 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Consider yourself lucky. I have gotten this popup (which blocks all other interactions with my browser until I close it) 4 times on my desktop in the last half a year or so (maybe it appears once a month), and an equal amount of times on my laptop.

I have to correct myself here. I actually had that pop up on me twice aswell. But i just clicked it away because "recommended browser settings" basically just means "please reenable data collection". But it not something that bothers me tbh as long as it isn't too frequently.

 

50 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Other bloat is stuff like the built in math solver, coupon finder, the "search with bing" button that appears whenever you select text, the Zip "but now, play later" service, and so on. Those things should be extensions but instead they are built in to the browser, and what's even worse is that settings for them doesn't seem to sync so whenever I install Edge I have to manually go through and disable all of them, and they are spread out in the menus as well so I have to basically go through the entire settings page to disable it and make it work the way I want it to.

All of these features are things i haven't noticed yet. I don't really mind the search with bing function, but it would be nice if it actually changes according to what standard search engine you selected. What is this zip thing, do you have a screenshot of that? 

 

Settings sync to my Microsoft account without problems. I did reinstall my OS when switching to W11 and all my settings were still there after signing in.

 

50 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Microsoft likes to A/B test as well as region lock certain things so your difference might be very different from mine, but for me it has gone from "wow, this is my new favourite browser" to "it feels like a second job keeping Edge in check because it constantly tries to push me to use things I don't want to use" over the course of the last 6 months.

When I updated Edge a week ago I was shown a full screen ad for some service called philo. I don't want to see a full screen ad for something when I update my browser. 

 

I didn't encounter any fullscreen ads yet.
 

Experiences seem to differ a lot across different people, just like W11. So far I'm still convinced Edge is the best browser for me personally. I haven't had a "fuck this" moment yet. Features like 4K Netflix and HDR support are too important to me that a settings popup every few months doesn't really bother me. Even if there are some popups now and then, they still offer the best feature set for me.

 

Plus i don't have to constantly fight with windows about my default browser. That's a whole other topic and don't really want to get into that atm.

[LAwLz]

40 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

There are options to disable the sending of telemetery data for personalized ads, crash logs and "improving Edge", which is basically the useage data.

There are options to disable SOME of the data Microsoft collects. Not all of it.

For example you can not turn off the persistent IDs like hardware ID which Microsoft uses to track you and your PC in other requests.

More info can be found in the research paper I linked earlier.

 

 

44 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

I have to correct myself here. I actually had that pop up on me twice aswell. But i just clicked it away because "recommended browser settings" basically just means "please reenable data collection". But it not something that bothers me tbh as long as it isn't too frequently.

Maybe it's because I used Edge on multiple computers, but it was frequent enough to bother me. It was probably 1-3 times a month near the end, which is too much. I don't want to see that popup once a week.

Everyone is different and if you're fine with it then that's OK. I personally was not fine with it though.

 

 

46 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

What is this zip thing, do you have a screenshot of that? 

Here is a link to the announcement. It very recently rolled out and I don't think it's in all countries.

Introducing Buy now, pay later in Microsoft Edge

 

Basically, when you click on a field to type in a credit card it will show a popup encouraging you to use a third party payment option called Zip, which let's you plit your payment up over the course of a couple of months. Worth noting that this costs extra money. A one time fee for each purchase and then interest if you don't make a payment in time or spread it out over X number of payments.

[Stahlmann]

5 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Here is a link to the announcement. It very recently rolled out and I don't think it's in all countries.

Introducing Buy now, pay later in Microsoft Edge

 

Basically, when you click on a field to type in a credit card it will show a popup encouraging you to use a third party payment option called Zip, which let's you plit your payment up over the course of a couple of months. Worth noting that this costs extra money. A one time fee for each purchase and then interest if you don't make a payment in time or spread it out over X number of payments.

Very possible that it's just not introduced to germany yet, as credit cards are not that popular here as a payment method. I never use credit cards so that's maybe why the option didn't pop up on me yet. But i never saw the fullscreen ad.

 

I'd like to know why Microsoft tries to bake in third party services like Zip. I can't possibly imagine they're so desperate for money. And if i want to split up payments i'm just gonna use PayPal for that.

 

Seems like Edge is moving in an interesting direction. The next few months will likely decide whether i keep recommending sticking to edge.

[Spotty]

Nagging people to use your products and/or services just makes me want to use them less.

 

Probably an unpopular opinion but maybe it's time for operating systems and services to be broken up and separated. Microsoft, Google, and Apple.

 

44 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Here is a link to the announcement. It very recently rolled out and I don't think it's in all countries.

Introducing Buy now, pay later in Microsoft Edge

 

Basically, when you click on a field to type in a credit card it will show a popup encouraging you to use a third party payment option called Zip, which let's you plit your payment up over the course of a couple of months. Worth noting that this costs extra money. A one time fee for each purchase and then interest if you don't make a payment in time or spread it out over X number of payments.

Yikes. No wonder they're trying to get as many people as possible using Edge. I wonder how much Zip Co paid for that advertising in Edge.

eBay has been doing the same thing with Afterpay (at least here in Australia). There's an ad for afterpay on every listing next to the buy button.

 

33 minutes ago, Stahlmann said:

Very possible that it's just not introduced to germany yet, as credit cards are not that popular here as a payment method. I never use credit cards so that's maybe why the option didn't pop up on me yet. But i never saw the fullscreen ad.

If it's using Zip Pay then it won't be available in Europe. Available in North America, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Quote

Zip Co Limited (ASX:Z1P) previously known as ZipMoney Limited (ASX:ZML)^[1] is an Australian public limited financial technology company.^[2][3] The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Sydney.^[1] In September 2020, Zip acquired the US-based ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ (BNPL) company Quadpay to grow its American footprint.^[4] The company now has operations in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico. It currently has around 51,300 retail partners and over 7,300,000 customers.^[5] As of March 2021, Zip Co's market cap was $5.83 billion.

 

[GoodBytes]

Update on my previous post about default web browser

I just remembered to check for this. While you can set you default web browser to another, sadly, links to teh web in the OS still opens Edge as before.

This is not cool.

[Spindel]

Good. 
 

Use firefox instead. 

[CTR640]

FireFox 4Life! Screw Edge and Chrome.

[RejZoR]

2 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Update on my previous post about default web browser

I just remembered to check for this. While you can set you default web browser to another, sadly, links to teh web in the OS still opens Edge as before.

This is not cool.

And you have to manually set every god damn file type by hand. Setting that for Firefox is annoying, but not end of the world. You should see IrfanView or MPC-HC. It's a freaking nightmare setting 150 file types as default for those apps. Because Microsoft engineers are so stupid and incompetent they can't add simple "Associate all shown extensions/file types with this app". Single click and it would make that app default for all the listed file types. But nope, you can reset them all with one button, but have to set them one by one. Pure idiocy.

[GoodBytes]

24 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

And you have to manually set every god damn file type by hand.

No, no. Well.. yes yes.. but under Insiders, no, no

See pics I provided. Sadly, I don't know when they'll push it out. Hopefully, people won't have to wait a year to get it.

 

 

24 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

 

Setting that for Firefox is annoying, but not end of the world. You should see IrfanView or MPC-HC. It's a freaking nightmare setting 150 file types as default for those apps.

I agree. I just checked, and the option is not these for pictures and audio and video formats... at least not yet.

 

 

24 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

Because Microsoft engineers are so stupid and incompetent they can't add simple "Associate all shown extensions/file types with this app".

I can always forgive new code base missing features. But they could have kept the legacy panel until they implemented it in the Settings panel. 

 

24 minutes ago, RejZoR said:

Single click and it would make that app default for all the listed file types. But nope, you can reset them all with one button, but have to set them one by one. Pure idiocy.

Yup. That I agree. 

[StDragon]

2 hours ago, CTR640 said:

FireFox 4Life! Screw Edge and Chrome.

Brave

[Jeskspie]

On 12/2/2021 at 11:58 AM, J-from-Nucleon said:

Summary

New prompts in Edge steer people away from Chrome

 

Quotes

 

My thoughts

So, Microsoft is now doing what Google sort of does. Okay. This will likely help boost Edge adoption ...... for the few people who don't click the "X" and download Chrome anyway. Now, I do use Edge (when I'm on windows or need a quick Chromium Browser for certain edge cases that Firefox can't be used for) but this might actually have the exact opposite of the intended Effect, drive away people form Edge. Welp, Microsoft's gonna do what they're gonna do, best hope that they won't ruin Edge or it's reputation (which is probably gonna be a big feat seeing as it's rep is sort of in tatters now).

Lawsuit incoming in 3....

                                 2....

                                 1....

Sources

TheVerge

Neowin

So this isn't antitrust?

[Dabombinable]

1 hour ago, GoodBytes said:

No, no. Well.. yes yes.. but under Insiders, no, no

 

I'm in the insider program - I still had to set every file type by hand. Even with the app being WMP.

[LAwLz]

4 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Update on my previous post about default web browser

I just remembered to check for this. While you can set you default web browser to another, sadly, links to teh web in the OS still opens Edge as before.

This is not cool.

It's even worse than that.

Microsoft went out of their way to make sure EdgeDeflector doesn't work and confirmed that it was intentional.

[CarlBar]

On 12/2/2021 at 12:21 PM, Skiiwee29 said:

Sniff... Sniff.. Sniff..

 

 

Sniffs again...

 

Yep..

 

I smell an Antitrust likely coming very soon over some of the aggressive pushes in Windows 11. 

 

Yeah EU is going to rip Microsoft a new rear entrance over this.

[Lightwreather]

6 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

No, no. Well.. yes yes.. but under Insiders, no, no

Well, apparently it's because MS is backtracking:

https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/3/22815209/microsoft-windows-11-default-browser-button-changes

[AkIonSight]

Just imagine if uninstalling the default browser broke your OS

                                                                                                    --- GNU/Linux

[descendency]

This is a clear violation of a monopoly position. EU should just fine them 10 billion or something. 

[Akolyte]

User:  Opens Edge and goes to google

Edge: "Download Google Chrome"

User:  Clicks Prompt

Edge: "Don't download Chrome"

User: Clicks Prompt

Edge: Goes to bing

User: Goes to google

Edge: "Download Google Chrome"

...

 

I can imagine that becoming a thing for very basic computer users 

[steelo]

On 12/2/2021 at 1:49 PM, Cyberspirit said:

I have it pinned there and I don't think I had to jump through hoops, or at least I don't remember. Try maybe pinning an icon of it there.

Yeah, I'm not sure what the deal is. I've tried pinning an icon and it just won't pin. I may try (as another suggested) creating a batch file to link to it and pinning that.

[Cyberspirit]

2 hours ago, steelo said:

Yeah, I'm not sure what the deal is. I've tried pinning an icon and it just won't pin. I may try (as another suggested) creating a batch file to link to it and pinning that.

Try grabbing StartAllBack. With it you can pin anything for sure.

[D-reaper]

On 12/2/2021 at 4:58 AM, J-from-Nucleon said:

Summary

New prompts in Edge steer people away from Chrome

 

Quotes

 

My thoughts

So, Microsoft is now doing what Google sort of does. Okay. This will likely help boost Edge adoption ...... for the few people who don't click the "X" and download Chrome anyway. Now, I do use Edge (when I'm on windows or need a quick Chromium Browser for certain edge cases that Firefox can't be used for) but this might actually have the exact opposite of the intended Effect, drive away people form Edge. Welp, Microsoft's gonna do what they're gonna do, best hope that they won't ruin Edge or it's reputation (which is probably gonna be a big feat seeing as it's rep is sort of in tatters now).

Lawsuit incoming in 3....

                                 2....

                                 1....

Sources

TheVerge

Neowin

Another reason why I am glad I have no need for Windows for anything. I'm all Linux.

[Bombastinator]

On 12/2/2021 at 5:58 AM, J-from-Nucleon said:

Summary

New prompts in Edge steer people away from Chrome

 

Quotes

 

My thoughts

So, Microsoft is now doing what Google sort of does. Okay. This will likely help boost Edge adoption ...... for the few people who don't click the "X" and download Chrome anyway. Now, I do use Edge (when I'm on windows or need a quick Chromium Browser for certain edge cases that Firefox can't be used for) but this might actually have the exact opposite of the intended Effect, drive away people form Edge. Welp, Microsoft's gonna do what they're gonna do, best hope that they won't ruin Edge or it's reputation (which is probably gonna be a big feat seeing as it's rep is sort of in tatters now).

Lawsuit incoming in 3....

                                 2....

                                 1....

Sources

TheVerge

Neowin

Imho the edge is better than chrome except for bing, and the biggest thing wrong with bing is its marketing system. (And how difficult it is to remove.  So 2 things)  if one could get duck-duck-go with edge it would be awesome.  As it is I use Firefox and duck-duck go. Mostly to get duck duck go and no google looking over my shoulder.

[LAwLz]

1 minute ago, Bombastinator said:

Imho the edge is better than chrome except for bing, and the biggest thing wrong with bing is its marketing system. (And how difficult it is to remove.  So 2 things)  if one could get duck-duck-go with edge it would be awesome.  As it is I use Firefox and duck-duck go. Mostly to get duck duck go and no google looking over my shoulder.

How is Edge better than Chrome?

[Bombastinator]

2 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

How is Edge better than Chrome?

Edge is the same as chrome but with google locked out.  It replaces Microsoft with google, which isn’t great, but it seems Microsoft cares less about what people are doing and doesn’t mine as much data.  This is the situation with a lot of google things.  They tend to be very good apps but with heavy tethers attached to them datamining wise which is enough to make them often actually worthless to me even if they are otherwise better

[LAwLz]

10 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

Edge is the same as chrome but with google locked out.  It replaces Microsoft with google, which isn’t great, but it seems Microsoft cares less about what people are doing and doesn’t mine as much data.  This is the situation with a lot of google things.  They tend to be very good apps but with heavy tethers attached to them datamining wise which is enough to make them often actually worthless to me even if they are otherwise better

Sadly, the opposite is true 

Microsoft collects more data through Edge than Google does through Chrome.

 

While both of them gives the user the options to turn off some of the data collection, Edge has some extra particular privacy invasive logging that is not possible to turn off, for example hardware based IDs that doesn't change even if you reinstall your OS.

 

Edge is the worst browser when it comes to privacy. Microsoft collects more data on their browser users than any other big browser company. 

 

Source:

https://www.scss.tcd.ie/Doug.Leith/pubs/browser_privacy.pdf