We continue our annual tradition of looking back at Microsoft's wins, fails, and WTF moments: its victories, failures, and things that left you shaking your head. There's no other way to say it: Microsoft had a bad 2025.
I mean the choice between only two browser engines isn’t what I would call “free” though, especially since Firefox is also pulling more and more bullshit.
He made a good overall point. Just saying he is wrong doesn’t actually make him wrong.
I mean the choice between only two browser engines isn’t what I would call “free” though, especially since Firefox is also pulling more and more bullshit.
Gecko and Chromium are both fully free software. Old Edge isn’t.
He made a good overall point.
No. It was a very weak defense of proprietary software.
Just saying he is wrong doesn’t actually make him wrong.
Just saying that doesn’t make it wrong but the “argument” is wrong.
“fake” diversity with an obviously proprietary option is substantially better than a fake “open” environment where the only web browser options are either made by a single for-profit company, a reskinned derivative of that for-profit company’s work, or a semi-not-for-profit whose main funding source is that same for-profit company.
In a very real way, web standards beyond “whatever chrome does” died when Microsoft tossed edge’s HTML engine for chromium.
Except that isn’t what we have, we still have proprietary crap that is just open core now and that open core is dominated by a single corp that can dictate what standards it wants just like when IE was on top.
I mean the choice between only two browser engines isn’t what I would call “free” though, especially since Firefox is also pulling more and more bullshit.
He made a good overall point. Just saying he is wrong doesn’t actually make him wrong.
What about WebKit? That makes 3 browser engines although it’s primarily used on Apple devices.
WebKit-GTK is fine, Ladybird and Servo also exist.
The vehement defense of a shitty, proprietary Microsoft browser here is astonishing.
Gecko and Chromium are both fully free software. Old Edge isn’t.
No. It was a very weak defense of proprietary software.
Just saying that doesn’t make it wrong but the “argument” is wrong.
Less diversity isn’t good, the argument wasn’t in favour of proprietary software, it was against platform monoculture.
Less proprietary crap is good. Free software is always preferable to fake diversity through proprietary Microsoft products.
“fake” diversity with an obviously proprietary option is substantially better than a fake “open” environment where the only web browser options are either made by a single for-profit company, a reskinned derivative of that for-profit company’s work, or a semi-not-for-profit whose main funding source is that same for-profit company.
In a very real way, web standards beyond “whatever chrome does” died when Microsoft tossed edge’s HTML engine for chromium.
Except that isn’t what we have, we still have proprietary crap that is just open core now and that open core is dominated by a single corp that can dictate what standards it wants just like when IE was on top.