Current-era Microsoft continuing to push the boundaries of consent.

Microsoft Edge is a good browser but for some reason Microsoft keeps trying to shove it down everyone’s throat and make it more difficult to use rivals like Chrome or Firefox. Microsoft has now started notifying IT admins that it will force Outlook and Teams to ignore the default web browser on Windows and open links in Microsoft Edge instead.

  • Brkdncr@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Because they don’t test with Chrome of Firefox. It also makes it easier to cross-sell o365.

  • NISZOgen@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Just find an alternative to it. There are a lot that are free or/and Open-source.

    • AtHeartEngineer@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It’s not that easy for corporate environments, but yes, IT departments need to push back, this is pretty fucked up

  • CifrareVerba@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Ever since Microsoft’s ads team has controlled the Edge team, Edge has become shit.

    I say this as someone who used it for years, and am the mod of /c/MicrosoftEdge@lemmy.world; I have Microsoft Edge controlled by regedits to disable so much bullshit.

    When the chromium builds first came out, it basically Chrome without bloatware, but in typical Microsoft fashion, they’ll find a way to fuck up even the good products they create.

    • Spiritreader@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      The best msedge era for me was just as vertical tabs came out.

      The Browser was really slim, hat some interesting UI Design choices that set it apart from chrome.

      Nowadays it has so many adware elements and pointless settings that I don’t really enjoy using it anymore.

      My day to day browser is ff and I’m mainly using chromium based browsers for development and compatibility checks, as well as on my laptop to save power when watching videos.

      • CifrareVerba@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I feel ya, Edge is my backup browser, but I use Vivaldi is my main as it’s the best of customization and privacy + UI and features.

  • khoplex@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    It happened to me last week and it pissed me off. If i wanted to use Edge I would, Microsoft needs to cut the pushy shit out.

  • Baohwong@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’m personally a Firefox user since it has developed to be so much better imo. However I do have to give credit to Microsoft for having imo a better browser than Chrome despite the fact they are both Chromium based.

    • Kresten@feddit.dk
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      1 year ago

      In the beginning it was a lot better, because ot was basically just Chromium reskinned to look nicer. Now it’s much much worse than chrome. It’s filled to the brim with popups you can’t click away, tracking software, generally slower than firefox in my experienc, and is just all around ugly with microsoft icons everywhere.

      I was it-supporter, so I had to click it all away every time I had set up a pc, so I’ve experienced it a lot.

      • dan@upvote.au
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        1 year ago

        The internet needs an independent browser like Firefox.

        The big issue with Firefox is that most of Mozilla’s funding still comes from Google, via an agreement that makes Google the default search engine in Firefox. Google essentially have the power to shut down Mozilla if they want to.

        • TrickyCamel@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I wouldn’t mind if they started a subscription model that makes them enough to keep the thing running and be completely independent from Google.

          • 0ddysseus@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Totally agreed. I would definitely pay to use FF, even a hateful subscription, if the alternative was to shut down. I think enough people are of the same opinion that its not going to be funding that kills it, but a buyout and kill off

          • dan@upvote.au
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            1 year ago

            I can definitely see the antitrust viewpoint. Would the FCC really force Google to keep funding one of their competitors though?

  • FergleFFergleson@infosec.pub
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    1 year ago

    “continuing to push the boundaries of consent.”

    If by “push the boundaries” you meant “completely ignore them”, then yes. This kind of behavior from MS, or any vendor, should always be considered strictly unacceptable.

    • Pechente@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      This kind of behavior from MS, or any vendor, should always be considered strictly unacceptable.

      Yep but especially from MS since their OS is just so incredibly widespread that they pretty much have a monopoly that they abuse.

  • normonator@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    So where’s the group policy to turn this shit off?

    Maybe some people will just give up on outlook finally and use a good email client or the webapp, neither of which will do this shit.

      • normonator@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Emclient works better with Microsoft 365 than outlook does.

        Search actually works and you can edit server rules for starters.

      • normonator@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Emclient works better with Microsoft 365 than outlook does, while also working great with Gmail and others which outlook doesn’t.

        Search actually works and you can edit server rules for starters.

        It’s also technically cheaper though most paying users get outlook with their office subscription.

        • dan@upvote.au
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          1 year ago

          I still use Thunderbird for my personal email because honestly it’s the best email client I’ve used, and I tried all the popular ones (including Outlook, eM Client, Mailbird, Postbox, Windows 10 Mail, and others). In particular, I have filter rules (Sieve) that filter emails into folders, and many of the clients don’t handle folders well.

          On Android, I haven’t found any email clients anywhere near as good as FairEmail. It’s free and open-source, and has every feature you’d need. It directly connects to your provider’s IMAP server so messages don’t have to be relayed via a third-party or Google’s servers.

  • Marxine@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    As long as people continue using MS products they’ll be victims to this BS. Switching my family to Linux (Currently Fedora, will later try Debian again) has been a blessing for everyone here.

    • JasSmith@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Gaming is keeping me off Linux. Most of the most popular Twitch games like Fortnite and CoD Warzone either don’t run at all or run poorly with difficult workarounds. I don’t have time to tinker anymore. I want to click one button and have my games run first time, flawlessly. Ironically, it’s why I like my Steam Deck. Valve figured out how to make handheld gaming on Linux work without effort. I know it’s the fault of developers but that doesn’t resolve the problem. I hope the Deck encourages more developers to make their games compatible with Proton.

  • DocMcStuffin@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Something something antitrust. Something something browser choice. Microsoft is just asking to be fined €1 billion. Really, someone needs to make a big stink about it in Europe because they’ll act before the US does.

    • dan@upvote.au
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      1 year ago

      Microsoft is just asking to be fined €1 billion. Really, someone needs to make a big stink about it in Europe

      Good luck. Apple restricting iOS to only use Safari’s engine is even worse, yet they haven’t gotten in trouble for it. Every browser on iOS is Safari under-the-hood. At least Microsoft always let you install other browsers.

  • johnthedoe@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Microsoft has been so aggressive with forcing their services on you it’s ridiculous. Hope more people are jumping to Firefox/Linux and such

  • Coolcoder360@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    There’s a setting for this in Outlook now, basically a toggle to choose either edge or the system default.

    Not nice to have an extra setting for it but at least it can be turned off

    • dan@upvote.au
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      1 year ago

      What’s even the point of having a system default if apps are just going to ignore it?

  • Aer@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    It’s fucking annoying, admittedly edge is good on its own merits, but you know what pushes me to not want to ever use your product? Anti-consumer practices.

    I have been very happy in using FF for my main browsing. It has adblock, NoScript and SponsorBlock. Since I use NoScript I jump on Edge when I want to use a trusted website for payments but I really want to use it less when it does this shit.

    I can’t wait for the excuse “OoOooh wooooops, that’s a bug! Sowwy EU we did not mean to do anti consumer pwactices” as a way to dodge blame

    • masterX244@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      you can use a secondary firefox profile. starting firefox with the --no-remote -p switches allows to load it alongside the main profile (-p loads the profile manager and --no-remote suppresses the “open new window in existing profile” behavior

    • Ibaudia@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Using Firefox is the only real way to circumvent much of the bloat of the modern web. UBlock only works 100% functionally on Firefox, Chromium-based browsers just don’t give add-ons the functionality that they need to block 100% of nasties. Until that changes (which it likely won’t) I see no reason to switch off Firefox.

      • ichbinjasokreativ@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        brave also works very well for this. Just don’t use any of the other chromium based browsers and you’re fine.

  • JerkyIsSuperior@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    At this point, you will either try to mitigate the harm caused by proprieatry software by adding as many Open source programs to your MS system, or treat the underlying cause and install a FOSS OS.