Not to mention that MS already went out of their way and spent considerable technical effort to not have the system apps respect the default browser setting - such as introducing a separate URL scheme for "edge-only" links, then later patching the scheme registry so that no other app could register itself as a handler for that scheme.

It was never a technical issue, on the contrary.

Correct, merely a money issue. Incentives are in the wrong place here.

Not completely correct. In the past there were technical issues opening "system service sites" with any other browser, because ActiveX controls only worked in Internet Explorer

Complete disrespect for the end luser is nothing new with Microsoft.

I feel like there are two Microsofts. There are parts that make some honestly good software. And then there are parts touched by Bing and MSN, and they're some of the most hideous, dark patterny piles of user hostile garbage. Win11 search, widgets. Edge. Now Skype. They just ruin things that might otherwise even be great. Edge has a bunch of good ideas going on the UI but it hates user choice so much it just feels bad to use.

> I feel like there are two Microsofts

Same with most companies. The business side tends to steer, resist and fight the creative side. The irony is that in the long run, these two are aligned.

Sad that higher management feels the need to use short-term mechanisms for profit at the expense of reputation and what's best for their users in the long run.