Comment on Microsoft now pops up a poll asking why you'd want to use another browser when you download Chrome

assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

• Acters@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  I’m actually alright with this, which seems to be an unpopular opinion. It seems totally sensible for them to ask why you don’t want to use Edge and would rather use Chrome.

  I wish for Microsoft to mind their business when I download another browser. A web developer or someone excersizing their freedom of choice should not need to deal with petty and sorry looking surveys.

  On the other hand, it is fine to ask how the browser experience is like but not this.

  If we want to prevent monopolies, we need healthy competition. If Microsoft improves Edge based on this user feedback to create an actually good product, then we all win. It means that if Firefox starts to pull the shit that Google is doing, we have a solid alternative.

  Unfortunately, this privacy invasive feature goes against this concept because it already made the browser worse. Also, Edge is chromium based. Mozilla, Apple’s Safari, and Chromium are the only true browser choices. Edge may bring some UX features, but they are data harvesting focused and not the core browser mechanisms. Microsoft is taking the work Google, and the chromium community puts into the code base and then running their own data harvesting UX on top. It is not a “alternative” browser choice, ever.

  With Microsoft’s track record, this survey is not to improve the browser but to harvest more data to pinpoint your identity and behavior to sell to advertisers and data analysts. So the “manner” Microsoft does this is more of a reason for not wanting to hate this.

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  • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Yeah that’s fair. If they just open a tab that says they’re sorry to see you go but would appreciate feedback, that’d be fine. Trying to block the download to say that, not cool at all

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• CylustheVirus@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  I think it’s a conflict of interest to leverage their position as an OS provider to do this. If they want feedback they can pay a market research firm like a normal company. God knows they have the money.

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  • ikidd@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    Its the browser that pops it up. Go download Firefox on Chrome and the same thing happens.

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• jivemasta@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  My problem with all of it is, they’ve built that shit into the browser. That means baked into the browser, it is watching what I’m doing and doing things on its own based on what I do.

  It leaves the door open for them to bother me/phone home anytime I do something that isn’t in their interests. Are they going to add in similar things for me looking for windows, office, GitHub, or Xbox alternatives?

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• Zacryon@feddit.de ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  I feel like a lot of users won’t use edge because of spite. It’s intrusive and manipulative stuff like this which has angered a lot of people. Admittedly, this is one of the more harmless reactions.

  Edge: "Nobody likes me. :( "

  Microsoft: "Don’t worry. We will make them like you. >:] "

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• BURN@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  It’s none of Microsoft’s business if I’m using their web browser or not. They shouldn’t be blocking my use of another product just because I don’t like theirs.

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  • Tavarin@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    But they’re not, you can still download and use any browser you like.

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    • Hagdos@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      They are throwing unnecessary blockades (the article mentions 4 popups/warnings that Edge is just as good as Chrome).

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      • Tavarin@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        I just went and downloaded chrome from Edge. Nothing got in my way. There was a notification in the corner suggesting I use edge, and then a banner at the top of the page after I downloaded it, but literally nothing got in my way.

        Sure, it’s mildly annoying, but nothing got in my way or prevented me from getting Chrome.

        And downloading firefox gave zero notifications or banners, it was just normal. Same with Safari.

        I really don’t see what is preventing me from using other browsers here.

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  • InternetUser2012@midwest.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    If they’re that crazy over their browser, how much other shit are you sending them you don’t know about?

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• sndmn@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  Edge collects your “ctrl-f” in-page searches. Fuck that with a cactus.

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  • SCB@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I assure you that no percent of the people this poll is aimed at make decisions because of that. They don’t even know about it.

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