Does this actually happen? I recently installed the big Windows 10 "Creators update" and my default browser remained exactly the same (Chrome), or is this something that depends on what "tier" of Windows 10 you have?

I remember this unfortunately happening on Windows 7/8 upgrades to 10, but I've yet to encounter it on my personal machine in a Win 10 point release, at least as far as I can recall.

Oddly enough, Windows 10 Pro seems to leave my default browser alone most of the time (I do seem to recall it messing with it once, but I may be wrong), but I've had it attempt to switch my default media viewers away from VLC and Irfanview multiple times. Quite annoying.

That is because they still haven't fully adopted "new" file format association APIs (introduced with Windows 7).

Likely related to the feeling that Windows 10 resets file associations is that Windows 10 changed the way this data is stored and restores the default value if the registry keys are manipulated directly.[1] As a side-note, I don't think any of the major updates have reset my browser choice, but I have gotten an irritating pop-up suggesting that I should try Edge.

[1] https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20170517-00/?p=...

I know lots of settings get reset when you get new Insider builds. It annoyed me constantly. Perhaps OP is on those?

Yep. This is super-scummy behavior. No surprise Google and Microsoft engage in it!

But that's not fair, Google's already paid for that install! ;)

Ahhhh I was wondering why my desktop suddenly started opening links in Edge!

Isn't that in direct opposition to their EU antitrust settlement? How does MS get away with this?

I'm actually wondering more how Google is getting away with those screenshots from the submission. That's exactly the same behavior that it was recently fined for wrt product search.

One reason might be that EU doesn't have many browser vendors who would put in a official complaint.

Why wouldn't MS complain? If MS can be good for anything, helping keep Google in check ranks #1 on my list.

They reached a deal last year to stop complaining to regulators about each other:

https://www.recode.net/2016/4/22/11586336/microsoft-google-a...

This should be proof of illegal collusion and grounds for a gigantic fine for each of them. It's just like the no-poaching agreement they got in trouble with a few years ago.

That would require the US to have a functioning justice department.

IANAL, but I think that would count as "compelling speech" ("You MUST complain to regulators about each other!") which is explicitly forbidden in the States (not sure about Europe, but I think it's the same).

We're not talking about individuals here, we're talking about corporations. Collusion between companies for the sake of negatively affecting the market (such as establishing a cartel) is illegal in any jurisdiction with proper, functioning laws. As I mentioned before, this is similar to the no-poaching agreement which they got into trouble (not nearly enough though) before.

Lobbying and corruption ? At the very least they have friends at the right places.

That was my first thought from those screenshots as well. They are the dominant web portal for the world with more views than Facebook. Their position gives them a crazy advantage in the browser wars.

Firefox pulling ahead of IE back in the early 2000s was a sign of open source disruption taking on a monopoly:

https://xkcd.com/198/

Chrome is the total opposite; well at least initially. They pumped millions into Mozilla and then took the parts they liked from Gecko and Webkit and created Chrome. Originally closed source, even though we have the open source Chromium today, most people used the official Google branded and integrated version.

I feel like with Microsoft and IE and the anti-trust cases from back in the day, we're see a return to what the author termed web browser 'monoculture.' The author does make a point that at least Chrome isn't stuck in the past.

Chrome, FireFox and Edge all seem to be doing the rolling release thing today, which is vital to us not getting stuck in IE6 land again. (Not sure if Safari does this yet). I've recently started using Vivaldi, but I do miss my dedication to Firefox and all the years of usage, plugins and bug reports.

They probably only do it outside of EU.

Good grief.