Microsoft aren't a company we exactly cover often but it seems fitting to cover it here, especially given their history with Linux. Today they're properly releasing Edge for Linux.
Their browser, now based on the open source Chromium tech, was already available on Linux for a while but this was only in their preview channels but that changes today. On their official Edge blog, they announced that Edge will be launched today via the stable channel making it generally available for Linux. This means Edge will now be supported across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and Linux.
It feels like a pretty big occasion, although not the first official Microsoft application to actually land on Linux, it might end up being the most used since it's a web browser and so much depends on you using one nowadays. Hey, you can even play a ton of AAA games in your browser now too.
Will many traditional Linux users switch? That's not really a needed question and plenty will of course say no but having it available is important. Even though most browsers feel largely the same, having the exact same application across platforms is good so people don't need to re-learn so much and keep their accounts together for bookmarks, passwords and whatever else.
To celebrate, Microsoft added a Tux character to their little surfing game available at the "edge://surf" address in Edge.
You can download from their website or whatever package manager you use.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
The comments on this article are closed.
All posts need to follow our rules. For users logged in: please hit the Report Flag icon on any post that breaks the rules or contains illegal / harmful content. Guest readers can email us for any issues.
So, we're on the second E here now.
I'll stick with non-Chrome as much as I can too.
I'll stick with non-Chrome as much as I can too.
13 Likes, Who?
Oh ffs. Do even windows users use that one? What does the browser stats say?
5 Likes, Who?
Schattenspiegel Nov 2, 2021
funny: .deb and .rpm where everyone else is trying to clutter the SSD with fatpaks and snaps - although this might actually be one application that I would want sandboxed if I were to use it ;-)
Last edited by Schattenspiegel on 2 November 2021 at 3:34 pm UTC
Last edited by Schattenspiegel on 2 November 2021 at 3:34 pm UTC
4 Likes, Who?
Oh ffs. Do even windows users use that one? What does the browser stats say?It's actually more popular than Firefox overall, going by multiple stats websites.
3 Likes, Who?
Schattenspiegel Nov 2, 2021
not popular - people are just to lazy to google chromeOh ffs. Do even windows users use that one? What does the browser stats say?It's actually more popular than Firefox overall, going by multiple stats websites.
9 Likes, Who?
Windows notifications before Edgium: Edge is better than Chrome, Google said so, you should switch, seriously.
Then goes ahead and becomes a skin over Chromium. So desperate, they'd do anything to keep people tied to their microsoft id (instead of google id).
I'm glad they realized they lost this war, and now the poor people that trust microsoft have a working browser. If only they'd realize the same with NT and switch windows's kernel to Linux. Imagine so many people getting fast I/O for once in their life.
Then goes ahead and becomes a skin over Chromium. So desperate, they'd do anything to keep people tied to their microsoft id (instead of google id).
I'm glad they realized they lost this war, and now the poor people that trust microsoft have a working browser. If only they'd realize the same with NT and switch windows's kernel to Linux. Imagine so many people getting fast I/O for once in their life.
1 Likes, Who?
"A browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier"
They said it themselves, they put minimal effort other than reskin chromium, heh heh.
I guess it's useful for developers to have it on Linux for testing web pages, other than that I have no idea.
They said it themselves, they put minimal effort other than reskin chromium, heh heh.
I guess it's useful for developers to have it on Linux for testing web pages, other than that I have no idea.
1 Likes, Who?
Well, the good part for sure is that they feel the need to do this.
9 Likes, Who?
The only reason I can see to using edge over any other Chromium based browser would be if it supported higher quality streaming on the likes of Netflix.
0 Likes
Only reason that I would allow it in my PC alongside with Firefox and Chromium would be to be able to watch Netflix 4K but it's still not happening on Linux. Hence, I'll pass.
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/13444
Edit: Out of curiosity I downloaded and installed Edge to see whether at least 1080p Netflix streaming is available aaaaaand it couldn't play a thing on Netflix. lol Though, it's probably Netflix's end as they are quite strict with browser support, they probably block Edge on Linux due to unknown user agent.
On the other hand, I am able to stream 1080p on Firefox thanks to Netflix 1080p add-on.
https://addons.mozilla.org/tr/firefox/addon/netflix-1080p-firefox/
https://www.netflix.com/watch/80018592
Last edited by rea987 on 2 November 2021 at 4:25 pm UTC
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/13444
Edit: Out of curiosity I downloaded and installed Edge to see whether at least 1080p Netflix streaming is available aaaaaand it couldn't play a thing on Netflix. lol Though, it's probably Netflix's end as they are quite strict with browser support, they probably block Edge on Linux due to unknown user agent.
On the other hand, I am able to stream 1080p on Firefox thanks to Netflix 1080p add-on.
https://addons.mozilla.org/tr/firefox/addon/netflix-1080p-firefox/
https://www.netflix.com/watch/80018592
Last edited by rea987 on 2 November 2021 at 4:25 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
not popular - people are just to lazy to google chrome
I use it on my work laptop (I work at a Windows/.net/Azure shop), and to be honest, everything works just like it does in chrome...no surprise since it's basically chromium with some added MS stuff on top; as far as rendering webpages, watching videos and playing games, it's just like chrome...so no need to switch, at least not for work where I don't do anything personal. I do have chrome to test the occasional bug that I think I'm hitting because edge, but then I see the exact same bug in Chrome.
Would I both installing it on my linux/bsd PCs that already have firefox/chromium? No, there's no point for me. But I don't mind having the option even if i personally don't need it.
2 Likes, Who?
So, we're on the second E here now.
I'll stick with non-Chrome as much as I can too.
That's very optimistic of you. We are over a decade past extinguish, they have such a strong hold on the desktop OS market that they don't even feel threatened by Linux (on the desktop) anymore.
"But it is getting better for us, and there is the Steam Deck" - not better enough to trigger a mass migration anytime soon, and the Deck is a problem only for the X-Box division.
3 Likes, Who?
Yeah right M$nake loves GNU/Linux and Tux is surfing awwww how lovely ... If you love Linux then port & open-source DirectX, Office, Visual Studio as a whole and not just a part of it, don't control github and don't Embrace, Extend, Extinguish again see latest incident https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-repents-of-its-open-source-net-blunder/ Of course EEE is 2nd nature of M$ so they can't do that. Yeah who are we kidding right?
Just avoid M$nake like the plague (it is).
Last edited by sudoer on 2 November 2021 at 4:31 pm UTC
Just avoid M$nake like the plague (it is).
Last edited by sudoer on 2 November 2021 at 4:31 pm UTC
9 Likes, Who?
The only differential that this browser could have for Linux is if that includes the "internet explorer" mode to be compatible with legacy systems. Other than that it's just yet another Chromium spin...
I hope at least they're contributing with something back to the Chromium projects
Last edited by BielFPs on 2 November 2021 at 5:18 pm UTC
I hope at least they're contributing with something back to the Chromium projects
Last edited by BielFPs on 2 November 2021 at 5:18 pm UTC
0 Likes
not popular - people are just toOh ffs. Do even windows users use that one? What does the browser stats say?It's actually more popular than Firefox overall, going by multiple stats websites.lazycompetent to google chrome
[FIXED]
1 Likes, Who?
Edgy.
1 Likes, Who?
I find the comments interesting in that there were a few years when bashing Microsoft had gone out of style, and if anyone started talking smack about M$ other people would immediately come along and say they're not so bad, they've changed, they like Linux now, they're not so dangerous now because they only dominate the desktop and it's on its way out anyway, etc etc. There was a feeling among many that being down on Microsoft was old fashioned political, GPL zealot thinking that was no longer relevant.
Lately I'm seeing a marked return to the old days of seeing Microsoft as the dangerous enemy and nasty monopolist that I personally have considered it all along. I wonder why?
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 2 November 2021 at 5:15 pm UTC
Lately I'm seeing a marked return to the old days of seeing Microsoft as the dangerous enemy and nasty monopolist that I personally have considered it all along. I wonder why?
Last edited by Purple Library Guy on 2 November 2021 at 5:15 pm UTC
4 Likes, Who?
So, we're on the second E here now.
I'll stick with non-Chrome as much as I can too.
i dont think this is possible to do anymore.
microsoft couldnt kill the web nor linux in the past, they could only delay the inevitable.
the web is ubiqutous, and linux is everywhere but the desktop.
the issue is that linux was shrinking on the desktop, as an frog in a boiling pan, but it looks like steamdeck/proton can reverse this trend a bit, if the marketshare dont skyrocket at least it should stabilize.
i dont think its possible to kill the linux desktop
0 Likes
not popular - people are just to lazy to google chromeOh ffs. Do even windows users use that one? What does the browser stats say?It's actually more popular than Firefox overall, going by multiple stats websites.
This.
The general user base on computers barely manage to turn on their PC, let alone know what a browser is and that they can change it to others.
This is why Edge seems popular. It's installed by default so people use it.
Google Chrome got popular with aggressive advertising so that works as well. Firefox doesn't have a default option (aside from Linux distros) and can't do the marketing game (as far as I know, I block ads, so maybe they do a little) and so here we are.
It's only a matter of time and then chromium (i think it's called) engine is the new default and Firefox will start performing worse and worse on websites.
I currently switch between Firefox and Chrome. I wish Firefox could do spell checks in multiple languages at the same time and has tab groups like Chrome, those are so good to have.
1 Likes, Who?
Only reason that I would allow it in my PC alongside with Firefox and Chromium would be to be able to watch Netflix 4K but it's still not happening on Linux. Hence, I'll pass.
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/13444
Edit: Out of curiosity I downloaded and installed Edge to see whether at least 1080p Netflix streaming is available aaaaaand it couldn't play a thing on Netflix. lol Though, it's probably Netflix's end as they are quite strict with browser support, they probably block Edge on Linux due to unknown user agent.
On the other hand, I am able to stream 1080p on Firefox thanks to Netflix 1080p add-on.
https://addons.mozilla.org/tr/firefox/addon/netflix-1080p-firefox/
https://www.netflix.com/watch/80018592
Be the change you want to see, contact Customer Service and ask for 1080p and 4K support in Linux via Edge browser now that it's available. Maybe they'll bump the request up the chain for you.
0 Likes
Patreon
PayPal
See more from me