Microsoft Is Going Ahead And Rebuilding Edge Browser Atop Chromium

[pegasus]

That is great news!!! Less choice!!!

In secret it's all just a MS plot to get linux people to support MS in their diversity

[jpg44]

If nothing else, this is a resounding affirmation of Mozilla's webextension strategy. Without it, Fx would have been certainly doomed to the dustbin of history. Does this mean that Fx will eventually adopt the chromium engine? Who knows - but I agree with SvenK we need a variety of browser engines. It isn't a good idea to have everything based upon chromium.

Its not like chromium is a closed source engine that can be controlled by one company. There is always a chance to patch it if you need some added feature.

Also, regarding the comments that many browsers being based on Chromium/Blink would take away choice, this is really not the case, thats because these browsers can implement their own features when they use chromium but dont have to rewrite a whole rendering engine, they can focus on implementing their GUI features and only use Chromium for rendering the pages, plus they have access to the Chromium source so they can contribute patches or patch it themselves if they need to make a modification. The fact is that Blink/Chromium increases choice because the browser developer can focus on making their GUI elements rather than having to do all of their own web page rendering, whcih would be such a big job these days its too much for one person or a small project to take on anyway.

[Mavman]

The SJWs at Mozilla would fire you for saying that.

shhhhhhhhh! Don't say that outloud... it might give Brendan Eich nightmares again...

[Mavman]

In secret it's all just a MS plot to get linux people to support MS in their diversity

You're probably right ahaha

[vegabook]

Mozilla: The last man standing

poetically-ish, he was also the first man standing.

[TemplarGR]

The SJWs at Mozilla would fire you for saying that.

Yeah. Let's call it the last person standing. Don't be sexist

[UseLinuxNotWindows]

Am I alone in thinking this might just be another example of Embrace, Extend, Extinguish?

At the moment, Google Chrome is technically superior to Microsoft Edge (OK up for debate but Chrome is certainly more popular) and of course the Chromium engine is open source. If Microsoft uses the Chromium Engine as Edge New Technology (or whatever they end up calling it), they can take back the share of browser usage from Google and make sure more people use Bing, Outlook Mail, Office 365 and claw back from Google's dominance. They could then claim that Chome cannot possible be faster since Edge has the same internals (so no reason to switch).

Isn't what this is really about? Making sure everybody is focussed on Microsoft and Microsoft Products again?

[Templar82]

They could then claim that Chome cannot possible be faster since Edge has the same internals (so no reason to switch).

I'm sure that's it 100%
"Please use our spying service not google's"

[edwaleni]

Google Chrome			65.98%
Mozilla Firefox			11.87%
Internet Explorer			7.28%
Safari			5.87%
Microsoft Edge			4.11%
Opera			2.35%
UC Browser			0.87%
Yandex Browser			0.52%
Cốc Cốc			0.22%
QQ Browser			0.2%
Chromium			0.13%
Sogou Explorer			0.12%
Maxthon			0.12%
PhantomJS			0.06%
360 Secure Browser			0.06%
Pale Moon			0.04%
Vivaldi			0.04%
Mozilla Suite			0.03%
SeaMonkey			0.03%
Amigo			0.02%
Naver Whale			0.01%
Other			0.05%

[gbcox]

Its not like chromium is a closed source engine that can be controlled by one company. There is always a chance to patch it if you need some added feature.

Also, regarding the comments that many browsers being based on Chromium/Blink would take away choice, this is really not the case, thats because these browsers can implement their own features when they use chromium but dont have to rewrite a whole rendering engine, they can focus on implementing their GUI features and only use Chromium for rendering the pages, plus they have access to the Chromium source so they can contribute patches or patch it themselves if they need to make a modification. The fact is that Blink/Chromium increases choice because the browser developer can focus on making their GUI elements rather than having to do all of their own web page rendering, whcih would be such a big job these days its too much for one person or a small project to take on anyway.

Chromium is an open source engine that IS CONTROLLED BY ONE COMPANY. Just because something is open source doesn't mean the sponsoring company loses control - it just means that people are free to fork if they wish. You're conflating terms. As far a company implementing their own features, that can of course be done to a degree - if it fits into the chromium paradigm - but if they start patching, changing code, etc. then they run the risk of breaking compatibility - which would defeat the stated purpose of using Chromium in the first place - so that makes no sense.

If everyone is using Chromium then Google is defacto setting the direction of the web - and I believe that lack of competition and choice is not a good thing. Now as it stands if a dangerous vulnerability is detected in Chromium, people have the choice of using Fx. If everything is based on the same engine, that choice is gone.