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Google Detects Edge Users Visiting Its Sites, Urges Them to Switch to Chrome (mspoweruser.com) 84

Posted by EditorDavid from the living-on-the-Edge dept.
In Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge browser, Chrome's extensions "work as good as they work on Chrome browsers," argues the MS Power User blog.

But guess what happens when you use Edge to visit Chrome's "Web Store" for downloading extensions? According to Google, internet users should use Google Chrome instead of Microsoft Edge if they want to use browser extensions securely. On visiting the Chrome web store on Microsoft Edge, you'll be displayed a banner with a yellow background color saying "Google recommends switching to Chrome to use extensions securely" at the top of the page.
A later article points out that Opera visitors don't receive that same warning -- and that's just the beginning: While Google doesn't show anything on Opera or Chrome, when you access Google.com, Drive and Docs on Edge, the websites show a pop-up asking you to switch to Chrome... Google went as far as saying Chrome helps you hide ads and protect from malware...

[W]e can't really blame them for doing it. Google and Microsoft have a history of fighting over their own software. Microsoft has pushed users towards Edge on Windows 10 in the past and in a way Google seems to be returning the favour
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Google Detects Edge Users Visiting Its Sites, Urges Them to Switch to Chrome More

Google Detects Edge Users Visiting Its Sites, Urges Them to Switch to Chrome

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  • All users (Score:3, Informative)

    by phantomfive ( 622387 ) on Sunday February 23, 2020 @07:11PM (#59758494) Journal
    For a while they were harassing ALL users of other browsers to download Chrome. How do you think Chrome got popular? All that free advertising.

    • Ad network advertises its own web browser. Film at 11.

    • Not just browsers; I'm continually pestered to download Chrome when using the Gmail app on iOS despite repeatedly checking the do-not-remind-me box.
    • The relatively small number of complaints about the patch failure suggests the installation errors are not widespread. Still, the severity of the flaw it fixes means systems that can't update are at risk of being hacked. In order to come out of a condition blackout to this extent, you need a reset Windows 10 password [productkeysdl.com] to help you re-access your Windows 10 admin account
  • The privacy rapists [slashdot.org](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Privacy%20Rapist) known as Google/Alphabet are simply trying to expand their user base.

  • MS just as guilty with GitHub. (Score:3)

    by ArghBlarg ( 79067 ) on Sunday February 23, 2020 @07:29PM (#59758560) Homepage

    GitHub has been bugging me for using Vivaldi the past two months or so; though nothing is broken it wants me to install Chrome (Vivaldi is based on Chrome ya dumbasses).

    • Github has been terrible for complaining about anything other than mainstream Firefox and Chrome for ages, even IOS Safari was for a long time "out of date" and thus not supported even when kept up to date, so its not as if the MS acquisition suddenly brought that in.

    • Vivaldi is owned by a shady Chinese company whose latest venture is providing high interest payday loans. I'd also recommend you switch.

    • youtube went for a whitelist too, you use any alternative browsers and it will show a textbox saying "we will stop supporting your browser soon" . what is soon? what browser they will support? who the f knows since they don't tell it. all they have done is have disabled the live stream chat boxes on a bunch of alternative browsers just for the fun of disabling it.

    • I believe Vivaldi is based on Chromium like Chrome is.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      You should beef up your security and install an ad blocker. uBlock Origin with the Easylist annoyances filter will get rid of that nonsense for you.

  • When I set up my first web server at home, I had a quick script that would detect IE users, and redirect them to http://getfirefox.com/ [getfirefox.com]

    I stand by that decision to this day.

    As far as chrome and "chrome clones" like edge, meh. I need to find an easy way to monetize them if they visit my server.

    • How many real users visited your home web server every year? 2? 3? No one cares what you do at home. You're not a 1.4 trillion dollar corporation with its fingers in everything and data on everyone.
      I think a lot of people will be shocked when it finally comes out just how much they have and how creepily detailed it is. On everyone.

  • ...and less time advertising. I'd love to have extensions on my mobile browser. I'd be happier if Google didn't deprecate cool features they tease users with instead of fixing (Tab Freeze)

    • Google is an advertisement company. The whole point of Chrome is to track you and sell targeted ads, while also preventing others from doing the same awful crap. That's why Google spear headed https in order to prevent competitors like Verizon from injecting their own ads into websites.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by AHuxley ( 892839 )
      Its an ad company. Ads is all they can do. Tracking.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by chrish ( 4714 )

      If you want extensions on your mobile browser, use an Android device and install Firefox. It uses the same extensions as the desktop version.

      Browsing on mobile is still garbage due to the tiny screen and clumsy touch controls, but at least it doesn't waste my time/data downloading ads and the associated malware.

  • I have no problem calling out a defacto search monopoly leveraging its monopoly position in order to pursuit a browser monopoly.

    • How would you break up Google? All their technology is built around gathering data to sell "advanced" targeted ads.
      Gmail, Android, Google Search, aren't profitable without the advertising element.
      Don't like Google? Don't use their stuff.

      • Re:I would support legislation breaking up Google (Score:5, Insightful)

        by WaffleMonster ( 969671 ) on Sunday February 23, 2020 @08:59PM (#59758806)

        How would you break up Google? All their technology is built around gathering data to sell "advanced" targeted ads.

        Gmail, Android, Google Search, aren't profitable without the advertising element.

        Turn Google back into a search engine.

        Doubleclick was a separate company before Google purchased it for three billion dollars.

        Hotmail predates Gmail and was free even before Microsoft purchased it for half a billion dollars.

        Youtube was also free before Google purchased it for about one and a half billion dollars.

        Webkit was free open source before Chrome ever existed and Android is an open source project which has always depended heavily on Linux/OSS.

        Asserting these things can't profit and exist on their own goes against prior history of them or functionally similar things existing on their own.

        Don't like Google? Don't use their stuff.

        The problem with monopolies is the damaged caused to society as a consequence of failure of competitive markets. I believe government has a role to limit damage to current and especially adjacent markets caused by monopoly leveraging itself in ways nobody else can. For example attempts at vertical integration as force multiplier to further domination and drive out competition. Ultimately the point of anti-trust is to give people a viable alternative to chose something else.

        Right now if I want to be seen online I can't chose to avoid Google. That isn't right or fair or necessary. Capitalism requires competition to function properly not one company winning everything by default and being allowed to leverage itself in a bid to win everything else.

        • It's also worth noting that Google pre-emptively broke themselves up into Alphabet during their reverse merger restructuring shell game. It's just an on paper break up...

        • > Youtube was also free before Google purchased it for about one and a half billion dollars.
          >
          >Asserting these things can't profit and exist on their own goes against prior history of them or functionally similar things existing on their own.

          YouTube's business plan was:
          1. Buy all the hard drives and transit with VC money.
          2. ?
          3. Sell the company to a big buyer.

          They never made a profit, much less break-even.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by geekoid ( 135745 )

      126 million unique US users performed 6 billion searches on the Bing network in March 2019.

      36% of people who do searches use Bing.

      But sure, google has some monopoly and is some how levering it to force people to use there search. Whatever justifies your pointless hate, I suppose.

      • 36% of people who do searches use Bing.

        Bing has low single digit market share in the 2-3% range.

        But sure, google has some monopoly and is some how levering it to force people to use there search.

        No, this was not my argument. My argument is they are leveraging their monopoly search position to unfairly seek monopolies in other areas.

        Whatever justifies your pointless hate, I suppose.

        This is a little much.

  • Just Edge? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by fahrbot-bot ( 874524 ) on Sunday February 23, 2020 @08:07PM (#59758672)
    I'm pretty sure I've seen messages like that on Google's home page while using Firefox.

  • Since Edge is really Chromium anyway, they should just report that when going to the Google Chrome extension store.

    I've been using Edge Chromium on my sole Windows VM and with uBlock Origin and Privacy Badger from the chrome extension store, it works quite well for what little I need to use it for. In fact for friends and family that need Windows set up for them, I don't bother installing Chrome anymore. One less thing to mess with with. I do still recommend Firefox, but honestly, if you're going to run

  • Anything that gets the unwashed masses to dump Microsoft's browser gets a check mark in the "good" column from me.
    • Especially after Microsoft pulled the same tactics [zdnet.com] with Firefox.

      • Especially after Microsoft pulled the same tactics with Firefox.

        What Microsoft did was bad. Repeating the same mistakes feels like good revenge, but I'd rather have an open market in browsers for the future rather than revenge on an old foe.

  • as the saying goes (Score:3)

    by jmccue ( 834797 ) on Sunday February 23, 2020 @09:36PM (#59758914) Homepage

    enemy of my enemy is my ????

    I do not know how to finish. Microsoft/Google, Google/Microsoft, Microsoft/Google

    Well MS, see the chickens coming home to roost ? Pot calling the Kettle ? From the pot to the fire ?

    Do not know what to think, so grabbing popcorn

  • This is a fantastic advertising warning to use NEITHER Chrome nor Edge because apparently neither is worth a shit. Edge because it does not block Google advertising by default, and Chrome because, well, it is evil incarnate from the maker of evil incarnate.

    I use FireFox and have all methods of arbitrary code execution disabled so I will not suffer from this problem.

  • How will this work when we get away from user agent strings [zdnet.com]?

    • Re:How will this work (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Opportunist ( 166417 ) on Monday February 24, 2020 @06:15AM (#59759940)

      Agent Strings are way easier to forge than API answers, that's your reason here. It's fairly trivial, for plugin or proxy, to rewrite the request to make it look like yes, I'm using your favorite browser to go to your site, no need to nag me or to even disallow me entrance, and it's trivial to configure the browser to pretend whatever you want it to.

      It's not as trivial to do with "client hints". Since you don't just send your browser identification but it's more a challenge/response system, it's far easier for the user to overlook something that isn't requested often, leading to those that implement the standard (and can include some fields that are not quite part of the standard if requested creatively) being able to include new ways to avoid being tricked into believing that you're already using the "good" browser they want you to use.

      It is going to get harder to tell the webpage that it should STFU about "please use my favorite browser". Instead of simply setting a UAS and be done, it turns into a whack-a-mole game that eventually people won't want to play and simply surrender to using the "preferred" browser.

  • >[W]e can't really blame them for doing it."

    Yes we can. It is dirty pool. Not that it matters that much, since Chrome, Edge, Opera, Vivaldi (and all other multi-platform browsers that are not Firefox) are all just chrom*, anyway. Plus, in this case, it is huge monster vs. huge monster.

    But it reminds me of the same crap Google did for YEARS on their search page- harassing Firefox users to switch to Chrome. And it worked. And that was huge monster vs. small non-profit.

    >"Microsoft has pushed users t

  • We are through the looking glass people. (Score:3)

    by sg_oneill ( 159032 ) on Monday February 24, 2020 @12:36AM (#59759250)

    Bizzaro superman #1!!!

    Its a really strange world to live in right now where I feel inclined to defend Microsoft from Google on account of my strong disdain for monopolistic behavior. Who'd have guessed this a decade ago? But perhaps that historical perspective helps here.....

    Google is doing *exactly* what Microsoft did to Netscape 20 odd years ago. Trying to double down on its browser monopoly and kill off the competition. On one hand, hey Microsoft, don't feel so good to be on the other side of this huh? Buuuut on the other hand, a principle is a principle and principles are just mental prejudices if you don't apply them equally. Google should take heed that this behavior almost killed Microsoft at the hands of an avenging Justice department and European Union. If it wasn't for George Bush Jrs intervention, the Justice Department where going to split Microsoft in half into separate OS and Software companies, for better or for worse. Theres no reason to think with a President that seems to *really* dislike Silicon Valley that danger doesn't still lurk , for Google.

    I can see microsofts play here. Googles control over Chromes direction gives it ultimately control over the web. And with this weird push into html/js everything that the industry seems to be pursuing, including Microsoft, thats a danger for windows. So it wants to take a crack at wrestling chrome from Google. Personally I'd have stuck with that older Edge engine. That thing was fast as hell , something chrome can't claim anymore. But microsoft *wants* that engine, and it wants google not to be the sole boss of it anymore.

    But google aren't going to play nicely on this one..... I do wonder how the regulators are going to view all this..

  • Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday February 24, 2020 @01:06AM (#59759330)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • If you are the market leader but your browser deliberately breaks standards to ensure that web designers have to go out of their way to either cater to your browser or be compatible with the standard, you're the asshole here.

      This is the IE6 mess all over again.

  • Shades of the Digital Research/Microsoft battle... (Score:3)

    by rnturn ( 11092 ) on Monday February 24, 2020 @01:45AM (#59759438)

    ... back in the '90s.

    Google's doing everything they can to be the biggest bunch of jackasses in the industry.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by geekoid ( 135745 )

      Oh? Google is tying it's browser into the API of an OS and then not allowing people to remove it?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Pieroxy ( 222434 )

        You can freely access Apple's websites and services with firefox or chrome without being bothered to buy a Mac.

  • Google took a page out of the playbook of Microsoft, remember when IE was popular? But Microsoft was forcing installs which is much worse

  • MS did the same when IE was the leading browser, tried surfing a MS page in the late 90s or early 2000. With a hint of luck you even got what you wanted with a hint that "it would look so much better with IE", more often than not, though, you got the "switch to IE if you want anything from us, our page won't work with your browser" message, at least 'til you made your browser identify as IE, which miraculously allowed the page to work.

  • add ons (Score:2)

    by sad_ ( 7868 )

    i expect the add-ons warning to be something legal based, in case somebody gets 'hacked' and it gets traced back to an add-on they can point to the fact that they were using it with an authorized browser.

  • Is Google openly advertising that chromium web extensions have a faulty API that presents weaknesses when not used in their special implementation of chromium? Maybe the process should be opened up further. Perhaps Google should give up more control of the process.

    • It's probably more that Google has mechanisms in place to remove malicious extensions from a Chrome user's browser once they're identified, mechanisms that Edge may not have.

  • I am so happy Edge is turning into a decent browser. I am so over the Google 'honeymoon'. I am doing everything possible at a personal and company level to get away from Google products and software.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by geekoid ( 135745 )

      MS is far worse with your data the Google has ever been.
      Use what you want, but don't be delusional.

    • Since the new Microsoft Edge is derived from Chrome (which is derived from Safari, which is derived from KHTML), it means you must be installing Firefox on all computers at work.

  • Google at one time was about do no evil. That was esp. true against Microsoft. Now, Google IS Microsoft clone.
    Sad.

  • According to Google, internet users should use Google Chrome instead of Microsoft Edge

    alternatively:

    According to Microsoft , internet users should use Microsoft Edge instead of Google Chrome.

    What a non-story.

  • There's only three ways to escape the madness of both Google and Microsoft.

    The first is macOS, the second is Linux, the third is *BSD.

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