Firefox boss attacks Microsoft over the default browser settings in Windows 10

[Murdoch]

 

As for everyone going "it's just 10 seconds to change it", even small steps to make things more inconvenient is a bad thing. The list of "it's just 10 seconds to change it" has grown so long it will take me a really long time to fix all the bullshit, and it will have to be fixed on all computers I use.

 

Aye, exactly. Making things slightly more obscured or inconvenient adjusts people's behaviour. For example, try setting up a new local user (without a MS account) on Windows 10, and tell me they're not deliberately trying to discourage that. Lets not single out Microsoft here though, many companies do this sort of thing, and they keep doing it, because it works.

 

Mozilla needs to stop worrying about stupid things like this and actually make their browser usable and fast. They're not losing marketshare because MS or Google are cheating (well, not only ), but because they now, unfortunately, have an inferior browser.

 

Firefox works perfectly for me, it's still a great browser. That being said, if you look at the adoption of Google Chrome, and think of the reasons why. It's because Google have leveraged the popularity of their search engine to push their browser. Microsoft can leverage the popularity of their OS. Firefox have nothing to leverage, so I can understand why they struggle to retain and attract new users. Firefox got big back in the day because it was infinitely better than IE, if you were to objectively compare browsers nowadays, there's really not much of a difference.

[RagnarokDel]

Mozilla's CEO needs to go cry a river elsewhere.

[RH00D]

Of course that only works if you upgrade, not if you go for a clean install.  Anyone who's familiar with Microsoft's upgrade process will do an upgrade to get the new product key, then immediately wipe the SSD and do a clean install.

 

Why the fuck would you expect Firefox to be the default browser after a clean install? Of course Edge is going to be the default after a clean install, no shit.

[Murdoch]

Why the fuck would you expect Firefox to be the default browser after a clean install? Of course Edge is going to be the default after a clean install, no shit.

 

Learn to read context dude, that's not what he was saying.

 

When you clean install, you still need to go through the new method of setting browser as default. Which is what Mozilla are taking issue with, the new method of setting the default browser. If you upgrade and opt to retain defaults, you don't. I can't make it clearer than that.

[Snickerzz]

I just upgraded, in the customization menu (if you don't use express settings" lets you choose default apps. His argument is invalid.

[Kamina]

I hate the new settings menu.

[deadher0]

First world problems and a half.  Then again, I'm sure even those in the third world could change their browser defaults in between sips of coffee.

[RexinOridle]

Yes, I had been using IE.

 

Now I have been using edge. I don't seem to have any problem what so ever. I've also noticed that it has some kind of built in ad blocker built in. It has been blocking all kinds of bullshit spam ads while keeping the legit ads running. Yes, MS needs to add a few more features on it. I really hope MS holds and keep improving this.

 

But this doesn't justify the terms and conditions of using Cortana. MS, WTF are you doing with all my data this time?

[Dredgy]

only way edge is winning me over is, if it comes on andriod and ios

 

bookmark sync, and OPEN TAB sync, i use that so much in chrome.

open a website on my pc, click chrome on my ipod (click pc tabs) and the tab is there waiting.

Wouldn't put it past them. Their iOS (and to a lesser extent, Android) Office apps have been great.

[cesrai]

My Dad can do it and he is bad with computers so I don't know what's the problem.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

Why the fuck would you expect Firefox to be the default browser after a clean install? Of course Edge is going to be the default after a clean install, no shit.

 

I wasn't talking about Firefox being the default browser, I was talking about how it's not possible to carry over your settings when doing a free install.  That's why I quoted a post where they mentioned carrying over settings during an upgrade.

 

As for how the browser thing SHOULD be handled, they should add a "select your browser" option to the setup, If they can put 2 screens there where you can select how they spy on you, it can't be that hard to insert a third screen that actually helps you with the setup.

[Nowak]

I have no idea how that's related to anything I said in my post.

When configuring Windows 10, if you choose to customize settings, they let you choose if you want to make Edge the default browser or not. I chose not to since I used it in my Windows 10 VM before the official release and found it to be lacking in features and, since I already had Chrome as my default browser on Windows 8.1, it retained Chrome as my default browser.

[EonityLuna]

It's a rather petty thing to get upset over in my opinion. Sure, it was annoying that my default web browser settings get set to Edge when I upgrade or reinstall Windows 10, but to me it's more of a minor annoyance than anything. At the least, I got to check out the new Edge web browser and had a chance to test it out before I decided to stick to Firefox for now. Changing the defaults is not some mad rocket science either - Settings app > System > Default apps > under web browser, click on the entry below and choose Firefox on the menu that pops up. Done.

I just don't get why people keep going after Microsoft for things like these. Why do we not hear more of people going after Apple for bundling or forcing people to use Safari and iTunes on OS X? Or, why don't people complain about the bundling of Firefox on Ubuntu?

 

Then again, the "free and open" software crowd often get up in arms over petty matters like these. These are the same kind of people who sneer at people using Windows or OS X for the stupidest reasons (I very much prefer an operating system usable by normal human beings, not command line geeks, thank you very much).

[LAwLz]

When configuring Windows 10, if you choose to customize settings, they let you choose if you want to make Edge the default browser or not. I chose not to since I used it in my Windows 10 VM before the official release and found it to be lacking in features and, since I already had Chrome as my default browser on Windows 8.1, it retained Chrome as my default browser.

I have no idea how that's relevant to anything I said in my post. Did you reply to the wrong person?

I just don't get why people keep going after Microsoft for things like these. Why do we not hear more of people going after Apple for bundling or forcing people to use Safari and iTunes on OS X? Or, why don't people complain about the bundling of Firefox on Ubuntu?

Then again, the "free and open" software crowd often get up in arms over petty matters like these. These are the same kind of people who sneer at people using Windows or OS X for the stupidest reasons (I very much prefer an operating system usable by normal human beings, not command line geeks, thank you very much).

People do go after Apple for that. Did you not hear about all the crap Mozilla gave Apple for their idiotic rules that disallows all browser engines but the Safari one? What it means is that all browsers on iOS are basically just Safari skins. Mozilla refused to release a browser on iOS (not sure if they caved in) because of that.

And plenty of people are upset on Apple. Have you never seen me in Apple threads? I give them shit for a ton of terrible things they do, including the shitty browser policy.

Credit where credit is due, and shit where shit is due. If a company does something bad then they should not be defended. If they do something good then they should not be given shit.

Making it more complicated to change the default programs is a bad thing.

And stop with the condescending bullshit you added at the end. Calling people abnormal and the things the value for idiotic is just childish.

[6God]

What I find it funny, is that Mozilla didn't say a single word during the entire time Windows 10 was in development and public beta, and NOW they say how displeased they are.

 

Mozilla is angry that once again they won't be the default choice for users. Express settings and clean install obviously will leave Edge as the default, its not like MS hides that fact, nor does MS make it impossible to change that if you bother to read your prompts and actually not skip through every page. 

 

This is nothing like the whole Netscape issue. MS isn't being anti-competitive. There is no story here. Just a decent amount of butthurt from the justice league about MS crushing competition or something like that. IDK. This is all silly. 

[Nowak]

I have no idea how that's relevant to anything I said in my post. Did you reply to the wrong person?

No, I was quoting the right person. Was explaining what the other guy meant.

[InVis]

I guess this wont apply for the EU as MS were forced to let people choose for themselves and got fined 4.3 billion - at least I hope so..