Chrome Refugee with Initial Experience Questions...

[billyjk]

First post here.  Been in software development since the 80's on the human side - human factors, flight simulation modeling, user interface design, UX, etc...  -  and have used all popular browsers.  I believe in ecosystem diversity and therefore I want to escape the Google-sphere for some services, like my browser.

Using Edge on Win10 and on my Chromebook(!) I notice a few initial snags, and I wonder if there are more on the way as I learn Edge, that will push me back to Chrome.

First, why is the text size so large in the address bar?  It looks like a design oversight!

Next, is it really the case that I can't assign a specific page address for a new tab?  I have to land on a MS page?

Next is extensions.  Why not just embrace Google's Chrome Web Store?  It appears that those extensions will work due the common Chromium codebase, and it make make Edge look like the "common denominator" that can pull from anywhere and doesn't need a brand.

Thanks for your patience while I come up-to-speed on Edge.

-bk

[#2]

*and it COULD make Edge look like..."
Sorry for not proofing my post!

[#3]

Hi,
welcome to the community,
first just wanted to let you know that there is an Edit button, you can use it to modify your post and comments if you made a typo etc.

Microsoft has its own addons store because it's for Edge browser. I know it uses Chromium under the hood but it's not Chrome.
Edge is using Chromium, with Google stuff removed from it.
Opera is also using Chromium but they have their own extension/addons store.

Edge has different UI, extension and themes in Edge addons store are not guaranteed to work with other Chromium based browsers, the same applies to extensions available on Chrome webstore.
plus, as an Edge user, I wouldn't want to use Google services when I clearly am using a Microsoft browser.

You can set a custom URL for new tab page using this policy:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployedge/microsoft-edge-policies#newtabpagelocation

by default, Edge has its own default NTP.

I don't think text size on address bar is oversight or large, i think it's the right size. I don't like Chrome's small address bar and UI elements.

[#4]

@billyjk 

This site isn't really the one for new users; it was created for discussions by Edge Insiders about preview versions of the browser. Basic questions like yours have been answered many times before in Microsoft's dedicated Edge forum for ordinary users: Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Community

Specifically, Edge did 'embrace the Chrome webstore' a long time ago. Any extension in that store that doesn't require a Google sign-in can be installed in Edge.

[#5]

@HotCakeX 

Awesome - thanks for pointing me to the policies.

[#6]

Thanks for the direction.
I am using the Dev version on Crostini (Linux) on a Chromebook.
I'll refer to the MS Edge Community.

[#7]

More more parting question...

When I registered to post here, an "app" was added to my MS account, and I needed to provide more personal information that I typically provide to post on a forum.

How do I delete that "app"?

I've looked all over my MS Account page, under Privacy and Security tabs, but I am not seeing anything.

Any advice on how I can ensure that I have "unregistered" would be greatly appreciated!

-bk

[#8]

You're welcome,
by the way, I've seen lots of posts like yours here too, so feel free to stay with us and keep using this community if you want to :)

in order to remove your data from Microsoft Tech Community, you'll need to delete your account from profile settings:
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/user/myprofilepage/tab/personal-profile:close-account

but please remember that this tech community has lots of communities for a wide variety of products other than Edge browser, so when you delete your account, you won't be able to use them unless you create another account here with your Microsoft account.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Communities/ct-p/communities

[#9]

@HotCakeX

K. I'll hang here for a while. I am trying to make the Dev version on Linux work for me, so maybe there's something I can contribute. There may not be many of us who using Edge as their primary browser on a Chromebook!

[#10]

Well Chromebooks are locked down devices, they don't officially support 3rd party programs such as Edge out of the box, but Edge supports Linux so if you are running a supported Linux distro you should be able to install it.

[#11]

@HotCakeX 

Already installed and I am using it as my primary browser.  ChromeOS provides a Linux environment called Crostini, and I run Edge in a Crostini container.  Works well!

I can't use the Edge sync function, but I can live with that.

So far, I like it a lot!

[#12]

That's good to know,
we're all waiting for more news about features on Edge Linux, specially the sync and Beta and possibly a date for stable channel releases

[#13]

---

@billyjk wrote:
I am using the Dev version on Crostini (Linux) on a Chromebook.

---

@billyjk 

In that case, you're in exactly the right place. Sorry for assuming that as a new user you were on the stable release :folded_hands:

[#14]

@Noel Burgess 

Cool - happy to be here!

I am really liking Edge Dev on Linux and I am now using it is as my daily driver.

So far the only niggles are lack of Sync and (to my design eye) the large type in the address bar, which I initially thought might be customizable.  Even though I am running it within a Crostini container, on a 8gb/I3 Chromebook, it's quite snappy, and I thoroughly appreciate the privacy features - that alone will keep me from going back to Chrome.

I am currently exploring Edge's Service Workers, by installing Edge PWA's in place of Chrome's PWA's, and looking at accessibility and performance on a Chromebook.

-bk

[#15]

My Chromebook just updated to ChromeOS v89.

Fixed this problem!