4 ms·

Cant MS just provide a button somewhere that downloads and installs the browser? A computer doesn't need a browser to download something from the internet (such

Cant MS just provide a button somewhere that downloads and installs the browser? A computer doesn't need a browser to download something from the internet (such as a browser).

hu3 6y ago
One plausible reason to provide a browser by default is to help debugging internet connection issues on new setups. Happened with me once.
mc32 6y ago
Can’t they use the Windows App Store to let users install their browser of choice?
- lostmsu 6y ago
  I think it has a rule, that prohibits 3rd party browser engines. :/
  - cassianoleal 6y ago
    It doesn't have to be a 3rd party. It could be Edge itself.
  - jacquesm 6y ago
    Why would it have that rule?
    - lostmsu 6y ago
      "Security": https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/publish/store-policies#102-security https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/publish/store-p...
  - boudin 6y ago
    Does it prohibit the new Edge then?
    - lostmsu 6y ago
      The rules these guys set for others never apply to themselves.
  - harrygeez 6y ago
    I don't think it's that, rather it makes it nigh impossible because the browsers will have to be rewritten to use UWP APIs, which were quite limited when they first launched. Also they won't be able to compete with Edge which had access to restricted APIs
    - lostmsu 6y ago
      Windows Store allows non UWP apps for over 2 years now.
    - ripley12 6y ago
      You can install Win32 apps from the store, UWP/WinRT is no longer a requirement: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bridges/desktop/ https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bridges/deskto...
- perlbeatdong 6y ago
  Do I use that window app store to configure my router or internet connection? How about if you have a corporate account and log in through a connector like okta, which display a web page for login? How about when firefox and half your os gets infected and deleted by your av -will a windows install disk bring back your browser so you can download firefox again? Being able to show a webpage is an essential function of all modern operating systems. the included browser is a part of windows, much like notepad and vi, or a package manager (programs control panel in windows), or regedit. You are free to add a browser of your choice. The one that's part of the base os image is not your choice, and is supported by the os vendor, as part of the os. You want an os interface to let you frankenstein your os with custom parts and make it unsupported? You have one. You, as an advanced user, can remove edge with powershell very easily.
  - milankragujevic 6y ago
    re: router config - Windows has Captive Portal support and all routers which require config will intercept dns requests to msftconnecttest.com and redirect to the local IP of the router which Windows will show in a modal window re: corporate account - The WebBrowser component (MSTML/Trident) will never be removed because it would require replacing a huge part of the OS that handles this, in too many places, and it won't be replaced with WebView based on CrEdge because that has no support for proprietary Microsoft controls. They will remove IE, but not Trident.
    - perlbeatdong 6y ago
      Had to look it up, and I was wrong on connector needing a browser. As far as routers, captive portal launches a browser on my pc, not a modal dialog. And none of the routers I have do what you say. I have to plug in a cable and go to the gateway ip. In a browser.
ziml77 6y ago
What if your router needs some manual configuration through the web interface? I'm not convinced there is much to gain from letting Edge be uninstalled through normal means as long as it's not consuming resources other than some disk space when you're not using it.
- IanCal 6y ago
  Anything stopping them including the installer with windows?
  - gambiting 6y ago
    But then what's the difference between edge being installed and merely not-yet-unpacked? Like, it's still there. The installer could just create a shortcut and say that it's installed now, would that be enough? Seems silly.
- milankragujevic 6y ago
  re: router config, see my comment here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24203962 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24203962
grawprog 6y ago
I know it's not user friendly for the average person, but there is powershell. It can be used to download files from the internet. https://blog.jourdant.me/post/3-ways-to-download-files-with-powershell https://blog.jourdant.me/post/3-ways-to-download-files-with-... There's also always the option MS could have done, disable uninstall of the last browser on the os, whichever that may be. So if you have chrome, edge and firefox and you remove 2 of them, trying to uninstall the third one would give a warning or stop you or something.

Cant MS just provide a button somewhere that downloads and installs the browser? A computer doesn't need a browser to download something from the internet (such as a browser).

hu3 6y ago

One plausible reason to provide a browser by default is to help debugging internet connection issues on new setups. Happened with me once.

mc32 6y ago

Can’t they use the Windows App Store to let users install their browser of choice?

lostmsu 6y ago
I think it has a rule, that prohibits 3rd party browser engines. :/
- cassianoleal 6y ago
  It doesn't have to be a 3rd party. It could be Edge itself.
- jacquesm 6y ago
  Why would it have that rule?
  - lostmsu 6y ago
    "Security": https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/publish/store-policies#102-security https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/publish/store-p...
- boudin 6y ago
  Does it prohibit the new Edge then?
  - lostmsu 6y ago
    The rules these guys set for others never apply to themselves.
- harrygeez 6y ago
  I don't think it's that, rather it makes it nigh impossible because the browsers will have to be rewritten to use UWP APIs, which were quite limited when they first launched. Also they won't be able to compete with Edge which had access to restricted APIs
  - lostmsu 6y ago
    Windows Store allows non UWP apps for over 2 years now.
  - ripley12 6y ago
    You can install Win32 apps from the store, UWP/WinRT is no longer a requirement: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bridges/desktop/ https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bridges/deskto...
perlbeatdong 6y ago
Do I use that window app store to configure my router or internet connection? How about if you have a corporate account and log in through a connector like okta, which display a web page for login? How about when firefox and half your os gets infected and deleted by your av -will a windows install disk bring back your browser so you can download firefox again? Being able to show a webpage is an essential function of all modern operating systems. the included browser is a part of windows, much like notepad and vi, or a package manager (programs control panel in windows), or regedit. You are free to add a browser of your choice. The one that's part of the base os image is not your choice, and is supported by the os vendor, as part of the os. You want an os interface to let you frankenstein your os with custom parts and make it unsupported? You have one. You, as an advanced user, can remove edge with powershell very easily.
- milankragujevic 6y ago
  re: router config - Windows has Captive Portal support and all routers which require config will intercept dns requests to msftconnecttest.com and redirect to the local IP of the router which Windows will show in a modal window re: corporate account - The WebBrowser component (MSTML/Trident) will never be removed because it would require replacing a huge part of the OS that handles this, in too many places, and it won't be replaced with WebView based on CrEdge because that has no support for proprietary Microsoft controls. They will remove IE, but not Trident.
  - perlbeatdong 6y ago
    Had to look it up, and I was wrong on connector needing a browser. As far as routers, captive portal launches a browser on my pc, not a modal dialog. And none of the routers I have do what you say. I have to plug in a cable and go to the gateway ip. In a browser.

ziml77 6y ago

What if your router needs some manual configuration through the web interface? I'm not convinced there is much to gain from letting Edge be uninstalled through normal means as long as it's not consuming resources other than some disk space when you're not using it.

IanCal 6y ago
Anything stopping them including the installer with windows?
- gambiting 6y ago
  But then what's the difference between edge being installed and merely not-yet-unpacked? Like, it's still there. The installer could just create a shortcut and say that it's installed now, would that be enough? Seems silly.
milankragujevic 6y ago
re: router config, see my comment here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24203962 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24203962

grawprog 6y ago

I know it's not user friendly for the average person, but there is powershell. It can be used to download files from the internet. https://blog.jourdant.me/post/3-ways-to-download-files-with-powershell https://blog.jourdant.me/post/3-ways-to-download-files-with-... There's also always the option MS could have done, disable uninstall of the last browser on the os, whichever that may be. So if you have chrome, edge and firefox and you remove 2 of them, trying to uninstall the third one would give a warning or stop you or something.