Microsoft wants to force Windows 10 Mail users to open links in Edge

[Nowak]

Sauce: https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/16/17130566/microsoft-windows-10-mail-edge-default-links

 

Guess that because Edge hasn't been growing like Microsoft expected it to, they're gonna get more and more desperate to try to grab a bigger slice of the browser pie.

 

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Microsoft is testing a new change to its future version of Windows 10 which will probably annoy anyone using the operating system. The software giant revealed today that “we will begin testing a change where links clicked on within the Windows Mail app will open in Microsoft Edge.” The change means if you have Chrome or Firefox set as your default browser in Windows 10, Microsoft will simply ignore that and force you into Edge when you click a link within the Mail app.

So, I guess they don't want people to use the included Mail app in Windows 10 anymore.

 

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It’s a ridiculous change, that’s similar to Microsoft forcing Cortana users to use Bing search and open results in the Microsoft Edge browser instead of other browsers that are set as default.

Remember when Microsoft said they'll respect your defaults 3 years ago? Specifically, this passage:

lol

 

Don't worry though, Microsoft's giving you time to look at alternatives. This isn't likely until the next major Windows 10 update after the Spring Creators Update, 6 months from now, and they're asking for feedback on this.

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“As always, we look forward to feedback from our WIP community,” says Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar in a blog post today.

The feedback thing can be found here.

 

This is, of course, Microsoft's latest attempt at grabbing market share for their Edge browser.

 

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Microsoft has been desperately trying to convince Windows 10 users to switch from Chrome to Edge. The software maker has made it difficult to switch the default browser in Windows 10, created videos to trash Google’s Chrome battery life claims, and even used a variety of annoying ads within Windows 10 itself to try and promote Edge.

Of course, none of these efforts have worked; Chrome remains the #1 browser on Windows.

 

If you use the Windows 10 Mail app, I'd suggest that you look at alternatives now. It's not even a great email client from my own experiences; full of bugs (including, but not limited to, email count badges getting "stuck" and staying persistent even after reboots and with all email read) and just isn't very pleasant to use. I've switched to Mailspring myself, but that isn't the only client you can use, nor am I saying you should use it too. But, knowing how much this new Microsoft loves trying to be Apple and ignore user choice, this is likely gonna make it into version 1809 anyway.

 

Thoughts? Concerns? Screams of agony?

[Drak3]

So, no one.

[DrMacintosh]

I'll stick with Mail.app and iCloud.com thank you very much

[captain_to_fire]

Well I open emails from the browser anyway but it sucks that Microsoft has to do this. 

[mr moose]

I find it more disturbing that Jon B fell victim to a Nigerian scam and is getting 2.5M for it.  

 

 

In reality though, I guess we'll see how bad this is if they actually roll it out. 

[Misanthrope]

Is this thing outlook based? If so you can have your stupid Edge push if you fucking fix Outlook so it doesn't crashes or locks every damn time. Seriously I can't send a work email without copying the contents elsewhere first cause it always crashes or locks.

[Bcat00]

uggh, they had a mail app? Wait, they had apps?????

[asus killer]

removing edge is always a solution, it isn't one click easy but it's possible and it's also not that hard

[Blackie Sheen]

21 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

So, no one.

Well I do use the mail app because I find it convenient to have it right there. If you'd have a hotmail account or whatever microsoft based email account, the app is fairly convenient since it is tightly integrated. I do have admit that this particular thing is a bummer but it will simply mean I'll have to copy the link insteed of simply clicking on it

[Nowak]

Just now, Blackie Sheen said:

Well I do use the mail app because I find it convenient to have it right there. If you'd have a hotmail account or whatever microsoft based email account, the app is fairly convenient since it is tightly integrated. I do have admit that this particular thing is a bummer but it will simply mean I'll have to copy the link insteed of simply clicking on it

You could also get another email client.

[GoodBytes]

It's not even a full test. It is a A/B test. Mail app links opens fine on both my system with Firefox.  System is on Redstone 4 (the update that is coming up soon), and Desktop is on Redstone 5 (update that is coming up towards the end of the year).

 

Honestly, Edge is a fine web browser, especially now with the coming up Restone 4 update (aka: Spring Creators Update - not official name, but looks like it will be)

It is solid, fast, indeed the best experience in page navigation and general navigation. That said, it does miss more power user features that I expect a web browser to have. Manual sync, View Image, View background image, and things like that. But the rest including dev tools are there and fully developed.

Please note, and I can't believe I need to say this because so many people here think that they are only 2 sides of sides: garbage or the best thing since slice bread. It is in between. It still has work to be done, but the web browser is indeed getting there. I think competition is good.

 

 

[GoodBytes]

4 minutes ago, Daring said:

You could also get another email client.

Which one beside Outlook part of Office?

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, GoodBytes said:

It's not even a full test. It is a A/B test. Mail app links opens fine on both my system with Firefox.  System is on Redstone 4 (the update that is coming up soon), and Desktop is on Redstone 5 (update that is coming up towards the end of the year).

This is only for Insider builds.

 

Just now, GoodBytes said:

Which one beside Outlook part of Office?

Mailspring. I mentioned it in the OP.

[GoodBytes]

1 minute ago, Daring said:

This is only for Insider builds.

Please re-read what I just said.

 

1 minute ago, Daring said:

Mailspring. I mentioned it in the OP.

This is paying... 8$ per month

[Nowak]

Just now, GoodBytes said:

This is paying... 8$ per month

Ahh, no. There's a free version as well. That's what I use.

[mr moose]

I use EMclient for my outlook email address.   I can't remember what the issue was with the windows app that I stopped using it (probably just didn't like the layout). I can't comment on the calendar integration as I haven't used that since my WP died.

[yian88]

fist they have to fix the mail app which never worked to begin with 

people still use outlook crap? thats hilarious , the email that gets blocked every week and you have to go trough tiring unlock steps just to read that spam email lol peeps 

[GoodBytes]

16 minutes ago, Daring said:

Ahh, no. There's a free version as well. That's what I use.

• Non High-DPI aware... we are in 2018... and PAYING
• Fails to add GMail or Hotmail/Outlook account.
• No Gmail integration (opens your web browser to login... WOW...)
• Missing options support for IMAP so you can't even add a GMail account that way
• Takes more time to startup than Outlook desktop program.
• Non touch friendly
• Can't even define an install path.
• Installs itself in AppData\Local... so clearly they have NOT read a single line on how to develop a program in Windows
• Non enterprise friendly due to the AppData\Local install

And they want 8$ per MONTH for this shit?

[samcool55]

18 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Which one beside Outlook part of Office?

Thunderbird? Developed by mozilla and works quite well.

[GoodBytes]

1 minute ago, yian88 said:

fist they have to fix the mail app which never worked to begin with 

people still use outlook crap? thats hilarious , the email that gets blocked every week and you have to go trough tiring unlock steps just to read that spam email lol peeps 

You probably have a device that spam login incorrect credentials so your account gets locked, or someone is trying to get in.

The app and the service the service works perfectly well for the millions of its users.

[TetraSky]

I tried using the Mail apps for a few days. It was terrible.

Thunderbird is still a much better experience as far as emails goes.

[Nowak]

8 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Non High-DPI aware... we are in 2018... and PAYING

What? Looks just fine on my Aero 14 (210ppi). Text is nice and sharp. Also, it's free by default.

 

10 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

No Gmail integration (opens your web browser to login... WOW...)

I believe this is required by Google. Don't quote me on that in case I am wrong.

 

11 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Takes more time to startup than Outlook desktop program.

Haven't used the Outlook app in a while, but I remember it being slow to start up because of the splash screen. It also didn't have the option to start automatically upon boot.

 

12 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Non touch friendly

Don't have any touchscreens to try this out on, rip

 

12 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

And they want 8$ per MONTH for this shit?

Only if you want to  It's free by default, dude.

[GoodBytes]

14 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

I tried using the Mail apps for a few days. It was terrible.

Thunderbird is still a much better experience as far as emails goes.

While it is OK. It has many flaws:

• Doesn't know what to do with Calendar events and treats them as e-mail (with Outlook mail account at least)
• Program is high-DPI aware. Excellent! But the icons for reason aren't (beside the folder icon). I can see they use icons from free icon packs that I have previously encountered. And those are only available in 16x16, so that might explain. Shame they can't use Firefox team for help.
• It is very slow experience. The interface needs some serious optimizations, which is strange as they clearly using the same, albeit very old Firefox highly modified GDK.
• Can't have Mail side by side. it forces you to use tabs, so you have to do a lot of switching back and forth if you do want to refer to things. It's fine for 99% of the time, but as a competitor to Outlook desktop app, kinda sad it doesn't support this. Actually, it used to ages ago. They removed it, and forcing this layout. Heck, even the Mail app of Win10 supports this.
• The app still carries design languages from the 90's. This is probably because of the cross OS support that they want to keep via GDK, and they don't have the resources as the Firefox team to manage all that. In other words GDK framework is holding Thunderbird back in being a modern program under Windows. GDK is stuck in Linux world predominantly, as this is its main GUI framework, but Linux desktop environment is very early 2000 with fancy background and gradient effects.

 

I would use it (it's not like the Win10 Mail app is any perfect either), but I have Outlook desktop app. And its free for all students that have a school e-mail or registered with MS, and many big companies offers it as well (using your company Office 365 account, of course).

[Sauron]

The solution is easy: don't use UWP apps. There's hardly any reason to, and this is what happens when you let microsoft control your entire ecosystem. UWP must die - the core idea is good but this is a terrible implementation. If it dies at least we have a chance to get something better in its place.

[Drak3]

55 minutes ago, Blackie Sheen said:

Well I do use the mail app because I find it convenient to have it right there. If you'd have a hotmail account or whatever microsoft based email account, the app is fairly convenient since it is tightly integrated. I do have admit that this particular thing is a bummer but it will simply mean I'll have to copy the link insteed of simply clicking on it

I've used it. It's the worst email client I've used. Outlook and Thunderbird are far better. It got worse since Microsoft tweaked the action center to what it is now.