Talk about it the techniques of those from Redmond with Microsoft Edge, bad techniquesI mean, it puts you in a kind of time loop similar to the one suffered by Bill Murray in “Groundhog Day” (aka “The Groundhog Day Movie”). A loop that causes boredom and a certain anger, because as I am tired of repeating on other occasions, Edge is a good browser, a good job that does not deserve to earn the rejection of users because of the then more than criticized policy of Microsoft. trying to force it on Windows users.

Over the years, we’ve seen how Microsoft has resorted to an endless list of tactics to keep users on Edgeoften at the cost of freedom of choice and user experience. From preventing other browsers from being set as the default in Windows 11 to pop-up messages that discourage Chrome downloads, Edge’s history is marked by strategies that hardly go unnoticed. Some of these methods were particularly invasive, such as automatically importing data from other browsers, persuasive messages when trying to switch browsers, or deciding to open links from services like Outlook or Teams exclusively in Edge, regardless of the default browser. Each of these movements eroded user confidence while the browser accumulated a history of controversy.

Now, in a new twist, Edge stands out again, unfortunately, in this sense with the latest update that the browser presents when opening a popup suggesting to import data from Chrome to “enhance your browsing experience”. This option appears as the default, making it easy for Chrome to transfer data without the user fully realizing it. This measure has been criticized by experts and users who believe that Microsoft is once again overstepping the boundaries of privacy and respect for the preferences of its users.

Although Microsoft defends these initiatives by arguing that they offer a more integrated browsing experience, the underlying problem remains the same: insisting on keeping users in their ecosystem even when they have preferred other alternatives. With each new attempt at aggressive promotion, Edge loses acceptance points, ceases to be valued for its technical merits, and is instead seen as the browser of choice rather than the one of choice.

For many users, the constant recommendations and lack of consideration of their preferences creates an adverse reaction to Edge. In an ecosystem where freedom of choice is fundamental, perception is key. And unfortunately, Microsoft seems to be giving up on its insistence tarnishing what could be a more genuine browser adoption which in other circumstances might actually be appreciated.

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