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Microsoft Edge is apparently usurping Chrome on people’s PCs
(arstechnica.com)
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this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2024
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I think that governments should be tackling both Edge and Chrome at the same time. One of them for underhanded tactics, another for being a monopoly. Tackling only one of them is not enough.
I also think that Microsoft's strategy is worse than just underhanded - it stinks stupidity from a distance. It's clearly backfiring - this is not the first Browser Wars any more, people nowadays have a good grasp on what a browser is supposed to be. And while some pressure might convert a few users, too much pressure is bound to create resistance, even on users that would be otherwise inclined to follow you like cattle.
Dark patterns.
All the big tech firms do this shit all over the place because the regulators are sound asleep at the wheel.
Yup. In this case
*those are technically fallacies. However, by trying to convince a user on irrational grounds to do something, they become a dark pattern.
Had to set up a new laptop for someone over the weekend and Jesus they just won't stop begging you not to switch.
Search for another browser in the URL/search bar, gigantic banner that pushes the actual search results off the page: "There's no need to switch browsers, Edge is safe, fast, etc etc etc"
Click the download button for Chrome's installer, a pop-up notification shows up: "Edge is built on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust and security of Microsoft" (fucking lol)
Go to switch the default browser in settings, another pop-up shows up again explaining that Edge is the greatest thing since sliced bread, I have to click either "Try Edge (recommended)" or "switch anyway".
Then I spend 30 minutes navigating their maze of a settings app to change a bunch of ad preferences, etc.
Then I spend another 30 minutes editing registry entries to disable Cortana, Bing search in the search bar, recommended apps.
God damn I'm glad I switched to Linux.
And the same for a domain joined PC. Fresh install of Windows 11, open edge, find that you are already signed into edge on a Microsoft account that Windows helpfully created for you that mirrors your domain account.
You told edge that you do not want to transfer over your data. And it says okay but you'll notice a little blue hyperlink that says manage above that.
And if you click that it tells you all the stuff it's going to copy over anyway.
So you sign out of that and you untick all of the boxes and you close edge and you reopen it and you find that you are still signed in to your Microsoft account that was created for you with your domain credentials in Bing search and you have to sign out of that as well.
Edge has created an account for you, signed you in in two separate locations, and automatically set itself to ingest all of your account credentials and it does not even tell you what it has done unless you click through multiple paths to find it.
The game industry is going hard on “GaaS” or “Games as a Service.” Microsoft is going hard on “OS as a service” because, in the same way, they want your data or your money as you use the product
And if you need to use Microsoft Teams for work it will ignore your preferences and open links in edge by default, so you'll have to find and disable that, too.
Just found this setting earlier in the day, before seeing your comment. That was annoying and such an unnecessary grab on Microsoft's part.
And then once a quarter as part of their "feature update" they'll ask if you're suuuure you don't want to change your default browser to Edge instead of your normal browser.
That's awful.
...my mum's laptop being unable to run W10/W11 was a blessing in disguise then. I'm glad that I don't need to manage this sort of junk.
O&O ShutUp10 is free and handles all this automatically.
Regional settings > English UK
Bam, most of that shit is taken care of
Fallacies are called that because they are effective but not based in logic. They are the dark patterns of thought, rather than technology.
That's brilliant. Yes, it's exactly this.
Here's the summary for the wikipedia article you mentioned in your comment:
A dark pattern (also known as a "deceptive design pattern") is "a user interface that has been carefully crafted to trick users into doing things, such as buying overpriced insurance with their purchase or signing up for recurring bills". User experience designer Harry Brignull coined the neologism on 28 July 2010 with the registration of darkpatterns. org, a "pattern library with the specific goal of naming and shaming deceptive user interfaces". In 2021 the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Consumer Reports created a tip line to collect information about dark patterns from the public.
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This would probably also allow you to let the bot operate outside this comm.
Yeah well I did this so that the bot just doesn't sit idle waiting for someone to mention it because it's not very well known yet. I might do that as it indeed seems like it's annoying some users. Thanks for the suggestion.
Got it - for initial discoverability I guess that it's fine.
I wish that we had some page or similar where people could actually look for bots, and how to trigger them.
Alright, thanks for your suggestion. The main program is not only now smaller but also faster. Anyone can use it anytime by writing their comment with their wikipedia link and mentioning the bot anywhere in the comment.
Test:
Read this to learn about computers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer @wikibot@lemmy.world
Here's the summary for the wikipedia article you mentioned in your comment:
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks. The term computer system may refer to a nominally complete computer that includes the hardware, operating system, software, and peripheral equipment needed and used for full operation; or to a group of computers that are linked and function together, such as a computer network or computer cluster. A broad range of industrial and consumer products use computers as control systems.
^article^ ^|^ ^about^
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The regulators get more money the longer this goes on.
I was against all regulation and IP at some point, and yes, in such a situation MS would have much less power, because nobody would buy, say, Windows, only pirate it. Similar with many other products.
But the next best thing is to split and regulate the crap out of Apple, Google, MS etc.
But then the question arises:
When, say, regulators split AT&T, they did have some understanding of what they were doing.
Today all these companies are dealing in things which most lawmakers are unable to comprehend and won't ever be able.
So maybe the way to deal with this all still is in aggressive action against IP laws, and not in anti-monopoly regulations, simply because there's no way socially to make the majority of people - the pool from which lawmakers come - understand what exactly they are regulating.
This is exactly why regulatory agencies exist (as well as Chevron deference, something that the current Supreme Court might be about to do away with); so that the actual rules regarding specific industries are not created by politicians (or judges) who have no understanding of the subject.
The people making and enforcing most regulations are regular people working 40 hours a week in their field.
Maybe some are awake but corrupt.