Microsoft accused of malware-like tactics, again, in attempt to push users onto Bing
Microsoft accused of malware-like tactics, again, in attempt to push users onto Bing
The Verge's Tom Warren was one of those who feared his PC had been infected when a pop-up appeared asking him to switch his default search engine...
There's an alternate timeline in which I actually give Bing and Edge a chance because Microsoft's not flinging their feces at their users constantly the way they are now
It’s wild because Bing is generally quite good now, but I switched away from it recently because it kept trying to advertise edge…
Meanwhile edge tries to advertise “pay later” schemes and really gets in your face about bing…
So to be honest, I did use Bing for a good while, mostly for the rewards, and it wasn't bad, but at some point I was using a Canadian IP with a VPN, and Microsoft stubbornly switched everything to Canadian currency and would no longer let me redeem my rewards with US dollars or within the US lol. Honestly, it's one thing that nudged me to start thinking more about using a search engine that's not as problematic as Google or Bing.
It was a really good time when the new chromium edge just came out and was a lean, quick and bs-free browser with a few power user features.
Until about maybe six months ago, Edge was great (please ignore the massive amount of data it sends to MS) as a browser. The user experience was top notch.
Some product owner with shit for brains was hired and started cramming Bing and AI nonsense into every corner.
MS needs to ease up, fast.
Not to mention pay later credit card cr@#.
The sad thing is that Edge is actually decent, and Bing is also not terrible... E.g. as an user there is absolutely no reason to use Chrome instead, but Microsoft managed to make it seem so annoying with shit like this.
Really love being free of Windows and this bullshit.
My system76 laptop is in the mail and I'm excited.
I run popOS and it's awesome, it just works.
Yeah, it’s been a breeze since I moved into Apple ecosystem. Nothing really being shoved down your throat feels nice.
So you change from the payed system that advertises but at least still have the option to use other things to the free os/over priced device that doesn't need to advertise since the only option is to use their shit? Really an improvement...
@InternetUser2012 @const_void Haven't had Windows installed since like 2005. Did I miss something?
Outlook the other day insisted it was better opening links in Edge instead of my default browser... Yeah, I shut THAT down...
Tbf, they did recently (I think) implement a feature where Edge would open with the email in a sidebar when opening links from outlook. So at least there’s some point to it.. if that’s a feature anyone actually wants..
I encountered this at work today. I just assumed I couldn't turn it off. Will def be looking for that setting tomorrow.
Outlook devs also doesn't know how the internet works. After all they use word as there email renderimg engine
I don't think I have ever seen that, but that could be because I only use Outlook on my work computer, which runs macOS. It looks like Edge works on macOS, but they don't seem to be pushing it.
Stop trying to make Bing happen. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!
Sweaty desperation by Microsoft
Bing AI is great
I use Bing on the regular for the points but Firefox for everything else.
What are you using instead?
Windows 11 is malware . I’m older than yoda, I used windows all my life. Switched to fucking Mac last year which is shit, but iits not tracking my every move, is arguably not loaded with bloat, and nagging me about my choice of browser.
Apple is still tracking you, they just aren't as donkey-brained as Microsoft.
Yeah, one of things that stood out was how much Apple tries to push signing into account too. And compared to Linux doesn't seem like you can use their App store without logging in on MacOS compared to Linux App Store.
At least I know it’s only Apple tracking me and selling that data to a only handful, premium ad agencies. With Microsoft and Google, I don’t have a faintest idea if any 13 yo bengali kid with fakest company name can bulk purchase my browser history or not.
Richard Stallman, who art the in freedom of software, hallowed be thy name; the kingdom of GNU come; thy will be done; on every machine as it is free.
Give us this day our daily free softwares. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who touches macos. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the scorched land of Microsoft.
For free softwares are the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Anyone else notice the search (in windows 10 at least) suddenly being fucking useless? Used to be able to just type "disk man" and it defaulted to the disk management control panel, now it's defaulting to a Bing search (in edge of course even though Firefox is default browser) for the phrase... Tried it on like 4 computers and only one was even offering the control panel as an option and it wasn't the first one. Same thing with "default apps"...
Really glad I made the jump to Linux when I did, everytime I have to do something out of the usual user use case in windows at work I find myself more and more frustrated and jaded with windows.
I've had issues in the past where the local full text search index was broken and no apps or settings ever came up, so it only offered Bing searches for shit like "control panel".
There's a way to clear it and force it to rebuild, but I'm not so sure this is the same problem that you're describing since you're seeing it on multiple computers at the same time.
It's not sudden, it's been garbage for a while.
Are they begging for another antitrust?
That would require a functional or semi-functional government which we currently do not have.
Edge* is fucking shitty, to boot. It keeps serving my grandma fucking scam ads, how in the ever-loving motherfuck is that a thing in an official Microsoft browser?
Bing sucks. Their customer support is absolutely terrible. They blocked one of my sites and I can never get a response, so I just don’t bother with it (and don’t advertise there)
Looks like Microsoft needs to be reminded about their anti trust case again. some things never change.
Darn, beat me to it today, can I post this tomorrow?
On a more relevant note:
We are aware of these reports and have paused this notification while we investigate and take appropriate action to address this unintended behavior
What is utter bullshit, Alex?
Is the explanation that this is unintended actually better than owning up to it? So some rogue employee can code this up, pass it through localization teams and then on to customers' computers without any oversight? I'm somehow not calmed by that.
If the screenshot in the article is to be believed, it literally has a typo, missing a quote for Don't, which is usually one of the most common ways to spot suspicious activity and malware, and now, as someone working for an MSP, I have to now tell those users who see this that confusingly, yes this was legitimate and it was a Microsoft ad. The font isn't exactly standard either, the buttons look like Arial which also just looks suspicious.
Reminds me of that Facebook class action settlement that was legit, but it looked about as convincing as a ransomware screen
Can they also get google telling me to switch to chrome every time I open an email to become classed as malware
I don't usually defend big corpos but compared to what Microsoft is doing, that small Chrome pop up is super minor
Pushed me to endeavour os
What is
C:\windows\temp? Wasn't LOCALAPPDATA supposed for that?[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
This is getting tiring, not microsoft or Google or apple or any other, its too hard to be private these days, using nextdns, vpn and mull but I still dont feel safe browsing
Yeah, on /r/assholedesign I have seen posts about these popups
Malware characteristics Windows
- Backdoor/Automatic file download/execution ✓
- Logs keys ✓
- Injects into other processes ✗
- Solely designed to only make money ✓
- Prevents removal of itself/parts ✓
- Does not annoy the user ✗
- From an untrusted source ✓
- Closed source ✓
- Sells your data ✓
- Tries to gain control over the 'user' ✓
- Relies on unawareness to exist ✓
- Minimal ✗
- Compatible with many systems ✗
- Basic features do not cost like a new GPU ✗
What else are people expecting from Micro$oft ?
set the edge homepage to google. don't use the widgets. crap news sites mostly
Just... Don't use edge altogether? There are so many browsers with better privacy (librewolf, brave, ungoogled chromium, etc). Any reasons why you want to stick to edge so badly?
Why would you still use Edge, though? It's a slow, bloated and spyware filled browser. Honestly, you're better off with Chrome lol
i don't use it. for when windows opens it trying to shove it in my face. was some msn crap
Showing it to the man! Good job refusing to give into surveillance capitalism by using.. oh, wait..