Wednesday, May 3rd 2023
Microsoft is Back to its Old Ways—Links in Office Will Open in MS Edge Browser, Ignoring Browser Preference
Windows OS users have been critical of Microsoft's strategy of prioritizing its Edge browser for a while now, and more angry feedback is expected following an announcement that updates to Microsoft 365 Outlook and Teams applications will change how things work with regards to link clicking. Discerning users of Windows have adjusted preferences so that clicked links will always open in their web browser of choice (e.g Chrome, Firefox, Opera etc.). Microsoft will be adjusting behaviors in its Outlook and Teams apps, so links are set to open in Microsoft Edge by default. The changes are advertised as a positive for customers using Windows 10 & 11, as well as Office applications: "Microsoft is always striving to improve and streamline our product experiences—offering a new way to use the classic Microsoft Outlook app on Windows and the Microsoft Edge web browser."
This week's support message explains the upcoming situation shift: "If you have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, browser links from the Outlook app will open in Microsoft Edge by default, right alongside the email they're from in the Microsoft Edge sidebar pane. This allows you to easily access, read, and respond to the message using your matching authenticated profile. No more disruptive switching—just your email and the web content you need to reference, in a single, side-by-side view. And we're always optimizing the sidebar in Microsoft Edge to give you useful content and tools while you're browsing so you don't have to toggle back and forth between windows or even other tabs—whether you're shopping online or working in a Microsoft 365 web app." Outlook will be the first application to get updated with the "handy new feature," and the Teams app will be adjusted later this year.
Sources:
Tom's Hardware, Microsoft Support
This week's support message explains the upcoming situation shift: "If you have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, browser links from the Outlook app will open in Microsoft Edge by default, right alongside the email they're from in the Microsoft Edge sidebar pane. This allows you to easily access, read, and respond to the message using your matching authenticated profile. No more disruptive switching—just your email and the web content you need to reference, in a single, side-by-side view. And we're always optimizing the sidebar in Microsoft Edge to give you useful content and tools while you're browsing so you don't have to toggle back and forth between windows or even other tabs—whether you're shopping online or working in a Microsoft 365 web app." Outlook will be the first application to get updated with the "handy new feature," and the Teams app will be adjusted later this year.
50 Comments on Microsoft is Back to its Old Ways—Links in Office Will Open in MS Edge Browser, Ignoring Browser Preference
Surely the have some guys to calculate
Use the data from links users send and make money, then pay a "small" amount of fine.
All companies should focus on their core business and leave others build other parts.
What this means it that Microsoft should not be allowed to build a browser or office suite, or even games, if they want to build an OS.
Once you have control over the OS, if you build software on top of it you distort massively competition in that area.
Imo, diversification is fine. What's not fine is when my OS tells me what programs to use and not the other way around.
Intel doing processors end to end, including foundry, is vertical integration. Apple going from design to final product, including software and hardware is the ultimate vertical integration. (They don't yet have a foundry, and they still allow external software, some external hardware, like screens and modems, so they can do even more in this sense)
AMD doing both CPU and GPU is diversification.
In my opinion if Microsoft would do office, games, whatever, but the OS would be from a different vendor, than that would be fine, that would be diversification.
europa.eu/youreurope/business/selling-in-eu/competition-between-businesses/anti-competitive-behaviour/index_en.htm
And opened up a new bag of popcorn for good measure.Clearly not enough VRAM :rolleyes:They did switch to Chrome at some point, so yeah, they do.
Microsoft is not "back to its old ways", they never changed their way of doing business. If they get fined, well, that's just cost of doing business. Thanks to
legalized briberylobbying fines never come close to actually hurting the company and in rare cases they do, companies appeal and drag out the case for decades.It's my computer, my OS, my choice of programs. Simple.
EU rulings against MS are not applicable outside the EU.UK is outside the EU and joining CPTPP. The EU has Windows 11 N.
There are country-specific versions such as Windows 10 China Government Edition, Windows 11 KN (South Korea edition), and Windows 11 N (EU edition).Google Chrome OS / Android and Apple iOS / MacOS X has built in web browsers and vertical integration.
By default, Android and iOS are walled garden like game consoles.
it.nmu.edu/docs/allowing-third-party-applications-install-macbook
By default, MacOS X disallows programs installation from non-Apple App store it.nmu.edu/docs/allowing-third-party-applications-install-macbookThat's absurd.
www.ign.com/articles/playstation-5-sales-top-38-million-following-its-best-year-on-the-market
Sony PS5 reached 38 million units. PS5 can run PS4 games and the PS4 ecosystem.
Sony PS4 / PS4 Pro is estimated at 112.6 million units.
Nintendo Switch has 122 million units
Japan's combined walled garden gaming platform has reached 272 million.
vs
Xbox One / Xbox One X reached 63 million
Xbox Series X reached 13 million units and Xbox Series S reached 8 million units.
Don't get me started on Apple's iOS and Google's Android.East Asian companies (from SK, JP, CN) and the world's 2nd largest economy (CN) practice vertical integration.
My South Korean LG smart TV is vertically integrated from manufacturing to WebOS. East Asians don't believe in your limitations. Tesla is a rare US company since it runs like an East Asian vertically integrated idealogy.You're in the UK? Use Raspberry Pi and is partly funded by the British government / British taxpayers.
My point is that if I install an OS (any OS), I want to be able to use whatever programs run on it without the OS making a choice for me. What has the government got to do with any of this?
By the way, the "N" version Windows comes without pre-installed media playing programs - otherwise, they're identical to non-N versions.
Microsoft is following vertical integration leaders such as Google (i.e. Google Workspace, Chrome web browsers, Chrome OS / Andriod) and Apple iOS.
By the way, Windows 11 Pro N edition has the following differences
1. Windows Hello doesn't work since it doesn't have MS's certificate-signed codecs.
2. Missing Windows Media Player.
3. Missing Media Player App
4. Voice Recorder is limited to WAV format due to missing MS's certificate-signed codecs.
5. Group Policy for removable disks is not available.
6. Team Chat doesn't work due to missing MS's certificate-signed codecs.
7. Microsoft Store, the preview of the audio and video content in the app doesn’t work.
8. Microsoft Edge, some video streaming websites may not function properly.
9. Cortana Personal Assistant, speech interaction with Cortana doesn’t work.
10. Microsoft OneDrive and Photos, these apps may fail to playback videos.
11. Wireless Display with XBox, the feature may not work.
12. Gaming, Game DVR may not work.
13. Touch, Pen, Voice experience, voice typing feature not working.
A quick look at the excluded features of the N version of Windows 11:
1. Windows Media Player Application
2. Windows Media Player Runtime
3. Windows Media Format
4. Windows Media DRM
5. Media Sharing and Play To
6. Media Foundation
7. Windows Portable Devices (WPD) infrastructure
8. AAC, FLAC, ALAC, MPEG, WMA, AMR, and Dolby Digital audio codecs
9. C-1, MPEG-4, and H.263, H.264, and H.265 codecs
10 Windows Voice Recorder
For most basic office operations, my Android device can do most of it.
www.thewindowsclub.com/windows-11-pro-vs-n-vs-home-differences
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The UK is outside the EU.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/apr/26/microsoft-bid-for-activision-blizzard-blocked-by-uk-competition-regulator
Activision Blizzard calls UK ‘closed for business’ after Microsoft takeover veto
Activision Blizzard has threatened to withdraw from the UK.
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have effectively told the UK to f***koff and the UK doesn't have British Empire economic leverage. Australia, New Zealand, and Canada will not follow the UK on this issue.
I want to see the complete withdrawal of Xbox and absolute domination of Sony's walled garden desktop game console platforms in the UK market and you will see a real reduction in competition.
Microsoft and Activision should shut down all game software programming activities in the UK and the British will learn they are a small nation.
If you don't like Windows, Android / ChromeOS, and iOS, then use Linux or AmigaOS or Atari TOS, or RISC OS.
Australia's battle against Facebook has support from EU majors such as Germany, France (before AU blew its relationship with France), and Spain. Atm, UK's relationship with the EU is not good.