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.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Quoting: wytrabbitQuoting: rea987Only 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.
Well, I'll act both spoiled and responsible here.
Spoiled: I don't require higher than 1080p Netflix on my 15" laptop that Firefox can provide thanks to the aforementioned add-on. For TV, I have my 4K 50" Android TV that can handle pretty much anything regardless. :-)
Responsible: As a loyal Firefox advocate, I rather prefer Netflix to keep considering Firefox as an officially supported browser on Linux. Having Microsoft made Edge may or may not change their mind.
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/23742
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ElectricPrism Nov 2, 2021
As a webdev who suffered over a decade at poorly made Microsoft Browsers, they earned this.
Last edited by ElectricPrism on 2 November 2021 at 7:52 pm UTC
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Quoting: Purple Library GuyLately 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?
Because you were right all along.
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heidi.wenger Nov 2, 2021
Quoting: Sojiro84Quoting: SchattenspiegelQuoting: Liam Dawenot popular - people are just to lazy to google chromeQuoting: BeamboomOh 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 so much. Puts in the perspective why it is nothing short from out right crazy to assume that making say an AppImage executable before you can run it, is SO EASY in general!
If a single click won't do it in the "AppStore" (that's clearly indicated as such in Linux distro), the hands are already up and head spinning. This issue has to be solved and we the so called power users don't have to touch this solution and can keep on typing like crazy to our terminals even while asleep you know ....
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Quoting: Sojiro84and has tab groups like Chrome, those are so good to have.
The "Simple Tab Groups" addon for Firefox is 100 times better. I don't know how I can live without this addon.
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I use Edge at work for our intranet. It requires credentials to view pages and Edge can access the Windows "keyring" (don't know the Windows term) for my login. Saves me from having to login endlessly.
That said, if it's a chrome clone, like opera, I don't really have a use for it on Linux. Firefox and Chromium are just fine for me.
Ironically, our IT people tell us to use Firefox or Chrome at work when going onto the internet. They are an older bunch, so they might have IE PTSD.
That said, if it's a chrome clone, like opera, I don't really have a use for it on Linux. Firefox and Chromium are just fine for me.
Ironically, our IT people tell us to use Firefox or Chrome at work when going onto the internet. They are an older bunch, so they might have IE PTSD.
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Quoting: GuestQuoting: ShabbyXI'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 LinuxThey didn't make edge chromium based because they thought chromium was better. They were "forced" to because google was changing how youtube displays videos, which broke hardware decoding.
I can't find anything on this specifically but I'm guessing you are talking about the youtube switch to vp9 from avc. If so I will say, a website using free codecs that are part of the w3c standard instead of patented ones that aren't is a good thing always.
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Quoting: natis1Quoting: GuestQuoting: ShabbyXI'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 LinuxThey didn't make edge chromium based because they thought chromium was better. They were "forced" to because google was changing how youtube displays videos, which broke hardware decoding.
I can't find anything on this specifically but I'm guessing you are talking about the youtube switch to vp9 from avc. If so I will say, a website using free codecs that are part of the w3c standard instead of patented ones that aren't is a good thing always.
This, and also, edge was just garbage with video anyway. For example, you couldn't do video calls in facebook with it. My aunt who like most people have always gone with windows default even installed Chrome because of that. So obviously Edge just didn't cut it and they were losing users, so microsoft decided to do the easy thing and rebrand an open source browser.
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Quoting: Liam DaweQuoting: BeamboomOh 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.
Many Corporations force the use of MS Tech on business PCs and Notebooks. Not everyone has a choice...
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