WOF: Project Spartan, MS Edge, would you use a Microsoft browser again?

Julio Franco

Posts: 9,090   +2,042
Staff member

Before you call us out, because after all you might be using Internet Explorer as you read the headline above, let's not forget IE was at one time the dominant player with over 90% of the browser market, but that was a decade ago.

Browser stats from monitoring firms will place Chrome as the undisputable leader in the desktop market, and looking at TechSpot's audience we found just the same: Chrome is used by 49% of our readers, Firefox sits at 16%, Internet Explorer 9%, Safari 7%. These figures include mobile apps of the respective companies.

Now as we all know Microsoft is hitting the reset button on Windows 10 and will (finally) drop IE in favor of a new lightweight browser called Microsoft Edge. Taking the spartan approach, as once Google did, the new browser is meant to be barebones but extensible, standards compliant, modern, and while at it, leave behind all the dead weight that IE kept carrying for compatibility reasons. Sounds pretty good on paper...

But let's be honest. On one hand, desktops are losing to mobile in terms of overall usage. On the other, most modern browsers work pretty well already, so why switch over? If you can forgive the stereotype, most Chrome users tend to favor the browser because of its speed and seamless updates, except for those who are long time Firefox users and love their add-ons, or don't like Google sniffing around your business. Then there's a much smaller group of users who still use IE, whether it's because they like it, they have to, or don't know any better. And even a smaller group, who prefer Opera or run Safari on a Mac.

We already asked you last month about your browser of choice. Today's question is a very open-ended one... What do you like about your browser? Is that where you spend most of your computing time? What would it take you to switch and, would you use a Microsoft browser again?

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No one can answer this question until it is actually out, anyone who says no at this stage just because it is Microsoft is a fool.

IE is horrible but will wait for Edge to come out in full release before making a decision.
IE hasn't been horrible for a while now it is just really lacking in add-ons that everyone is used to (myself included). Overall it is a quick browser and has been for quite some time but the MS haters automatically dismiss it without ever trying it. I will be giving Edge a try just like I did to all versions of IE since sometimes some pages just don't work the same in all browsers and will display better in certain browsers.
 
I will use it just to be familiar with it when working on other peoples machines, but right now I have no idea if it will become my default browser.
 
I would use it, my main browser is Opera, but sometimes I have to use Chrome for compatibility reasons, I would uninstall Chrome in a heart beat if Edge comes to be a good browser
 
I have internally tested spartan. To me it looks nice but overall it functions the same as Internet explorer 11, which means people still have to use hacks and such to make websites look and act the same as they do on all the others. The thing that made me annoyed was how they did not address having the same web standards as Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

I doubt they will make changes based on what web developers say as they never have in the past given a dam.

So yet again we will be stuck with another browser which has its own rules and individual standards that don't line up with the rest of the world.
 
No one can answer this question until it is actually out, anyone who says no at this stage just because it is Microsoft is a fool.

IE is horrible but will wait for Edge to come out in full release before making a decision.

I agree completely. And for some reason people become fanboys of just one browser. I use Chrome, FireFox, FireFox Developer Edition, and ocasionally Opera. I find that each browser is better for specific purposes
 
Sure, I would use it if there were good reasons to. Each piece of software will ultimately stand the test of time based upon what it actually provides to the end-user. Microsoft can overcome IEs bad reputation if it gives people what they want.
However, I am one of the users who, more than anything use Googles Chrome browser. But I also use FireFox just for variety. The latest version of Chrome, with it's updated Bookmark Manager with auto-folders is looking like a very nice update. So, it's gonna be Chrome at the top for just a little while longer, at least, for me.
 
Never with the ties between microsoft and government being the strongest
 
I use IE because of the consistent implementation of keyboard shortcuts. I have CTS on both hands so I always avoid using mouse as much as possible. Firefox is better than Chrome on keyboard shortcuts but IE is the best.
 
The stats may be a bit distorted since all chromium browsers are recognised as chrome.
 
Unless it has some significant advantages than chrome (good HTML5 support, better notable performance, better development tools...) I would stay on chrome.
 
I use most browsers, my favorite was Opera but after they switched to the Chromium engine no browser feels like my "main" browser anymore.
I'm testing Edge and right now writing this post in it, but it does not support ClearType and thus font rendering looks horrible vs Opera and Firefox.
But a search revealed that this was apparently a design change done for Metro in Win8 and it's thus unlikely to be changed, indeed font rendering looks just as bad in IE11.
And so even though I would normally feel it is too early to say I'm convinced that if MS does not change this I will never start using Edge.
 
I use Chrome on desktop and have an android phone, so use chrome there as well. BUT I am satisfied with neither, but the only reason I stick to them is because of the seamless sync. History, Tabs, Bookmarks, they're ALWAYS ready to go, without exception. I have tried other solutions including firefox on both devices, Xmarks etc, but nothing syncs as reliably, and that is why im stuck with chrome.

Chrome on desktop is meh okayish, but on android, performance is pretty bad, even on a Nexus 5
 
Seeing how in the future Egde will be able to use both Firefox and Chrome add-ons, hell yes I will be using it.
 
I'll probably check it out. But there are certain features I like in my browser. So far Firefox has retained the look and feel I like. Some of these new interfaces I just don't like at all. Also, I figure Microsoft has learned some lessons and I figure it's only fair to give them another chance. For me, the look and feel of the interface is the most important feature, I could care less about milliseconds in speed difference from one browser to another.
 
Chrome has been frustrating lately, I'm definitely looking forward to trying edge as my main browser
 
Microsoft is a big company with lots of great products. But some sound and look really great on paper and turn out to be sub-par.

It's like an olympic runner on the 100m dash: starts really well only to stumble and fall on the last 2 or 3 meters, ending up losing a place on the podium.

I don't think I'll be using MS Edge on a daily basis. I'll give it a try, but that's it.
 
I would switch back to Microsoft if it was reliable. Chrome is just too Snoopy and FireFox always stops running scripts. Beta testing it now on latest Windows 10 build. Crashes often, but seems pretty speedy.
 
Doubtful. I've gotten too used to Chrome and I love it. Maybe I'll switch back to a M$ browser if something unexpected happens with Google or Chrome but I'll never switch back to Firefox, it was a browser I never enjoyed.
Firefox was the first browser I switched to after IE but after a while I switched back again to IE then Chrome touched down and I've never looked back.
 
Like most people here, I can't say if it will be my default browser or not. But I can say I will be trying it when it comes out and I am looking forward to giving it a try.
 
In the Win 10 preview build, Spartan is actually not terrible. I'm so used to Chrome and Firefox that I probably still won't use it regularly, but I won't be cringing and washing my hands after needing to do work on someone else's computer.
 
Edge will be the lightest and faster browser on the market at launch, comparatively with Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Safari. It may not be up to par with Chrome in Standards support, but it's not like the Web is built on the bleeding edge.

Since it will also allow for some 30-60 minutes extra of battery usage on laptops as opposed to Chrome and the hardware acceleration will again be the best out of all browsers, I have high hopes for Edge.

Not to mention add-on support, shared code between desktop and phone and the removal of legacy code.
 
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