This Is Spartan, Microsoft's New Browser In Windows 10

[bigpinkdragon286]

If Microsoft didn't include a web browser, the vast majority of users would be unable to obtain a web browser.

This really isn't your complaint, as Apple forces all web browsers to adhere to their own internal web browser engine, yet how many complaints do we get about that?

It's simply the bandwagon of complaints aimed at Microsoft, because it's the popular stance.

I use IE 11 for most of my web browsing. It's fast, stable, and on a modern PC, any difference in speed from Firefox or Chrome is pretty much something you would have to measure with benchmarking software. On the other hand, I don't get an update for it every week, since it's not a toy Microsoft needs to fiddle with. It's a reasonably stable piece of software that I can count on being pretty much the same for months at a time without interface or feature changes that could possible screw something up.

If the people whining about web browser compatibility are really upset about trying to program for a moving target, they are in the wrong field. Until there is no need for new standards, and what we have is able to do all we need, working in a changing landscape isn't likely to change. This isn't Microsoft's fault.

 

[RedJaron]

If Microsoft didn't include a web browser, the vast majority of users would be unable to obtain a web browser.
...
On the other hand, I don't get an update for it every week, since it's not a toy Microsoft needs to fiddle with. It's a reasonably stable piece of software that I can count on being pretty much the same for months at a time without interface or feature changes that could possible screw something up.

I think he's talking about including IE as an optional install, but not having it act as the file explorer/browser too.

But yes, this second point is very true. Chrome compatibility and support is a frequent battle at my work since it's always being updated in the background. Something that works one week is suddenly breaking the next, then we have to track down which older versions do work so our customers can still use our software while working to update it to work with the newest revision. We don't have to worry about that with IE nearly as much, which is rather nice.

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

Well, in my experience with the modern Microsoft operating systems, IE is not performing the job of the file explorer at all. I see it as the file explorer being able to tap into some of the abilities you might associate with the web browser. I have found it rather handy to be able to perform FTP tasks from within Windows Explorer without having to use a web browser, but maybe other folks would like to go back to yesteryear where you had to buy or find freeware equivalents to good FTP software, or other extra utilities? I don't mind the extra functionality being built into my OS, but rather like it. It decreases the amount of support I have to perform in the long run.

 

[Kruegmeister]

The Project Spartan Graphic gave me a Flashback to the Blue Screen of Death... LOL.
Anything would be better than the Joke of a Browser in Windows 8...
In Fact anything would be better than Windows 8, instead of fixing the Awful User Interface, lets just force Touch Screens on everyone... You lost the Phone war because you refused to make a separate interface for the Device, now your doing it again. Too frickin Lazy to write interfaces that fit the device...

 

[stevejnb]

"You lost the Phone war because you refused to make a separate interface for the Device"

Never found the big button that said "Desktop" on it, eh? I figured after 2 some years there even the most novice computer users would have managed to accidentally click on it and discovered the separate interface in the OS. Guess that was too much to hope for...

Speaking of separate interfaces that MS hasn't made... I'm going to venture a guess you've never seen a Windows Phone before?

MS is losing the phone war and made a relatively unpopular Windows 8 for a number of reasons which are all on their plate. "Not making a separate interface" is utter BS though. At the moment, they have three interfaces running across two platforms.

 

[Kruegmeister]

"You lost the Phone war because you refused to make a separate interface for the Device"

Never found the big button that said "Desktop" on it, eh? I figured after 2 some years there even the most novice computer users would have managed to accidentally click on it and discovered the separate interface in the OS. Guess that was too much to hope for...

Speaking of separate interfaces that MS hasn't made... I'm going to venture a guess you've never seen a Windows Phone before?

MS is losing the phone war and made a relatively unpopular Windows 8 for a number of reasons which are all on their plate. "Not making a separate interface" is utter BS though. At the moment, they have three interfaces running across two platforms.

Of course I found the button & ClassicShell as well.
But defending it is not a valid answer, because I have never heard anyone I setup with a new laptop say "Hey I Like the Return of 16 colors and a all lack of icon organization" it's just not a graceful interface for a mouse. Period. Additions of the X to close User settings etc is a start with the recent updates... Bring Back Microsoft Bob... LOL

 

[Miau Frito]

"Only browser with built-in note-taking..." BULLSHIT, go download Maxthon

 

[Madmaxneo]

I use Chrome now full time. I only had a problem when I first started using like a little over 2 years ago. I used IE for a few months and tried Chrome again and it has worked great ever since. I have never had the problems others report, so it may be in the settings or something they tweaked. I like how I can use Chrome on any computer just by logging and it saves all the data I need across all their apps (calender, contact info, etc) which is extremely helpful. I agree that the privacy thing can be a little upsetting but so far I haven't had any problems with that. I like windows, it is my favorite OS. But there is one thing I dislike very much about windows 8 is that you have to log in every time you restart at the very least. If IE implements all the syncing services like Google does then I will have to log in every time. Which can be really annoying especially if your in a hurry and just need to check something, but more so annoying if you have loads of passwords to remember and keep forgetting certain ones. The only options are to use a fewer passwords in multiple applications or have more basic easier to learn passwords, which are security risks all their own.

 

[RedJaron]

I use Chrome now full time. I only had a problem when I first started using like a little over 2 years ago. I used IE for a few months and tried Chrome again and it has worked great ever since. I have never had the problems others report, so it may be in the settings or something they tweaked. I like how I can use Chrome on any computer just by logging and it saves all the data I need across all their apps (calender, contact info, etc) which is extremely helpful. I agree that the privacy thing can be a little upsetting but so far I haven't had any problems with that. I like windows, it is my favorite OS. But there is one thing I dislike very much about windows 8 is that you have to log in every time you restart at the very least. If IE implements all the syncing services like Google does then I will have to log in every time. Which can be really annoying especially if your in a hurry and just need to check something, but more so annoying if you have loads of passwords to remember and keep forgetting certain ones. The only options are to use a fewer passwords in multiple applications or have more basic easier to learn passwords, which are security risks all their own.

You talking about logging into Windows itself, or logging into your MS account when you open IE? If you're on Win8, you can link your local computer computer account to your MS account so when you open IE it automatically logs you in there too. I've got Win 8.1 on both my desktop and my 2-in-1 and when I open a new tab I get a drop down that lets me look at the last tabs open on either device. That goes into the whole privacy thing that a lot of people complain about Chrome, but it is an option, and one that isn't hard to use.

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

"Hey I Like the Return of 16 colors and a all lack of icon organization"

Anybody who remembers and has a modicum of understanding of what you mean by the return of 16 colors is going to have a long enough history with computers that I doubt they will be having you perform their setup for them.

I really think the complaints about Windows 8 are to the point of nit picking the arbitrary, as there's very little that's actually wrong with the OS. If you want to point out some actual flaws with the OS, or areas where Windows 7 is actually more efficient, faster, or in some way better than 8, I'm all ears, but otherwise, all I hear are opinions about it's styling, which everybody can have and nobody needs to agree on.

For all the smarty pants computer types, why hasn't anybody just made a new shell yet? Can nobody wrap their head around replacing Explorer.exe and just having whichever interface they like? Are all the smart people who have so much time to complain about what's wrong, really that incapable of offering a proper solution? Yes, I'm sure there could be security issues, but I'm not really too concerned with the folks who are putting form over function here.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

"Hey I Like the Return of 16 colors and a all lack of icon organization"

Anybody who remembers and has a modicum of understanding of what you mean by the return of 16 colors is going to have a long enough history with computers that I doubt they will be having you perform their setup for them.

I really think the complaints about Windows 8 are to the point of nit picking the arbitrary, as there's very little that's actually wrong with the OS. If you want to point out some actual flaws with the OS, or areas where Windows 7 is actually more efficient, faster, or in some way better than 8, I'm all ears, but otherwise, all I hear are opinions about it's styling, which everybody can have and nobody needs to agree on.

For all the smarty pants computer types, why hasn't anybody just made a new shell yet? Can nobody wrap their head around replacing Explorer.exe and just having whichever interface they like? Are all the smart people who have so much time to complain about what's wrong, really that incapable of offering a proper solution? Yes, I'm sure there could be security issues, but I'm not really too concerned with the folks who are putting form over function here.

Yes everyone whines about the interface. I don't like it personally but there are other reasons I did not like it, the main one was the terrible issue of the wireless Internet connection dropping every 5 minutes. It was horrible, constantly saying I had "limited" Internet, and after 5 minutes showing I have no connection. Thankfully they fixed this in Windows 10. And I am not the only one who had this issue in Windows 8, tons of people did, and Microsoft did nothing about it.

 

[Madmaxneo]

Never have that problem on my end on my windows 8 devices, haven't had any real problems with my windows 8 devices. My only real gripe after I got used to the OS was the fact I have to log in every time I restarted the computer. I essentially figured out a way around that except every once in a while I still have to enter my password.

To be honest though none of anything anyone is mentioning is as bad as the issues I had with windows 98se. How I hated that OS. I even preferred ME over 98se (and that's saying something). Because I figured out how to get ME up and running smoothly and didn't have one bsod with ME after that. 98 was a different story, BSOD's everyday, sometimes more than once a day. Windows 7 was awesome and so far I am ok with Windows 8, the user interface is a little annoying but I can deal with it.

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

I hated Windows 98 SE also. Loved Millennium Edition. The only issues I ever saw with Me were from bad drivers, which usually meant people were using hardware that wasn't really all that well suited to be running with Me's improved driver model, which was the last piece needed to be implemented to get consumers over to the Windows 2000 line. Once you got past that, it ran circles around 98 SE.

As for the disconnect issues with the wireless internet in Windows 8, I bet that too is driver issues, or perhaps bad hardware. I see way too many variables to flat out blame wireless issues on Windows. You're not just dealing with Windows interfacing to a piece of hardware at this point, you're dealing with a lot of flaky wireless access points.

 

[Madmaxneo]

I think I remember something about driver issues with ME but I don't think that was my issue. In fact I remember going through Compaq tech support to try and resolve my issues and they were dumbfounded as to what to do and asked me to call them back if I was able to figure it out. I resolved the issue myself and called them back to let them know. If I remember correctly it had something to do with the system health software built into ME. At least that is what I manipulated to get it working great.

If you read Maximum PC one of the past editors Gordon (something or other) made a comment about the gripes people had with Windows 8. He stated that once he got used to the OS it grew on him and he was starting to prefer it to windows 7. This was a couple of years ago and before 8.1 came out.

 

[turkey3_scratch]

I hated Windows 98 SE also. Loved Millennium Edition. The only issues I ever saw with Me were from bad drivers, which usually meant people were using hardware that wasn't really all that well suited to be running with Me's improved driver model, which was the last piece needed to be implemented to get consumers over to the Windows 2000 line. Once you got past that, it ran circles around 98 SE.

As for the disconnect issues with the wireless internet in Windows 8, I bet that too is driver issues, or perhaps bad hardware. I see way too many variables to flat out blame wireless issues on Windows. You're not just dealing with Windows interfacing to a piece of hardware at this point, you're dealing with a lot of flaky wireless access points.

Well considering I have relatives with the same problem, and both Linux and Windows 10 work on the same adapter with the same driver, I think it's Win 8 related.

 

[Madmaxneo]

Well considering I have relatives with the same problem, and both Linux and Windows 10 work on the same adapter with the same driver, I think it's Win 8 related.

This is the first time I have heard of this issue. In fact most of what I hear is others connect just fine to their wireless network with windows 8 no problem. I know I have never had a problem. What type of adapter are you using?

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

I've had problems with wireless devices too, so it must be whatever version of Windows I was running at the time. 🙂

All joking aside, it very well could be Windows 8 related, in that, whatever combination of equipment and drivers you have, or perhaps other software, just isn't well suited to be used with Windows 8. Windows 10 could be using a different driver, running with a restricted driver feature set, could be running the same driver in a compatibility mode, etc., and I would say the same for Linux. Different code to get the job done, and I'm not talking about the OS code.