Suggestion: Development Roadmap, Features/Functions Survey

Bronze Contributor

@Elliot Kirk

 

Development Roadmap

 

I wonder if the Edge team could provide insiders with a simple, high-level features/function development roadmap for Edge Chromium, listing key features/functions in development or under consideration, showing, with respect to each feature/function listed, whether the feature/function is in place, in development, or under consideration, something along the lines of the Edge (Classic) status list  maintained for Edge (Classic) development.   I think that would be very helpful for those of us trying to understand what features/functions are in the works, and the status of those features/functions.

 

Features/Functions Survey

 

I also wonder the Edge team could develop a survey listing a dozen or two features/functions under consideration/review for development, asking respondents to rank each feature/function in terms of use -- e.g. ranging from "Use Frequently" to "Never Use" -- or in terms of relative importance -- e.g. ranging from "Very Important" to "Not Important".  It seems to me that such a survey would provide valuable information to the Edge team about preferences/priorities.

 

6 Replies
Agreed. A full development roadmap of what is definitely being worked on or what is being considered to be added along with the current progress on how it is being worked on along with what has been rejected or dropped from development would clear things up much better than the constant maybes and just wait that the team has beeng giving.

@edward2-_1880 

 

The team said many times they are just studying possible with Chromium engine and most expected by prospective users development directions. They did publish overall development outlines too. I don't believe any tech company offers internal detail schedules to the public, especially at early research stages, unless you link a few examples proving opposite.

 

Are you certain they know Chromium engine capabilities and programming possibilities good enough for such detail commitments? ;) In fact, browser development is always work in progress due to fierce competition in the field, and new feature ideas will come all the time, often driven by future technology progress.

 

They are mostly trying at this stage to convert Edge Classic features and MS Services to Edge Insider, and learning what's possible and at what effort and cost along the way.

@sambul95 "

 

"The team said many times they are just studying possible with Chromium engine and most expected by users development directions."

 

Microsoft publicly announced that Edge Chromium will replace Edge (Classic).  Microsoft is well beyond the "studying possible" stage.

 

"They did publish overall development outlines too."

 

Microsoft published "What to expect in the new Microsoft Edge Insider Channels" when Microsoft opened Edge Chromium for Insider testing.  While that guide is interesting and informative (at the 50,000 foot level), it does not answer Insider questions about features/functions under development or being considered for development that are constantly being raised in this forum.  A high-level development road map would answer most of those questions.

 

"I don't believe any tech company offers internal detail schedules to the public, especially at early research stages, unless you link a few examples."

 

I am not asking the Edge team to divulge "internal detail schedules to the public".  I am asking the Edge team to provide  "a simple, high-level features/function development road map".   You will notice that my post says nothing at all about "schedules".  That was for a reason.

 

Microsoft publishes the sort of road map that I'm talking about with respect to Edge (Classic), as a click on the link in the opening discussion of this thread ("EdgeHTML Platform Status") will demonstrate to you.  Why not something similar with respect to Edge Chromium?

 

"Are you certain they know Chromium engine capabilities and programming possibilities good enough for such detail commitments? :)"

 

Again, I am not asking for "detail commitments" (see above).  But I will say this:  If Microsoft had not investigated the Chromium engine (which is extremely well documented, being open source), sufficiently to understand the "capabilities and programming possibilities" of the Chromium engine before embarking on a well-publicized commitment to replace Edge (Classic) with Edge Chromium, the Microsoft put the cart about five miles in front of the horse.

 

"They are mostly trying at this stage to convert Edge Classic features and MS Services to Insider. "

 

I hope so, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that your statement is a conclusion, and not necessarily an accurate conclusion.  If we had a high-level road map similar to the Edge (Classic) road map I linked above, we would not have to speculate.

 

@tomscharbach 

 

For one thing, I  don't like detail commitments published at this stage, as it then would be extremely difficult for the public to climb the corporate ladder to get some missing in it highly needed features.

 

Another obvious thing is, Edge Team doesn't like detail commitments either due to many "unknowns" in their possible implementation, and also prospective demands from all sides to deliver on promises, despite they may later find its impossible  or undesirable for whatever reason. It will also unduly alert their competitors and may complicate collaboration. Chromium is not THAT well documented as you claim, based on admissions of Google own developers. Good luck though... ;)

@sambul95 

 

"Another obvious thing is, Edge Team doesn't like detail commitments either due to many "unknowns" in their possible implementation, and also prospective demands from all sides to deliver on promises, despite they may later find its impossible  or undesirable for whatever reason."

 

I am not asking for "detail commitments".  I am asking for a high level development roadmap similar to the "EdgeHTML Platform Status" summary, which lists features/functions, identifying each feature/function listed as "supported", "in development", "under consideration" or "not currently planned".  No timetables or schedules are revealed, no detailed delivery commitments made. 

 

In short, what I am asking for is nothing more than a systematic approach to the Edge's team's numerous comments/answers in response to user inquiries/suggestions about this, that, or the other feature/function.

 

I don't think that it is much to ask.

 

@tomscharbach 

 

I'm sure when feature set vision is more or less stabilized at least for the 1st Release, they might consider posting it on the web, if there is useful purpose for that in the project leadership view. My understanding is, the team doesn't want to restrict user feedback to a predefined list of top-down planned features. In fact, the purpose of this board is the opposite one. :)