This shit is absolutely atrocious and shows how far we’ve fallen.
Microsoft almost got broken up as a company over simply BUNDLING a browser. Now they’re actively hijacking other installs to put big warnings up and redirecting to theirs. It’s absolutely bonkers this is allowed.
Is this a real screenshot or just an out of context meme? I’ve never seen this prompt when installing other browsers on any of my PCs running Windows 10 over the last 7+ years of it being out.
Edit: It seems to be real. That is craziness. I also realized that all my licenses are Professional or Enterprise (those only on my work-issued devices), so I’m assuming that’s why I’ve never seen it. Like the other comment pointed out, they had their feet put to the fire over simply bundling Internet Explorer in the late 90s, yet nowadays they get away with this shit.
Yes I’ve seen it before. Once Microsoft even updated their virus definitions to auto-delete the chrome installer when downloaded. Thankfully they reversed that one pretty quickly, but I had to completely disable all Windows virus protection to install chrome for a relative.
I wondered why Chrome wasn’t “Microsoft verified“ anyway. Do they mean it’s not from their store?
Found someone’s screenshot in response to “How to install apps that are not Microsoft-verified”:
So I’m guessing they’re punishing those who don’t distribute through their store. (Where I wouldn’t be surprised they offered fewer features)
Many new PCs (generally the cheaper priced ones) come in S mode now, where you can only install Microsoft store apps. You can turn this off to allow regular PC programs too, but they require you to set up the Microsoft store before you can disable it.
If you’re trying to set up a new PC without a Microsoft account (which is getting increasingly hard), you can’t disable S mode. There was a workaround that involved booting into recovery mode and running some commands/registry edits, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Microsoft has blocked that too by now.
This is also the biggest reason Valve supports Linux and ChromeOS. Microsoft really wants full control over what software people can use on Windows, and Valve is worried about getting pushed off the platform.
Ive given Edge a shot before and it was pretty decent. Sucks for M$ this is how they behave when people don’t chose them.
the chad “sudo apt install firefox” vs the virgin “noo dont install a different browser,use edge”
Google payed billions in fines for making chrome default on android and now has to ask which browser you want when you setup a device.
Microsoft on the other hand actively hinders the installation of other browsers. This is a huge lawsuit just waiting there.
Should be installing Firefox anyway, otherwise why don’t you just use Edge, it’s also Chromium…
My memory might be weak on this topic but Microsoft has already went through a lawsuit due to not allowing people to use other browsers. And that case made Bill Gates lose money.
Might be this one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Microsoft_Corp.?wprov=sfla1
These lawsuits take a long time and cost a fraction of what it would cost them to not do that.
Also, not trying to be smart or anything but Microsoft isn’t run by Bill Gates anymore. All these shady things started happening after he left. I think he allowed the Company to buy him out because he was getting too old. I’m not really sure on why he did/allowed that.
I know. I am a Linux enthusiast myself. After Sadya got in the position, Microsoft suddenly became to get interested in Linux, contributing to projects and even funding them. But to this day, I still do not trust them.
Never trust a Big Data Partner. 🤣
Unfortunately Linux has tons of them nowadays. Google, Amazon, Microsoft are three of them that I know. And not just in kernel, but they also contribute in other projects in the ecosystem.
Y’all are installing malware to replace malware.
Firefox all the way!
To be fair, non-malware OSs come with Firefox preinstalled.
Sadly Firefox is also slowly becoming malware.
Fuck Chrome
All my homies use Firefox and LibreWolf
Microsoft knows this has so much power with a certain computer user demographic and I hate it so much. It was the worst, having to teach people to install certain useful software while also directing them to override big scary warnings…“But just this time! Don’t do it all the time!”
It made me look shady, it made the software look shady, for no good reason.
…And you just know, sadly they’re the same kind of users that will probably repeat that pattern with a suspicious .exe they got in an email.
Stop, I can only switch to Linux so much
I’ve noticed Microsoft has been shitting all over Google lately too. I love it. Microsoft is marking them as malicious on most their Platforms now, they’re stripping their Access to lots of Features and Functions in the Edge Browser. Their Bing Search is updated in real-time based off the knowledge their Copilot AI learns so it’s always better and more reliable than Google anyways. Then, if you’re having issues you can Tap In Copilot AI then it’ll help you search for anything you need, you don’t even need an account —not even to mention how amazing their Copilot AI is— that is smarter than Siri ever will be and she suppose be on GPT’s newest Models. Yet, she just keeps telling me “I found this on the web for…”— Microsoft finally getting things done. I like it —however, I heard they have a new Feature though that Screenshots our PCs every 5 seconds then sends it to Moderation. What the Privacy Invasion is this? 😔
Do you work for Microsoft or something?
💀
