I love how in their minds this is going to be a win. Like there are going to be all these people out there who just quietly accept that they’ll use Microsoft Edge from now on, and also in addition not form any kind of revision to their brand impression of Microsoft going forward.
I am sure there are some people who just kind of don’t give a fuck about computers who that will be accurate for, but I feel like it’s a much smaller minority than Microsoft seems to think that it is.
I am sure there are some people who just kind of don’t give a fuck about computers who that will be accurate for, but I feel like it’s a much smaller minority than Microsoft seems to think that it is.
You’re definitely overestimating the size of your own bubble. The vast, vast, vast majority of people won’t even notice, forget caring or actually doing anything about it.
Check “Market Share by OS” and switch it to Windows. Every one of those 67.359% of people who is using Chrome had it downloaded to their computer on purpose instead of just clicking “Internet” and getting Edge. Obviously they feel strongly enough to do that, so I don’t see how they would be amenable to losing all their bookmarks and settings and just going with Edge when one day their OS tries to trick them into it.
Maybe so. But Chrome got there some way, their computer didn’t come with it. 100% of the computers in that sample came with Edge configured as the browser and nothing else installed, and 81.95% of them are currently accessing the internet using something else. That to me indicates some kind of decisive action to use something else, on somebody’s part, and also that Microsoft’s years-long endeavor to correct the “problem” by just continuing to ask like a drunk man at the bar in the hopes that the answer will change is not a winner for most people who use computers at this point.
Probably it’s only as low as 81.95% because they do stuff like this. Obviously those people do still exist in a big contingent. My feeling is though that it’s no longer 1998 and there’s no longer this supermajority of AOL users out there who are confused by the very concept of a browser. Those people are in old folks’ homes now, their kids who grew up programming are the middle-aged people of today who aren’t hip to apps and TikTok, but they do understand about browsers. That’s just my feeling and a narrative I produced out of my ass, sure, but it does seem to match the data.
Sure, but I’d wager there’s a huge portion of chrome users who got there through the same tactic that Microsoft is deploying here - if you to go the world’s most popular search engine on a non-Chrome browser, it tells you that you should be running Chrome and provides a download link
Chrome gets bundled with all sorts of other Windows app installs as well. The tick box is pre-ticked by default to include it. I’ve had to uncheck the box numerous times over the years to prevent Chrome installs.
Y’all have set up this false dichotomy in which you’ve ignored the real majority of chrome installs on windows: children, grandchildren, and neighbors who just want to move on with their life. So they install “the one that looks like a beach ball” and they install a bunch of risky extensions that’ll make reading and printing the internet easier.
Source: I used to work in computer repair and technology literacy. But, mostly my own ass.
I can assure you that the vast majority of users in my footprint, about 600 of them, use Chrome because we set it as default. Many people have no idea the difference between Chrome and edge. I am currently sitting at a desk where the user has opened Chrome, but it is not default.
That’s why I used the specific phrasing “had it downloaded to their computer” instead of claiming that they were the ones to do it. You’ll notice that those users in your footprint also fall into a category of people which this won’t do a damn thing to influence.
I think you’re overestimating the degree to which the majority of users are willing to inconvenience themselves over a browser. If Microsoft announced tomorrow that Windows no longer supported any browser other than edge you wouldn’t see a mass migration to Linux. Instead you would see a healthy uptick in complaints about edge.
Maybe not mass migration, but that alone would probably add another percentage point or so to Linux’s market share, while others would just set about breaking the limitation/working around it within probably hours.
Unless enterprise is part of the equation. All those people are simply stuck using whatever thier company uses. Which is usually Edge and Chrome. With no option to change.
Most workplaces I’ve been at let me pick, but one did not let me use Firefox (only Chrome or Safari).
Weirdly one place didn’t block things but Brave wouldn’t install because the installer was actually a downloader and I couldn’t set it to use the corporate proxy. (Also don’t hate me, I don’t use Brave anymore and am not a fan, this was back in 2019.)
Sure! Happy to talk about it. I was never a fan of the crypto but you can disable it so that’s not my problem. My problem is that a while back they added affiliate information to links you clicked so that they got money. To me, something a browser should do is go to links you click on as you click on them and not mess with them (apart from privacy/security things). It’s a huge loss of trust.
Apart from that, I view all Chromium based browsers negatively nowadays because I don’t want to give Google de facto control of web standards. Chromium has a monopoly on browsers, basically. Especially since even Microsoft Edge is Chromium based now. The ad blocking changes were part of this, but just in general. I don’t think one company should just be able to make a change and have everyone passively adopt it because they’re downstream consumers of it. And yes, Brave is Chromium based.
Hi thanks for that. I now that Brave is Chromium based I did not know that it had affiliates so that is something to think about. My lap top is about to go obsolete due to windows 11 so am going to move to Linux in the very near future so I will think I will look around for a new browser at the same time.
Again, thank for your reply.
I am willing to bet there will be A LOT of people. I am a very tech savvy person, and I use edge on my work computer for many things (single sign on). My default search engine changed to bing, and I ended up using bing by accident for a while. And then for a while longer cause I was too lazy to change the setting.
I love how in their minds this is going to be a win. Like there are going to be all these people out there who just quietly accept that they’ll use Microsoft Edge from now on, and also in addition not form any kind of revision to their brand impression of Microsoft going forward.
I am sure there are some people who just kind of don’t give a fuck about computers who that will be accurate for, but I feel like it’s a much smaller minority than Microsoft seems to think that it is.
You’re definitely overestimating the size of your own bubble. The vast, vast, vast majority of people won’t even notice, forget caring or actually doing anything about it.
https://radar.cloudflare.com/reports/browser-market-share-2025-q1
Check “Market Share by OS” and switch it to Windows. Every one of those 67.359% of people who is using Chrome had it downloaded to their computer on purpose instead of just clicking “Internet” and getting Edge. Obviously they feel strongly enough to do that, so I don’t see how they would be amenable to losing all their bookmarks and settings and just going with Edge when one day their OS tries to trick them into it.
many of those chrome ‘users’ got there after clicking on one of google’s many somewhat misleading ‘advertisements’ or ‘notices’ or ‘warnings’
Citation: It is known
How many of them? How do you know?
“Many. It is known.”
I also like how you put “users” in quotes for some reason. Anyway, good talk.
To be fair, the claim that every single user deliberately installed chrome has the same citation lol
Maybe so. But Chrome got there some way, their computer didn’t come with it. 100% of the computers in that sample came with Edge configured as the browser and nothing else installed, and 81.95% of them are currently accessing the internet using something else. That to me indicates some kind of decisive action to use something else, on somebody’s part, and also that Microsoft’s years-long endeavor to correct the “problem” by just continuing to ask like a drunk man at the bar in the hopes that the answer will change is not a winner for most people who use computers at this point.
Probably it’s only as low as 81.95% because they do stuff like this. Obviously those people do still exist in a big contingent. My feeling is though that it’s no longer 1998 and there’s no longer this supermajority of AOL users out there who are confused by the very concept of a browser. Those people are in old folks’ homes now, their kids who grew up programming are the middle-aged people of today who aren’t hip to apps and TikTok, but they do understand about browsers. That’s just my feeling and a narrative I produced out of my ass, sure, but it does seem to match the data.
Sure, but I’d wager there’s a huge portion of chrome users who got there through the same tactic that Microsoft is deploying here - if you to go the world’s most popular search engine on a non-Chrome browser, it tells you that you should be running Chrome and provides a download link
Chrome gets bundled with all sorts of other Windows app installs as well. The tick box is pre-ticked by default to include it. I’ve had to uncheck the box numerous times over the years to prevent Chrome installs.
Y’all have set up this false dichotomy in which you’ve ignored the real majority of chrome installs on windows: children, grandchildren, and neighbors who just want to move on with their life. So they install “the one that looks like a beach ball” and they install a bunch of risky extensions that’ll make reading and printing the internet easier.
Source: I used to work in computer repair and technology literacy. But, mostly my own ass.
Hey now, I wasn’t ignoring anyone. The truth is somewhere between “all installs were deliberate” and “most installs were accidental”
Several coworkers user Edge because the computer said to use Edge and a computer wouldn’t lie.
I use edge when I’ve been a naughty boy and need to be punished. And then I open Microsoft office and click the “try for free” link
https://youtu.be/7nqcL0mjMjw?
I can assure you that the vast majority of users in my footprint, about 600 of them, use Chrome because we set it as default. Many people have no idea the difference between Chrome and edge. I am currently sitting at a desk where the user has opened Chrome, but it is not default.
That’s why I used the specific phrasing “had it downloaded to their computer” instead of claiming that they were the ones to do it. You’ll notice that those users in your footprint also fall into a category of people which this won’t do a damn thing to influence.
Yes, they will.
I think you’re overestimating the degree to which the majority of users are willing to inconvenience themselves over a browser. If Microsoft announced tomorrow that Windows no longer supported any browser other than edge you wouldn’t see a mass migration to Linux. Instead you would see a healthy uptick in complaints about edge.
Maybe not mass migration, but that alone would probably add another percentage point or so to Linux’s market share, while others would just set about breaking the limitation/working around it within probably hours.
Unless enterprise is part of the equation. All those people are simply stuck using whatever thier company uses. Which is usually Edge and Chrome. With no option to change.
Most workplaces I’ve been at let me pick, but one did not let me use Firefox (only Chrome or Safari).
Weirdly one place didn’t block things but Brave wouldn’t install because the installer was actually a downloader and I couldn’t set it to use the corporate proxy. (Also don’t hate me, I don’t use Brave anymore and am not a fan, this was back in 2019.)
Genuine question. Why don’t you use Brave anymore? I’m not a fan of edge or Chrome and am happy with Brave. Always open to ideas through.
Sure! Happy to talk about it. I was never a fan of the crypto but you can disable it so that’s not my problem. My problem is that a while back they added affiliate information to links you clicked so that they got money. To me, something a browser should do is go to links you click on as you click on them and not mess with them (apart from privacy/security things). It’s a huge loss of trust.
Apart from that, I view all Chromium based browsers negatively nowadays because I don’t want to give Google de facto control of web standards. Chromium has a monopoly on browsers, basically. Especially since even Microsoft Edge is Chromium based now. The ad blocking changes were part of this, but just in general. I don’t think one company should just be able to make a change and have everyone passively adopt it because they’re downstream consumers of it. And yes, Brave is Chromium based.
Hi thanks for that. I now that Brave is Chromium based I did not know that it had affiliates so that is something to think about. My lap top is about to go obsolete due to windows 11 so am going to move to Linux in the very near future so I will think I will look around for a new browser at the same time. Again, thank for your reply.
The people who wouldn’t notice wouldn’t have changed their browser.
You’re assuming they’re the ones who installed it in the first place.
Ding ding ding
I am willing to bet there will be A LOT of people. I am a very tech savvy person, and I use edge on my work computer for many things (single sign on). My default search engine changed to bing, and I ended up using bing by accident for a while. And then for a while longer cause I was too lazy to change the setting.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Most users I know can’t distinguish Edge from Chrome any longer. I have to ask them to look for the Copilot symbol to differentiate the two.
All of that but then also that they will buy out any competition so you can care and notice, but fuck you.