> True. However that default browser/file extension handlers preferences should be a priority to carry forward.

Especially when you've previously been in antitrust lawsuits over abusing your position as the OS developer to take over the browser market.

> It may be easy to set your new default browser, but it's one more thing I have to do to personalize my computer, instead of using my computer to do the tasks at hand.

They moved it into the settings app, so this is no longer just "Open Firefox, click 'set as default'" anymore. Changing it in the Settings app is easy for us, but incomprehensible to less proficient users. I understand why they changed that, but it makes forcing Edge as default a huge dick move on MS's part.

> They moved it into the settings app, so this is no longer just "Open Firefox, click 'set as default'" anymore.

AFAIK, both ways should still work. The settings app is just a replacement for "Default Apps and Programs" (or something like that) which was in since Windows 7, maybe even Vista.

Edit: At least in Chrome, clicking "Make Google Chrome the default browser" opens up the settings app to the correct view, so it's only a matter of selecting the existing browser and choosing Chrome. It's not one click anymore, which kind of sucks, but I wouldn't call it hard, even for an average user.

Nope. The default browser can no longer be changed anywhere but the system preferences, applications can not set themselves as default.

Been that way for a couple months in technical preview builds, with even first party software (OneNote desktop vs modern) continuing to ask if you want to set it as default, followed by a system popup telling you to use the Settings app.

Check out my edit, they seem to have moved from the system popup you talk about to just opening up the Settings app for you to the right UI, so it's not as great as the one click experience that was there before, but not as bad as having you do all the work.

Ah, that's a much better way to handle it than in the previews. Thanks for the heads up!

> but it makes forcing Edge as default a huge dick move on MS's part.

I suspect its a far less sinister reasoning for the change.

I don't mean to attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence, I'm just saying it's a huge dick move regardless of whether they did it on purpose.

You'd have to ask someone inside MS if you want to know what they were thinking.

You can upgrade from every version of Windows and it'll still preserve many user settings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOzkNtnaS04

So there clearly isn't a difference in philosophy. In fact, Apple is far more ready to make your past software investment invalid.

Well, except not with Window 10, and for the browser--a keyy application for most people. You now have to go and mess with it before you can get on with your day.

Oh yeah, I agree. I just found the dig at Microsoft vs. Apple a bit disingenuous since Apple's biggest platform doesn't even let you change your browser at all.

Yeah, wasn't trying to dig at MSFT. Just giving reason why I switched from a PC to a Mac--in part because of frustratingly having to "manage" my computer, rather than using it as a tool to accomplish goals.

There is no denying that Apple is a closed ecosystem.

I find the lack of customization in Apple products an exercise in frustration anytime I want to accomplish a goal. I don't think there is a fundamental difference in the platforms that you seem to think; they both have benefits and flaws depending on one's workflow. The question here is whether or not Windows 10 is another category altogether.