Edge container tabs

[hferreira107]

Hello everyone.
One of the things I like in the Firefox is the possibility of using containers.
Mozilla have two containers add-on's, Facebook Container (exclusively to the Facebook) and Multi-Account Containers.
The first is used to prevent Facebook tracking our online activity by creating an isolated and exclusive environment. Where every cookie, every tracking script, APIs that Facebook creates / uses / have, are isolated inside the container.
And the second, is almost the same thing as the first, works by creating an isolated environment as well, but is for any website.

The containers are, a some kind, sandboxes.

I'd like to see the support for this in the Edge.
Microsoft need to bring this to the Edge, but in a natively way without the need of installing any extension.
And the option to create a container tab can be placed next to the profile avatar, for example.

By the way, Chrome/Chromium do not have support for this.

This is a very very useful.

About Multi-Account Containers: https://blog.mozilla.org/firefox/introducing-firefox-multi-account-containers/
I do not know if I can put this kind of links, but, if I broke any rule, I'll remove this post.

[#2]

I don't use containers in Firefox anymore, I find them cumbersome to use daily.

[#3]

@HotCakeX 

Interesting, I always found them to be straightforward and most convenient. Regardless, I decided to stop straddling the fence and fully commit to Edge. Having used it since the Insider program started, it has been my go to for 95% of my daily activity. I would use Firefox specifically for the tasks where I felt that the advantages of the container functionality was beneficial.

With that said, I have felt like the writing was on the wall for the downfall, if not demise, of Firefox. The news of their first big layoff was a flag, then the second layoff and restructuring of the company was all I needed to make up my mind. Granted, they did ink a new Google deal through 2023, but I think that is just a Band-Aid.

As I had mentioned elsewhere, predicting the demise of Firefox is problematic as it seems it has been almost dead for years, and it may well linger on for years to come. Regardless, I finally gave in and did the Firefox uninstall. Yes, I still wish we had containers in Edge, but I have simply adapted to using a private browser tab for the few activities that I want to keep in a separate walled-off bucket. 

[#4]

Firefox is a good browser, I don't know why it's losing its market share, it's sad.

[#5]

I'm of the same opinion of @TrafGib. Sadly I think the days of Firefox are numbered. It has been my primary browser practically since it's inception. It is truly the one browser that could do everything for me. 

My hope is that Microsoft will push Edge Chromium to the same level of privacy, flexibility and configurability of Firefox. With a few extensions I have been able to approximate the experience enough to use Edge on a daily basis.

As for this request specifically, although not a complete substitute, I have found the SessionBox extension (https://sessionbox.io/discover) to be a replacement for some of the uses of Firefox Containers. Specifically, I need to maintain multiple sessions to some services using multiple accounts, and for this SessionBox works.

[#6]

@creechy 

So far, the privacy tools they have built into Edge are impressive. It seems that Microsoft has been sensitive to users waking up to privacy concerns and a desire to better manage it. My threat model is not high. I simply want to avoid being tracked for the purpose of tailored adds, marketing, etc. The built in Edge tools, combined with Cookie AutoDelete and uBlock Origin have proven to be every bit as good as Firefox, for that purpose. I tried a few months of Edge with uBlock Origin disabled and I must say that I noticed little, to no, difference in the results. I think it just boils down to which tool you let catch the things you are trying to avoid first. The BIGGEST advantage, I think, comes from using Cookie AutoDelete. Having residual info wiped clean upon tab close, or domain change, pretty much stops sites from harvesting your cookie info for the purpose of profiling and targeting you for ads.

[#7]

@TrafGib  Thanks for the tip on Cookie AutoDelete. 

From reading Cookie AutoDelete's description, it looks like Cookie AutoDelete might functionally accomplish most of Firefox container's functionality in that respect (frustrating persistent data harvesting by particular sites/domains via cookies), assuming that I close the tabs immediately after use.

Cookie AutoDelete doesn't resolve the problem of multiuser accounts, though, and doesn't allow users to containerize websites that might be dangerous.  I'll keep pushing to get Microsoft to add containers to Edge.  I think that it is something that Microsoft should pursue.

[#8]

I agree. If Edge were to implement containers, it would be a killer feature and a magnet for Firefox users, for sure. However, there have been prior comments to the effect that containers are something that Chromium is simply not capable of doing. If it can be done, especially as a feature beyond the Chromium base code, what a major slam to the Chrome browser that would be!

[#9]

@TrafGib I have also heard that contains is something chromium simply can not do. This, admittedly, made me a bit disenchanted with the chromium project as a whole. 

I hope microsoft would change chromium in a fundamental way and make functionalities which were not possible earlier an option, containers being one example.

That, or [VERY LONG TERM] plan a brand new engine written from scratch and migrate users to it once majority of market has been recaptured. 

[#10]

@cheeseleader Clearly the "new engine" thing isn't going to happen (that's what the first Edge was).

I'm mostly hoping that Edge picks up market share from Chrome ("Same great compatibility, less spying!"), and that Microsoft can provide some counterbalance against Googles desire to ignore the standards processes and do what they want.

The irony of Microsoft being our best hope against Chrome becoming the new IE is ... well, ironic.

[#11]

@blairmacintyre - "Same great compatibility, less spying!"

The more Microsoft can key in on this distinction as being legit, the better. A couple of years ago, I abandoned all things Google for that very reason. So far, with the native Edge settings, and a few privacy extensions installed, I have been very pleased with Edge privacy.

"The irony of Microsoft being our best hope against Chrome becoming the new IE is... well, ironic."

For sure! Like me, you must have been a web developer back in those wonderful days! Pain in the butt.

[#12]

@blairmacintyre no way Chromium  won't become bloated over time and it is better to start from the very beginning sometimes. Also saw the news that DOJ may force google to sell chrome. From my perspective, Google was able to pull this insidious thing in the first place because it was open source and free. Opera took the bait and then Microsoft. 

Come to think of it : DOJ can't force a company to sell their proprietary software that is deeply integrated into OS. Also a reason why Microsoft doesn't make EdgeHTML public because that will mean making part of win 10 public.

Shared advantages is not how competition works. Look at gaming consoles, they have strong incentive. If, in the future, mozilla gives in you'll see how all market becomes lukewarm and stagnant. 

[#13]

This will really makes people escape chrome or firefox

[#14]

@gnomeria 

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@gnomeria wrote:
This will really makes people escape chrome or firefox

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Why Firefox? they are the ones that have the containers

[#15]

Because they're getting slower and slower everytime and less development. And the reason why I use firefox sometimes, is to just use the container tab, so that I can work with multiple accounts in the same window.

[#16]

Previously, I did the same. Now, in Edge, I simply open private tabs. Since each is isolated, just like containers, you can log into multiple accounts without issue. For example, two different Outlook accounts or iCloud accounts works like a charm. Containers were the only reason that I used Firefox over Edge. Once I found the solution, Firefox was promptly uninstalled.

[#17]

@TrafGib InPrivate windows are not exactly like Firefox Containers, though. Containers maintain state (cookies and other client side storage) per container, whereas InPrivate windows start out blank each time. Sometimes that's useful, sometimes its not. I, like previous commenters, have the need to login with my previous state with different accounts simultaneously. InPrivate windows don't quite cut it for that. I have found an extension called SessionBox, which is an adequate replacement for Containers, just not as easy-to-use/flexible.

[#18]

@creechy 

Good point! The vast majority of the time, my desire is that no cookies or side storage remains. I use tools such as Cookie AutoDelete to cleanup on tab closure rather than waiting for browser closure to do so. Basically, trying to be sure sites have little to no data to harvest even if they are not in their own container. For my use case, private tabs work well while I see the issue you have with your use case.

[#19]

@TrafGib How did you that? By default, Edge Chromium only opens "Private Windows" but no "Private Tabs" in the same Window...

[#20]

@creechy the problem with SessionBox.io extension is that the "isolated sessions" are not remembered when you close/reopen the browser. Right now you need to "click extension icon and open" each tab/session every time you restart your browser :(

[#21]

Sorry. Wrong terminology. I meant private window.