Some things which need improved

Brass Contributor

Released: 21.12.2020.

Updated: 03.01.2021.

 

Desktop:

  • URL link copy default to Text only. (current default does not work well with all applications, so it isn't great to have it on default)
  • Don't show unavailable options for sync if they aren't available (stable) (users doesn't understand why they cannot choose them)
  • Linux sync, we really need this, so hurry up on it.
  • Option to disable that "restore tabs" popup. (it is hideous, and some users doesn't want to see it)
  • Add "+ icon" visible to every URL, so people can add PWA windows faster.
  • Support more search engines on sidebar search, like DuckDuckGo.
  • Default homepage: Hide news by default, don't use store links to eBay and such on it because of young users, news can be seen as harmful content to them also.
  • [NEW] When user want install Beta build of the browser, it should upgrade the stable release, and not make a new, separate installation. If user install canary build, then it should make a separate installation of that. (Even better is if browser about page can show a dropdown menu where user can choose which build it goes to update next) 

Android:

  • Video background playback support (look at https://github.com/mozilla/video-bg-play) This is must option and Chromium based Brave browser has tackled the problem also.
  • Option to keep favorites bar always visible, this is much needed feature for tablet users.
  • At least give beta users full edge://flags access.
14 Replies
@survivor303 Maybe not add the + icon to all websites, maybe add it to ones that have "example.app" or "app.example.com." That would be better.
no, it need to be for everysite. pwa feature on chromium is for all sites, no matter what it is.

@survivor303I don't agree. It appears on all sites only if you click the "...". The + sign should appear only on websites that have "app" in their domain, no matter it is "example.app" or "app.example.com"

idea isnt that it need to be app. pwa allow you to make whatever site as a app window. that is beauty of it.
@survivor303 Well, you can still do that by clicking the Ellipsis, then Apps, then "Install this site as an app".
Hi,
i want the Android features too, the Android/mobile version of Edge needs a lot of work, most important one is to update its Chromium version to the latest one.

the plus sign on the address bar or the new design on canary that says app available, only shows up when the website's developer has implemented the necessary code for browser to show it, if the developer hasn't followed the guidelines then it won't be shown.
user can install any website as an app regardless of that prompt though.
more info on that:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/progressive-web-apps-chromium/


the unavailable or coming soon sync options on Edge stable are almost gone.
Edge stable already has full sync for UK residents, it's gradually being rolled out to everyone.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/discussions/top-feedback-summary-for-december-15/m-p/1990268


"URL link copy default to Text only. (current default not work well with all applications, so it isn't great to have it on default)"
it's not a problem. if the paste destination support link the link will be used, if it doesn't support link then plain text will be used. user doesn't need to do anything or change the default from link to plain text, just paste or Ctrl + V and Edge will use whatever format the paste destination supports.


NTP news can be turned off easily with 2 clicks, no big deal, no "young user" will be harmed by that. YouTube ads or ads on the Internet are much worse to be honest and those website provide no easy 2 clicks to turn them off.


@Kam 

Spoiler

@Kam wrote:

@survivor303I don't agree. It appears on all sites only if you click the "...". The + sign should appear only on websites that have "app" in their domain, no matter it is "example.app" or "app.example.com"


the browser doesn't look for the word "app" in the domain in order to offer app installation. that would be a very useless method.

 

Twitter and Outlook both offer app installation, and neither of them have "app" in their domain.

@HotCakeX 

"NTP news can be turned off easily with 2 clicks, no big deal, no "young user" will be harmed by that. YouTube ads or ads on the Internet are much worse to be honest and those website provide no easy 2 clicks to turn them off."

 

Sorry but this isnt always a case and for larger places like schools this is a huge problem.

 

Our elementary school case, we have over 150 Windows systems where i place edge as default over firefox (mainly because of issues with Teams). What i seen happen is that Microsoft has changed browser defaults by windows version updates, there is this shopping thing what changed to be enable by default and also they replace edges homepage to show news, even you have previously changed to not show them.

Well for now, those templates aren't on Group Policy Editor, so people need to do extra work to get them to there (for local gpedit). and that is one thing what Microsoft need to do.

When the templates are there, then importing new ones are easier task.
For now, there is only local policies for classic edge.

 

Im not familiar about how policies can work with macos, or linux, so perhaps it is better that Microsoft changes its default deployment methods a direction which respect users' custom settings same way in every update situation, after all Edge is now multiplatform product.

Yes I agree now that the new Edge is by default built in Windows 10, the policies should be in local store policy too, they can stay up to date with Windows update or Microsoft updates.

 

I filed a feedback for this in feedback hub, feel free to upvote it: https://aka.ms/AAaqkty

(my account has access to Windows insider so if you aren't part of the program, feedback might be unavailable, but either way, devs will have a chance to see it)


Mac OS also supports policies but of course since it's an OS from other company, Microsoft can't add the policies by default to it. but that's not something people worry about. these tasks are done automatically with Intune, MDM and other management tools, by administrators, in bulk.

you can learn more about those processes in Microsoft Docs or Microsoft Learn in this website.

 

@survivor303 

 

When user want install Beta build of the browser, it should upgrade the stable release, and not make a new, separate installation. If user install canary build, then it should make a separate installation of that. (Even better is if browser about page can show a dropdown menu where user can choose which build it goes to update next) "

 

 

that would be so awful if it happens, very bad for end user. Stable Edge should always stay stable, it's the core and default browser of Windows 10. if all other experimental versions fail, that is the last resort.

 

also, the ability that we can install all channels side by side, without any conflicts, and they operate perfectly, is a plus and advantage, why would they remove this advantage and put a restriction on it, that makes no sense and would make things bad.

it's great that we can test insider versions side-by-side the other channels.

Canary, Dev, Beta, they are all insider channels, different from stable.

 

Chrome, Firefox etc, they all allow users to install all available channels (stable, beta, dev, canary/nightly) side by side each other so users can test each of them and send feedback etc.

PWA installation not look app keyword. Its looking for META tag wich point manifest file. if cant find META tag look for file instead. Also manifest file not only thing for PWA there also splash images, launch images, app icons, screen configurations... @survivor303 

yes, that is true for real pwa's but that isn't what i meant. The idea that every page can be pin and use without browser elements, is the killer feature of these chromium based browsers and it should be more visible than it is now (under two menus/clicks).