On Windows 10 S, the new operating system Microsoft unveiled this week, users will not be able to change the default web browser to something other than Microsoft Edge, or the default search engine to anything but Bing. They will also not be able to download alternative browsers like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, because Windows 10 S will only install apps included in the Windows Store. Google and Mozilla have not yet made their browsers available there.
Microsoft says this is all for the sake of security, and users who don’t like it can install Windows 10 Pro instead, which is free for students and teachers, and $49 for everyone else. A Microsoft spokesperson also said it’s up to browser vendors, not Microsoft, to make their apps available in the Windows Store.
“Currently, Chrome is not a verified app in the Windows Store, but we welcome Google to join us and submit it,” the spokesperson said.
Whatever the reason, Microsoft has a checkered history with such restrictions. In 2013, it was fined $731 million by the European Union for forcing Internet Explorer on its users, and in 1998 was sued by the United States Department of Justice, which alleged the software company had broken antitrust laws by bundling the browser with Windows.
Of course, the digital world is a very different place today than it was in 1998, and it’s become common for companies to create walled-garden environments. The iPhone doesn’t let you change its default browser to something other than Safari, and on Google’s Chromebook laptops, the operating system literally is the Chrome web browser.
Another big difference is that while Internet Explorer was by far the dominant browser in 1998, Microsoft Edge does not exactly share that advantage today. It’s currently hovering just under 5% of the market share, while Chrome is around 75 percent.
Windows 10 S is the operating system that comes with Microsoft’s new flagship Surface laptop, which was just introduced with a price tag of $999. But consumers who’ve grown used to having the freedom to download and install any software they want, unless they’re students or teachers, should probably be prepared to pay an extra $49.
Jackson Turner
Windows 10S is just Windows RT in disguise.
Windows 7 is still the only OS worth installing.
Camden Sullivan
Basically this
Carson Sullivan
They're going for the "walled garden of eden" approach that apple took, because normalfags don't care about freedom. They WANT an OS to take away their freedoms so their retarded actions can't get them infected by malware as easily. It's a sad time to be alive...
Nathaniel Anderson
So winkids are masochists.
Ryder Flores
>or the default search engine to anything but Bing. Justify this Windows!
Oliver Diaz
Why are people throwing a fit over this? This is literally a Microsoft version ChromeOS.
Jayden Perry
I wonder if oracle will port their java VM to the windows store.
Carson Peterson
Microsoft spokesperson nice try!
Jackson Morgan
The reason I downloaded kubuntu. I cant support this anymore.
Michael Perez
Awww didums
Robert Gonzalez
>everybody who has an opposing view is shilling
Can you switch browsers on ChromeOS? No? I didn't see anybody making threads over that.
Aiden James
No one gives a sit about chromeOS whereas this is a clear step backward.
Christopher Campbell
Enabling only Edge on Windows contributes to your computers security because it's the fastest and securest browser currently available.
Aaron Harris
what about Microsoft forcing you to use bing?
Daniel Bell
fuck off microshaft shill
Lucas Roberts
You mean 2000
I have not gotten bloodrayne to work on 7
Camden Wright
>On Windows 10 S Who even gives a fuck about this Chromebook-tier shitpile?
Benjamin Gonzalez
Fastest is chrome. Most secure is firefox.
Ffs you could use JavaScript on edge a while ago to gain full administrator access on a pc
Christopher Diaz
>Most secure is firefox
Lmao it doesn't even have a sandbox
Eli Campbell
Remind me of all the times this year somebody made posts abour critical firefox exploits
Oh wait that never happened. Instead we got firefox crashes and general slowness.
Nathaniel Lopez
They did that before and got sued big time by the EU(?). It's just a desperate attempt to force people into using Edge. Nothing interesting to see here.
William Cruz
>A version of an OS that's directed towards Laptops, Prebuilt PCs and Educational purposes that the immense majority of the users on PC don't need to even touch >Step backwards ???
Leo Brown
dont buy the shitty devices meant for third world poorfags then.
Jordan Fisher
Why do you support human suffering user?
Evan Russell
because i hate them
Anthony Morris
Microsoft was on the right side of history before. People used to charge for web browsers before MS started bundling them in.
Leo Johnson
Do you hate yourself, is that why you support Microsoft?
Brayden Sullivan
How is it different from IOS not letting you change browser engines? Yeah, you can use Chrome on an iphone, but it's just safari with a different skin.
Easton Ross
>The iPhone doesn’t let you change its default browser to something other than Safari, and on Google’s Chromebook laptops, the operating system literally is the Chrome web browser.
this is the important part.
Microsoft is literally just following on the footsteps of Google and Apple. Blame them for this.
Ayden Rivera
You should not support either practice
Noah Sanchez
I may be retarded, but at least I'm no tripfag
Matthew Cook
>namefag
Benjamin White
>Windows
Ian Williams
It's about fucking time they forced everything to come through Windows Store.
Morons have complained about "omg y windoz have secuty problm?1!!1!1" while installing Bonzibuddy and other shit without even thinking.
Hopefully MS puts their foot down and outright bans any 3rd party bundling with any apps sold on the store.
Jaxson Hall
Hope they stop with the emulator witch hunt I just want my universal emulator again.
Robert Brooks
>newest version of windows literally fucks you over >microsoft marketing team on suicide watch >mfw
Nathan Watson
>Windows is turning to shit >Linux is already shit with no games
i use GNU/Linux so i dont care about anything else.
Cooper Gomez
...
Joshua Williams
>Windows has been shit for years >I am too stupid to learn how to use linux and it does not have my childish form of entertainment Fuck
Benjamin Cook
wasnt there a story about MS doing this back in the day to monopolize something and ended up getting fucked in the butt for it?
it took them 20 years to change the ToS little by little so no one notices it and then finally they are moving into the final phase and do the same shit they did last time except that this time there would be no law to stop them from doing it at all
this is the long con guys. so glad I got myself a mac as i SAW this coming. if only overwatch would port to mac and I would be set and ready to go
Jayden Phillips
Because it's labeled as Windows 10 so people think it's a sign of the direction Microsoft is going in with mainstream Windows.
You get better security from using TempleOS.
So you're saying we should be happy about Microsoft taking away our freedom, since there didn't used to be freeware browsers? I'm not sure that adds up.
Elijah Jackson
This
Nathaniel Collins
Fuck off shill they also force you to use their search engine
