The new Microsoft Edge Browser is out of Preview and now Available for Download

[bug]

@Bill_Bright Browsers password managers may not be that secure, but they're still miles better than "password123". Missing that feature in 2020 is a drawback, no matter how you look at it. I'm sure it will be added soon, but it's such a small thing, its absence is a bit puzzling.

As for extensions, even since Firefox dropped support for XUL, everybody is using Chrome's extensions They're not a differentiator anymore.

 

[Bill_Bright]

@Bill_Bright Browsers password managers may not be that secure, but they're still miles better than "password123".

No doubt. But there are many excellent stand-alone password managers that work across multiple devices, including the cloud, that don't depend on a browser.

Missing that feature in 2020 is a drawback...

Not sure what you mean. Edge has a built in password manager too.

edge://settings/passwords

 

[bug]

No doubt. But there are many excellent stand-alone password managers that work across multiple devices, including the cloud, that don't depend on a browser.
Not sure what you mean. Edge has a built in password manager too.

edge://settings/passwords

I meant the password generator in Firefox (and others) is a tool for the clueless to stop using "password123". That's the functionality @Ravenas was talking about, not the more generic password manager.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Ah. Gotcha. My bad.

FTR, I don't think those people who use password123 are clueless. Unless they are older than me, and I can see 70 not far down the road, I can only assume they are just lazy, dumb, or both since the recommendation to use strong passwords has been around for what? 20 - 30 years now? My kids all had basic computer skills in elementary/primary school and my youngest grandson, now 8 has too. He recently learned about passwords and to use "big and little" letters, numbers and "those other letter things" too. And that each password needs to be"8 letters long or longer". That's in 2nd grade.

Maybe they are clueless, but I think it goes well beyond (far short?) that.

 

[matthewmatics]

I have used the same password for ALL accounts for 15 years! LOL. I'm talking about like ALL of my stuff! Email, bank, trucking company stuff, all of it!!

I have not ever used any password manager and I do not allow my browsers to remember it ever...it exists only in my brain.

I am literally waiting and waiting for it to backfire on me and it never has!

 

[lexluthermiester]

I have used the same password for ALL accounts for 15 years! LOL. I'm talking about like ALL of my stuff! Email, bank, trucking company stuff, all of it!!

I have not ever used any password manager and I do not allow my browsers to remember it ever...it exists only in my brain.

I am literally waiting and waiting for it to backfire on me and it never has!

Is it a decently long and complex password? The longer and more complex it is the safer it is. Still, data breaches happen you should come up a separate password for each website you visit.

 

[matthewmatics]

LOL No not really....not complex at all.

I have survived all data breaches that have come since 2005 at least.

I will need to learn the hard way on this one because I ain't changing my ways now!

 

[lexluthermiester]

I will need to learn the hard way on this one because I ain't changing my ways now!

Oh you poor guy. I personally maintain a password system that is effectively uncrackable. No password is used more than once, each must be at least 16 characters long(they are generally longer) and must have at minimum two numbers, two upper case letters, two nonstandard characters, must not contain any dictionary attackable words, must be changed every given period of time and no password can be reused. I do not use a password manager or write them down anywhere. Back in the early 2000's I created a system for remembering them and it became very easy to remember them at any moment. I can't even imagine how screwed you would be if someone discovered your password. You want to talk about identity fraud? Good grief would you be cleaning up that mess for years.

 

[bug]

Ah. Gotcha. My bad.

FTR, I don't think those people who use password123 are clueless. Unless they are older than me, and I can see 70 not far down the road, I can only assume they are just lazy, dumb, or both since the recommendation to use strong passwords has been around for what? 20 - 30 years now? My kids all had basic computer skills in elementary/primary school and my youngest grandson, now 8 has too. He recently learned about passwords and to use "big and little" letters, numbers and "those other letter things" too. And that each password needs to be"8 letters long or longer". That's in 2nd grade.

Maybe they are clueless, but I think it goes well beyond (far short?) that.

Yeah, probably lazy is the better word. But laziness is what the feature addresses: it literally generates a password for you and it offers to both input it and save it for further reference.
Anyway, I feel we're (close to) nitpicking here.

 

[matthewmatics]

The log in password for every PC/laptop I have ever used...is the digit 3....lol...because it is right next to enter so I can log in fast! LOLOL.

 

[iui4]

It's about damn time.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I have used the same password for ALL accounts for 15 years! LOL. I'm talking about like ALL of my stuff! Email, bank, trucking company stuff, all of it!!

I have not ever used any password manager and I do not allow my browsers to remember it ever...it exists only in my brain.

I am literally waiting and waiting for it to backfire on me and it never has!

I would just say, you've been lucky.

Of course, the issue of using the same password on multiple sites is that if (when?) a bad guy discovers it at one site, they then have access to all sites where the same user name is being used. And of course, many user names are our email addresses - which are typically easy to hack and/or discover.

That said, I am not worried about my passwords being cracked. I am worried about yet another incompetent Sysadmin, lazy and incompetent CIO and CSO allowing our passwords to be stored in the clear!

*****

I use very strong passwords, random, alphanumeric, mixed case, and special character, but I would never claim or assume them to be uncrackable.

I do use a manager that has a PW generator. Many of my passwords are generated. Most of my PWs are unique which is why I like using CCleaner to clean out my cookies as I can tell CC to keep those for sites I visit regularly.

The push to use an easy to remember "personal" pass "phrase" instead of a word is gaining ground because bad guys use password crackers instead of just guessing. So, for example,

My math teacher 1n 8th grade wa$ Mr O'hare​

is easier to remember (and easy to type) but is said to be harder to crack than

&^%3HGktr6​

​

because it is much longer (42 characters vs 10). Now "Mary had a little lamb" would not be smart.

 

[bug]

@Bill_Bright I also cringe at sites that will send you your password when you forget it. That said, I also use an easily crackable password for forums and such. For banking I use a physical token and for PayPal and friends KeePass (with expiration) is a must

 

[Bill_Bright]

That said, I also use an easily crackable password for forums and such.

If someone really and personally knew me, they might be able to guess and come close to the password I use on some forums. But I still always throw in at least one special character, mix the case, and use a number or two. Pretty sure no one else would be able guess it.
I also use 2FA on my most critical sites.

 

[Ravenas]

Arguing the semantics of "beta" is all that is taking place here. Whether or not you find features which are in most mainstream browsers useful to you is besides the point, they aren't there and MS states they are coming soon for some of them. The browser is not fully built, and was released early due to an aggressive release schedule. MS should not have released a product that users will ultimately try, and then leave due to lack of features sets which have not yet been implemented or are coming soon, which are already available on browsers people have grown accustom to.

 

[Bill_Bright]

MS should not have released a product that users will ultimately try, and then leave due to lack of features sets which have not yet been implemented or are coming soon

Well, of course, that is just your opinion. And of course, you are assuming those missing features are what users are looking for in a browser. You might, but that does not suggest by any means that is what most people want. Extra features are just that, extra. And many people just want a basic browser. Even many who use Chrome or FF stick to just the basic features.

Arguing the semantics of "beta" is all that is taking place here.

No its not. It seems you don't really understand what "beta" software is and so you are just projecting your opinion on a word. Beta testing involves testing and looking for bugs in the coding.

The lack of "extra" features does NOT imply a product is incomplete or "buggy" - or still in "beta".

The truth of the matter here is Edge works. It does not appear to be buggy. It is quick and appears to be secure. It renders pages correctly. Yes, some features are "coming" but those included work. My only complaint thus far is I have to educate another spell checker all over again!

 

[lexluthermiester]

The push to use an easy to remember "personal" pass "phrase" instead of a word is gaining ground because bad guys use password crackers instead of just guessing. So, for example,

My math teacher 1n 8th grade wa$ Mr O'hare
is easier to remember (and easy to type) but is said to be harder to crack than

&^%3HGktr6because it is much longer (42 characters vs 10). Now "Mary had a little lamb" would not be smart.

This. The longer the password, the better, especially given how passwords are salted and encrypted by the vast majority of websites these days.

 

[ARF]

Have just installed Edge

Edge at https://www.techpowerup.com/review/be-quiet-shadow-rock-3/

Chrome at https://www.techpowerup.com/review/be-quiet-shadow-rock-3/