Technology
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So the fix is to manually set your default browser. No more can programs do it for you.
I mean, it's not hard, and it stops most malware from doing it.
It's still going to artificially inflate Edge's numbers from tech illiterate users that don't know how to change it. There's a significant number of users out there that will put up with Microsoft shitting down their throat before bothering to expend the few minutes it would take to learn how to change the settings themselves. The few that do try to figure it out will find Edge directing them to Bing which will make every effort to convince them not to do it. Meanwhile, Edge will steal all their bookmarks and tabs from Chrome, in order to further encourage users to just give up and use Edge.
It's all calculated "dark patterns" shit, and it works. Microsoft counts on these people being so easy to corral.
And you can bet your ass after they implement this, they will push an update that "accidentally" resets the default back to Edge for everyone. Just to "clear the board".
There are many different ways to prevent that apart from straight up removing the functionality. Another tactic Microsoft uses is trying to convince you there is only ever one way to secure the system and they "have no choice" if they want to keep their users safe.
It's like saying the only way to keep a plane from being hi-jacked is to handcuff every passenger to their chair. It's bullshit.
Are tech illiterate people intentionally using 3rd party software to change their default browser? Genuinely asking because I have always manually set my default on a new device.
No they're not. And the tech literate people that will see that they can disable this protection and continue as normal.
Microsoft doesn't always do good things, but I think this is fine. If you open firefox it'll ask you if you want to set your default browser, and it won't regedit for you. It will open up the proper windows menu that lets you set firefox as the default.
Not letting malware change your settings by default is a GOOD thing. It is also a good thing that advanced users can disable the feature.
The only bad thing about the story is the lack of transparency. Having to find out about it by breaking tools is bad. It would be better if they had a changelog for these updates that say what they do so admins can see if their tools will be affected.