We're Listening!

[Elliot Kirk]

Greetings Microsoft Edge Insiders!

Let us start off by saying, welcome to the Microsoft Edge Insider community! We’re so excited to have you here, and we can’t wait to start learning from you. If you haven’t read our Welcome to the Microsoft Edge Insider community article yet, we recommend starting there. It has a bunch of great information on how we got here and where we’re heading.

Our mission:
Our mission is to create a thriving community of valuable Insiders, like you, so we can closely listen and learn how Microsoft Edge can be better. We believe that having open, honest, and continued conversations with our Insider community is a great way to build a close relationship with our users.

Why do all of this? Because we want to build a browser that’s deeply grounded in your needs. Your voice is the most important piece of helping us build a better Microsoft Edge. The feedback you provide leads to meaningful conversations that may ultimately produce the new features, bug fixes, and other improvements that matter the most to you. Listening is just the beginning for us. Our true goal is to build Microsoft Edge with the voice of the Insider community as our guiding light.

Community voice

When we announced the next version of Microsoft Edge back in December, we asked a simple question: If you could change one thing about the web, what would it be?

We were completely humbled by the over 40k comments you’ve shared with us. That’s a whole lot of ideas. Thank you!

You tell us that you love some things about the current Microsoft Edge browser, like the smooth scrolling experience, our Fluent Design and the precision touchpad, and you hope we’ll bring those things forward into the next version too.

Some of you are frustrated with the way that sites render so differently depending on the browser you're using to view them. You also tell us that Web Standards are on the top of your mind. We hear that you want all browsers to adopt the same standards. We hear from some of you web developers that you want new capabilities added to the web platform; whether that be in CSS, HTML or JavaScript. Another top request is an improved dev tools experience.

We hear that you have strong feelings about online advertising. Some of you wish ads that pop-up would just disappear and the same for auto-playing ads. While others feel a strong desire to remove or fundamentally change how online advertising works on the web. There is concern how these advertisements enable sites to track you as you browse which feels "creepy" and "invasive."

The overwhelming majority of comments (we’re talking thousands of messages) that we have read wish for a change in the fundamental attributes of the web. Make it faster, safer, more reliable and more private. You want your browsers to have smaller memory footprints, lower battery consumption, higher rendering speed and better stability. We agree with you wholeheartedly! The attributes that you say matter most in your browsing experience are performance, privacy, and reliability. So that is where we are starting.

We are focusing on delivering outstanding fundamentals. Speed, stability, accessibility, compatibility, security, and privacy are always top of mind for us. We are using your comments and suggestions to guide us while we are getting the new Microsoft Edge ready for its debut.

What’s next?
In the meantime, jump in, download the Microsoft Edge Insider Channels, and let us know what you think. What’s working well? Where do we need to improve? Over time, we hope to build healthy engagement and feedback loops with our community members.

We’re also mindful that our users have preferred ways to engage with us. Whether you view the latest information on the Microsoft Edge Insider website, enjoy direct discussions on our forum, need a personal support assistant via help (F1), share your feedback and suggestions via the smiley face, or just want to give us a shout on Twitter, we’re always listening and looking for ways to reach out wherever our users feel most comfortable and prefer to talk to us. We’re all ears!

Thank you for being here. We look forward to listening and engaging with you.

-The Microsoft Edge Team-

[#2]

@Dan_AI4GK 

Spoiler

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@Dan_AI4GK wrote:

@Mike999 @HotCakeX I have to speak up, here. What y'all are saying is 100% true. I was a die-hard IBM OS/2 user in the 1980s, and really had no use for Microsoft. Fast forward to the 21st Century. Modern Today, Windows is a very robust operating system. I think it really came into its own with Vista (I never had any problems with that), but especially with 7. Win 10 is even better!

So, how about this situation with the EU? All these fines, etc. are what happens when socialism is embraced. You'll notice that none of these fines come from the USA. I hesitated to go there, because it can be construed as political. However, it seems that several of you are on the same sheet of music as I.

At the end of the day, Microsoft has not, in the past decades, prevented users from embracing software not installed by them. You can even install other operating systems alongside theirs, and both play reasonably well with each other. In the end, it's choice. If I want Microsoft's browser, I use it. If I want Firefox or Chrome, I can use those, also. If I want to run Linux on the same machine, that's possible. I can use Windows Media Player (which sometimes I prefer to its replacement), or I can install someone else's and make it Windows's default. (I still miss Windows Movie Maker!)

Well, that's my $0.04 (somewhat more than 2 cents)! Thank you for letting me climb on my soapbox.

--Dan

---

True,

Windows, when installed on a computer, has NO control over the other installed OSes, Windows can't know what other operation systems are installed because on the modern computers, only one OS at a time can be running, the other one stays dead on the hard disk.

those few people that say Windows and Linux can't be installed, they don't have the necessary knowledge how to modify the bootloader.

obviously Windows and Linux don't use the same bootloader so one needs to have the necessary knowledge. Linux is not like Windows, it's not made for the average users.

you need to be so tech savvy and need to know how to use with codes and commands in the Linux terminal if you really wanna use Linux the way you use Windows.

[#3]

What if Microsoft and Google cut their services and leave EU for good? they will come begging and won't be acting tough anymore.

[#4]

@HotCakeX 

they can't.

1. They make to much money there

2. If they do then Linux gets a really big boost for the pc. In the long run that will sink Windows. For Google to leave the EU. Will mean that the leave one of the largest markets behind.

Pretty soon China will cut Google off. Or they have to censor there data so much they will get into problems with the USA government. This already starts to happen. As it stands now I think in the near future both China and Russia. are lost causes for both companies. Both want to get the companies out. China is getting along well without Microsoft more and more. Same as with Google. This leaves the EU and North America as their biggest moneymakers, in the long run. Till Africa and India become wealthier what will take decades to happen. 

[#5]

@Dan_AI4GK 

One more thing with the EU. Before they fine you, they give you all the chances and time for you to comply with the law. The process takes at least 5 years often much more. Google problems with there search are going on for almost a decade now. They finally have to start paying up. You can't tell me that Google and Microsoft coders are so inept that they could not have changed a bit of code in that timeframe. For me, it is nothing more than the arrogance of some of the USA companies not willing to comply with the law in countries they do business in. Microsoft, Apple, and others have changed in that regard, Google clearly hasn't yet. If they have to pay every year up to 10% of their total earnings to learn that lesson then so be it. It is there own choice. 

[#6]

@HotCakeX 

To be honest,  I was thinking the same. However, it seems it still was commercially beneficial to remove IE and Media Player and pay all those fines.
But, indeed, what IF... Microsoft -would- have said something like 'This is our product. It is as it is. We don't change it and we do not want to be fined either. Hence you (=EU) force us to stop selling/supporting our product there, so you leave us no alternative but to step out..."

A bit like Google stepping out of China, way back in 2010.

Guess what would happen when at one point in time people can't use Office (or whatever) anymore...

[#7]

Spoiler

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@erikvp wrote:

@HotCakeX 

they can't.

1. They make to much money there

2. If they do then Linux gets a really big boost for the pc. In the long run that will sink Windows. For Google to leave the EU. Will mean that the leave one of the largest markets behind.

Pretty soon China will cut Google off. Or they have to censor there data so much they will get into problems with the USA government. This already starts to happen. As it stands now I think in the near future both China and Russia. are lost causes for both companies. Both want to get the companies out. China is getting along well without Microsoft more and more. Same as with Google. This leaves the EU and North America as their biggest moneymakers, in the long run. Till Africa and India become wealthier what will take decades to happen. 

---

Linux? nah. it's been around for more than 30 years and despite being free and having tons of distributions, they still don't have any meaningful market share among desktop users.

see they are free and Windows 10 has its problems, still Linux is not a good idea.

also if Microsoft stops giving service to Europeans, all those Europeans won't just become experts in Linux overnight to be able to use Linux.

Linux has lots of hardware and software problems. 

so it's not like Linux is waiting on the door for Microsoft to leave EU so they come in.

[#8]

@Mike999 

Spoiler

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@Mike999 wrote:

@HotCakeX 

To be honest,  I was thinking the same. However, it seems it still was commercially beneficial to remove IE and Media Player and pay all those fines.
But, indeed, what IF... Microsoft -would- have said something like 'This is our product. It is as it is. We don't change it and we do not want to be fined either. Hence you (=EU) force us to stop selling/supporting our product there, so you leave us no alternative but to step out..."

A bit like Google stepping out of China, way back in 2010.

Guess what would happen when at one point in time people can't use Office (or whatever) anymore...

---

Google left China and Google is regretting doing that.

now China makes the most advanced smart phones ever. they don't need Google services or CPUs made in US, they make their own. their super computers are on the top 5 list and it's made of their own CPU and operation system.

also China blocks Google and has their own search engine.

can EU do all that? nope.

EU is lots of countries while China is only 1 country.

[#9]

@HotCakeX 

No, EU can't... too many countries, no leadership, indecisive on almost everything. It takes a generation to get something done

However...

There is one major thing the EU  can  do though, in fact they are real experts in that...:

fines !  ha!

Probably some kind of policy, they are always in need of money.
Generating money that way, I guess that doesn't require member states' approvals.

Just do a Google search on EU fines ... 

(sorry - have to confess, all this is getting off-topic - I take the blame)

[#10]

@HotCakeX 

I do agree with you on Linux problems. But if you don't have a choice. Then Linux will be fixed fast to a level that it is easy to use and install. There are some good versions out for the novice to use. At this moment it has no change to get big. But if over 300m people are forced to use it, it will get better fast Google and a few others will see to do that. For them, that is the way to undercut Microsoft. Then they can promote their own office products for Linux. No tech company can lose an advanced market the size of the EU. Because that is what the competitions need to win.

[#11]

@HotCakeX 

And you think China will sit by and do nothing. They will see it as a big change to get their stuff into the EU. Likely for free. The benefit for China is on all computers lots of their spyware to see what is happening and if needed control the computers in the EU. Like they do now at home.

[#12]

Haha you're right..

but no, i mean the topic is not known, what's the topic? the title of the post here is "we are listening" so let them listen :)
although I can't remember the last time a Microsoft employee posted a comment on this huge topic.

[#13]

@erikvp 

Spoiler

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@erikvp wrote:

@HotCakeX 

I do agree with you on Linux problems. But if you don't have a choice. Then Linux will be fixed fast to a level that it is easy to use and install. There are some good versions out for the novice to use. At this moment it has no change to get big. But if over 300m people are forced to use it, it will get better fast Google and a few others will see to do that. For them, that is the way to undercut Microsoft. Then they can promote their own office products for Linux. No tech company can lose an advanced market the size of the EU. Because that is what the competitions need to win.

---

Yeah I think that's possible to happen, eventually 

[#14]

@erikvp 

Spoiler

---

@erikvp wrote:

@HotCakeX 

And you think China will sit by and do nothing. They will see it as a big change to get their stuff into the EU. Likely for free. The benefit for China is on all computers lots of their spyware to see what is happening and if needed control the computers in the EU. Like they do now at home.

---

and NSA is not doing it? I think you need to watch the movie Citizen Four, hear what Ed Snowden says.

no company in tech in innocent, everyone is the same.

China=Russian=EU=US=all parts of the world

[#15]

@HotCakeX, Of course, they all do it. But Not to the extent of China. There was an interesting documentary in Canada about how China tracks all the Muslims in the east of China. They have cameras everywhere, to track them throughout the day. All developed by Chinese tech companies. It is to such an extent that even George Orwell in 1984 could not imagine it. Now they want you to be able to unlock the phone only by face recognition. We can all make the right guess why they want that, Technology used wrong is the biggest threat to our freedom.

[#16]

What Ed Snowden revealed about US was 10 times worse, on international scale.

[#17]

@HotCakeX  If you believe that, then you really have to read up of what is known. For example, the interference in the 2016 USA election by Russia, was done by mass surveillance through the access they had through facebook via that British company. We know this for sure because the Dutch counterpart of the NSA hacked into the group who was doing this. They could see in real-time what they did on their computers and even watch it on their own security cameras. Of course the moment the Dutch told the CIA it became public knowledge within a week or 2. After that, the Russians changed their security. Remember all the new computers that they got, as reported by your own news. Now you know why.

That the NSA tries to suck up everything they get is nothing new. All countries do that if they can. It is what you do to your own citizen that tells a lot about the people in power. I hope that you agree that western countries at least try to avoid their own citizens if they have no cause to do otherwise.  You can not compare that to Russia, China and every other country with a strongman leader.

Also, what Google, Facebook, and some others know about you, would be a wet dream for any security organization to have full access to all that data. They know more about you then you do yourself.

[#18]

They don't need a cause to do mass surveillance. that's exactly what Edward Snowden said.
NSA is worse than China or Russia because they don't even have mercy for their own citizens.
China and Russia are trying to stop them from interfering into their countries and gathering data, that's why they are depicted badly in news and public media.
that's not new, the western control over public media and news gives them the ability.
of course NSA has help from Five eye as well.

[#19]

@HotCakeX 

I really had no clue how to comment on this. So, may I suggest you read 

Blowing Up Russia: Terror From Within

It is written by Alexander Litvinenk a former high ranking KGB officer who worked with Putin. It will be an eye-opener for you what Putin did. Give you one example. Bombing an apartment complex in Moscow so he could start a war. It is all well documented in the book with sources. There is a free download somewhere on the web that is not a pirated version.  As for the example of China. If you can see the Canadian CBC, go to there website and look for the GEM page. Under the documentary, you will find it somewhere near the top. Again high ranking Chinese officials admitting on camera what they are doing.  Before you think I am some nutcase rightwinger. By Canadian standards, I am a bit to the left of the center. What makes me by USA standards way to the left.

I think we better stop this discussion here. It is way off-topic.

[#20]

here is the link to the free copy (pdf) 

willzuzak.ca/cl/putin/Litvinenko2007PutinBlowingUpRussia.pdf

[#21]

I suggest you watch this documentary of Edward Snowden:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4044364/