6 ms·

I believe it's a better alternative to Chrome if you are already using Windows. Edge Chromium still has telemetry data sent to MS but it respects the privacy c

I believe it's a better alternative to Chrome if you are already using Windows. Edge Chromium still has telemetry data sent to MS but it respects the privacy control and group policy in Windows, so if you have already set Windows telemetry to low, it sent almost nothing. I recommends usage of "O&O ShutUp10" to disable all Windows and Edge telemetry. It doesn't have telemetry data sent to Google (no contact with Google owned domain). It also has a third party tracking blocker included and enabled by default which makes it way better than Chrome on that point. On my installation, it even blocks Microsoft tracking... I use Pi-Hole to keep track of the domains reached by Edge and so far, there are nothing really worrying me (I already use Windows so my expectations are relative).

fierarul 6y ago
What about running on Windows Home which sends much more telemetry? Also, "almost nothing" is not nothing and I don't believe Microsoft getting all the data is a much better situation compared to Microsoft and Google getting some of the data.
- untog 6y ago
  > Also, "almost nothing" is not nothing True, but OPs question was “better or worse”.
- alibert 6y ago
  You are right, this was tested on Windows Pro so I can't tell about Home version. Might worth trying ShutUp10 on Home. It might be able to disable some or all tracking...
- noisem4ker 6y ago
  As far as I know, Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 don't differ in regards to telemetry. They both offer two settings: "basic" and "full". Enterprise and Education editions can go one level below with the "security" setting. (Edit) The settings are now called "off", "required" and "optional": https://www.computerworld.com/article/3532008/microsoft-eliminates-a-windows-10-telemetry-setting-renames-others.html https://www.computerworld.com/article/3532008/microsoft-elim...
null_deref 6y ago
Did you encounter any interesting domains?
- alibert 6y ago
  Not really. update.googleapis.com for Chromium extension update if you use any. edge.microsoft.com for updating some feature in the browser like dictionaries, trackers list, etc. config.edge.skype.com for browser settings (not sure about this one, probably a feature to enable/disable feature on the fly like Firefox Normandy system). There are other ones like the SmartScreen feature but it disabled on my system. Also I have search suggestion off. The data sent are really low for my case.
techntoke 6y ago
Chrome policies also allow preventing telemetry so how is this any better?
- gruez 6y ago
  Presumably because if you cared about telemetry and are using windows you'd have disabled windows telemetry already. That means you don't have to do anything extra compared to chrome where you have to search up all the telemetry disabling policies. There's also like this[1] that can't be disabled by group policy. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22236106 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22236106
  - techntoke 6y ago
    You still have to disable those policies for Edge too. Firefox also has network prediction and malware detection that sends your searches to a third-party, as well as telemetry.
    - gruez 6y ago
      >You still have to disable those policies for Edge too. Do you? The grandparent suggests that if you disable telemetry[1] it would be disabled in edge. >Firefox also has network prediction and malware detection that sends your searches to a third-party, as well as telemetry. Not sure why you're bringing up firefox here, when this comment chain was talking about chrome vs edge. [1] presumably https://getadmx.com/?Category=Windows_10_2016&Policy=Microsoft.Policies.DataCollection::AllowTelemetry https://getadmx.com/?Category=Windows_10_2016&Policy=Microso...
      - alibert 6y ago
        He/She is right. There are some remaining to be disabled either directly in Edge configuration screen or via GPO too. But I'm assuming that if you are looking for some sort of privacy with Windows, you have already toggled off those or use ShutUp10 which happens to do this all automatically.
idclip 6y ago
What a time to br alive. I love it that MS now is the do no evil entity. Support linux? Own github? Respects privacy settings? I respectfully carefully celebrate this information and hope to see more!
- plussed_reader 6y ago
  Nah, more of the same smoke and mirrors; their treatment of AppGet is the proof in the pudding.
- searchableguy 6y ago
  No for-profit company is your friend. Only as long as they can extract value. Not a cynical view. There is plenty of evidence.
  - robbrown451 6y ago
    Well, it can be a cynical view and a correct view at the same time. I do question the black and whiteness of the comment. Also, what do you mean by "friend"? An (also cynical) argument could be made that even your actual friends are out to advance their own interests first, and are using you to those ends. A more realistic and useful statement might be that for-profit companies lie on a spectrum -- none are purely "good" and none are purely "evil." I imagine that you can probably substitute "for-profit companies" with "humans and human run organizations" and it would still be true.
    - idclip 6y ago
      Thats why i celebrate the move on that spectrum with care :D ... i remember the 2000s. I just hope the trend continues and gives us more
  - PopeDotNinja 6y ago
    Or... It's easy to altruistic when shareholders are happy with stock performance. When the stock be a tankin', altruism gets a spankin' (best rhyme I could come up with).

fierarul 6y ago

What about running on Windows Home which sends much more telemetry? Also, "almost nothing" is not nothing and I don't believe Microsoft getting all the data is a much better situation compared to Microsoft and Google getting some of the data.

untog 6y ago
> Also, "almost nothing" is not nothing True, but OPs question was “better or worse”.
alibert 6y ago
You are right, this was tested on Windows Pro so I can't tell about Home version. Might worth trying ShutUp10 on Home. It might be able to disable some or all tracking...
noisem4ker 6y ago
As far as I know, Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 don't differ in regards to telemetry. They both offer two settings: "basic" and "full". Enterprise and Education editions can go one level below with the "security" setting. (Edit) The settings are now called "off", "required" and "optional": https://www.computerworld.com/article/3532008/microsoft-eliminates-a-windows-10-telemetry-setting-renames-others.html https://www.computerworld.com/article/3532008/microsoft-elim...

null_deref 6y ago

Did you encounter any interesting domains?

alibert 6y ago
Not really. update.googleapis.com for Chromium extension update if you use any. edge.microsoft.com for updating some feature in the browser like dictionaries, trackers list, etc. config.edge.skype.com for browser settings (not sure about this one, probably a feature to enable/disable feature on the fly like Firefox Normandy system). There are other ones like the SmartScreen feature but it disabled on my system. Also I have search suggestion off. The data sent are really low for my case.

techntoke 6y ago

Chrome policies also allow preventing telemetry so how is this any better?

gruez 6y ago
Presumably because if you cared about telemetry and are using windows you'd have disabled windows telemetry already. That means you don't have to do anything extra compared to chrome where you have to search up all the telemetry disabling policies. There's also like this[1] that can't be disabled by group policy. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22236106 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22236106
- techntoke 6y ago
  You still have to disable those policies for Edge too. Firefox also has network prediction and malware detection that sends your searches to a third-party, as well as telemetry.
  - gruez 6y ago
    >You still have to disable those policies for Edge too. Do you? The grandparent suggests that if you disable telemetry[1] it would be disabled in edge. >Firefox also has network prediction and malware detection that sends your searches to a third-party, as well as telemetry. Not sure why you're bringing up firefox here, when this comment chain was talking about chrome vs edge. [1] presumably https://getadmx.com/?Category=Windows_10_2016&Policy=Microsoft.Policies.DataCollection::AllowTelemetry https://getadmx.com/?Category=Windows_10_2016&Policy=Microso...
    - alibert 6y ago
      He/She is right. There are some remaining to be disabled either directly in Edge configuration screen or via GPO too. But I'm assuming that if you are looking for some sort of privacy with Windows, you have already toggled off those or use ShutUp10 which happens to do this all automatically.

idclip 6y ago

What a time to br alive. I love it that MS now is the do no evil entity. Support linux? Own github? Respects privacy settings? I respectfully carefully celebrate this information and hope to see more!

plussed_reader 6y ago
Nah, more of the same smoke and mirrors; their treatment of AppGet is the proof in the pudding.
searchableguy 6y ago
No for-profit company is your friend. Only as long as they can extract value. Not a cynical view. There is plenty of evidence.
- robbrown451 6y ago
  Well, it can be a cynical view and a correct view at the same time. I do question the black and whiteness of the comment. Also, what do you mean by "friend"? An (also cynical) argument could be made that even your actual friends are out to advance their own interests first, and are using you to those ends. A more realistic and useful statement might be that for-profit companies lie on a spectrum -- none are purely "good" and none are purely "evil." I imagine that you can probably substitute "for-profit companies" with "humans and human run organizations" and it would still be true.
  - idclip 6y ago
    Thats why i celebrate the move on that spectrum with care :D ... i remember the 2000s. I just hope the trend continues and gives us more
- PopeDotNinja 6y ago
  Or... It's easy to altruistic when shareholders are happy with stock performance. When the stock be a tankin', altruism gets a spankin' (best rhyme I could come up with).