
Microsoft has a dumb idea to make people use its web browser - okket
https://www.fastcompany.com/40545799/microsoft-has-a-dumb-idea-to-make-people-use-its-web-browser
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shakna
> In the latest preview version of Windows 10, Microsoft’s Mail app will
> automatically open web links in Edge, even for users who’ve set a different
> browser as their default.

Let's hope that stays in preview.

However, it isn't an uncommon tactic.

Outlook has occasionally defaulted to Internet Explorer over the default web
browser in its past history, though to give the benefit of the doubt, those
times were considered "bugs".

Google's GMail on Android tried it once or twice before resorting to embedding
a web browser inside itself.

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lultimouomo
GMail now opens a web view, but that view is powered by the user default's
browser. The Google app (the one that powers the voice assistant and the
search bar) always uses a Chrome web view instead.

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maxxxxx
Gmail does this really nicely. I use Brave browser and the web view works
perfectly.

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ocdtrekkie
There's really no good reason for Microsoft to be making these moves. Edge is
a very solid browser, and a fairly good choice security-wise, if only because
of it's very locked down set of extensions. I'm currently a Firefox daily
user, but Edge has been my main browser for several months at a time. Why try
to capture users by locking out the competition when you can just keep making
a better browser?

This is burning the goodwill they've built up for no apparent conceivable
reason, and remains an excellent example of a company sabotaging itself
repeatedly.

~~~
reaperducer
>Why try to capture users by locking out the competition when you can just
keep making a better browser?

Cost of tricking people into using your browser: $

Cost of making a better browser: $$$$$$

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Someone1234
The mail app is so terrible, the few that put up with it likely won't mind
this. It makes Outlook Express look good by comparison...

For the rest of us just stick to webmail or use Thunderbird/Outlook. Although
in general my faith in email and desktop email clients diminishes with each
passing year.

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cx1000
Apple and Google are doing this too: On my iPhone the Gmail app opens things
in Chrome, the iOS promoted news stories are opened in Safari, yet I prefer
Firefox.

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violinist
Sort of. Google apps give you the choice to open in Safari or Chrome. Not sure
if they allow you to pick a different browser besides those two.

~~~
cptskippy
I've never been asked to open things in Safari or Chrome, but then again I am
on Android.

For the majority of smartphone users, Gmail just one day started using
Chromeframe to open all links without permission.

These behaviors are being used more and more as Google tries to tie your
actions together into a single identity.

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blacksmith_tb
This may have been wry humor on your part, but of course there is no Safari on
Android... I do see the behavior you describe in the News & Weather app, which
likes to open links in embedded Chrome Web Views (unless I long-press and then
they will offer to open in browser, which happens to be FF).

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sssilver
This may be a very naive question, but why is Microsoft so invested in getting
people to use Edge/IE? What's the big deal for Microsoft if people just prefer
to use Safari/Firefox/Chrome/Opera/etc? Their browser share is already very
low, what do they stand to lose?

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asdsa5325
The silliest thing about Edge is that you can't search through your bookmarks
("favorites") or history. That alone makes it an automatic no for me. There
are no other features they could add to get me to switch, I can't believe they
don't have it already.

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skocznymroczny
Does anyone actually use "Mail"? I think most people either use the email
webclient, e.g. GMail, or they are corporate users and use Outlook.

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JohnTHaller
I tried it out on my laptop which I don't use much (mostly use my desktop dev
rig) and was pleasantly surprised by it. It works pretty well with IMAP and
the People app can sync directly with Google, something Outlook still can't do
right. So, with a fresh install of Windows 10, you can get your Google-based
email, calendar, and contacts into the lightweight built-in apps within about
5 minutes.

~~~
petecox
Yeah, I found with Mail for Windows 10 that the setup for gmail and my
university's office365 account was fairly seamless. Likewise Outlook on
Android (although I'm currently using K-9).

The only place I'm using webmail is on Linux but now Thunderbird is receiving
new love it might be time...

~~~
craftyguy
> The only place I'm using webmail is on Linux

Oh but there are other great MTAs you can use too! Like (neo)mutt and alot!

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sharpercoder
I have a job at a large US company. Although I have admin rights and I can
install basically anything I want, there is a script that sets the default
browser at startup. Every time I encounter it, I get annoyed and I remember to
not use the default browser (It is Edge).

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mixmastamyk
Perhaps write your own script that sets it back?

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TwoNineA
Who inside Microsoft thinks this is a good idea?

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candiodari
Both Apple and Google do this on their platforms. Hell Apple won't even allow
other browsers on IOS.

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amriksohata
Isn't this what got it a court case with Netscape due to anticompetitive laws
back in the day?

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Froyoh
One more reason to use Outlook over Mail

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reaperducer
One more reason to get off the Microsoft merry-go-round.

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CosmicBagel
I prefer mailbird anyways

