Microsoft Edge coming to Windows 7 and 8.1

[Xack]

Microsoft has announced on their blog that they are making a Chromium based version of Edge and that it's coming to older versions of Windows. How will this affect Windows 7 usage by having a newer browser being supported in its twilight years. And what will become of the EdgeHTML version of Edge and Internet Explorer?

[dencorso]

10 minutes ago, Xack said:

How will this affect Windows 7 usage

It'll be utterly irrelevant.

10 minutes ago, Xack said:

what will become of the EdgeHTML version of Edge...

It already is utterly irrelevant.

10 minutes ago, Xack said:

and Internet Explorer

It'll remain there, since it's unremovable, but will be used less and less.

[alacran]

Well as I think people using Win7 now do not like anything related to 10, and since on 7 you can avoid especific updates, I don't think many Win7 users will download a Windows remake of Chrome when they can download real Chrome if they want, or Opera, or FireFox (as I prefer). So this is going to be just another fiasco.

But this seems to me more like accepting actual Edge is another failure, and they are desperately looking for new ideas for the browser (copying others and not developing anything new).

Edited December 8, 2018 by alacran
Typo

[helpdesk98]

is IE still supported under W7? It has been so long since I last used it & my system has not been updated since just before the Windows update experience (i think that is what it was called lol)

[alacran]

Yes, it is. I have IE 11 on my own Win7 SP1 uptated upto December 2017 install.esd, but only used IE 11 once, to download FireFox.

[Destro]

It a good replacement for IE 11.  sounds good to me.  this is what they should of did instead of ever making Internet explorer.

Edited December 26, 2018 by Destro

[Tommy]

I'm much more open to trying out Edge than I am switching to Windows 10. At work we use Windows 7 and because of our outdated web platform, we're FORCED to use IE11 and I hate it. I'd much rather use Firefox myself but compatibility issues prevent this from happening. I've given Windows 10 a few chances and I will not use it on any of my machines and when "doomsday" arrives, I'll just continue using my Windows 2000 and if need be, I'll switch over to Linux as a secondary operating system. I'm still trying to learn it but it's still a big curve for a power user like me. If I'm forced to use Windows 10 at work, then obviously I have no choice, but it has no place in my home.

But more on the topic note, I am more open to trying out Edge a bit more. Chromium isn't a bad platform in my opinion although again, I'd rather use Firefox except I'm not that fond of the Quantum platform (isn't Quantum another one of those overused words, like Spectrum?)

So on this I'm keeping an open mind, not saying I'd ever switch over to it but I'll at least give Edge a test run.

[Mathwiz]

On 12/26/2018 at 11:56 AM, Tommy said:

isn't Quantum another one of those overused words, like Spectrum?

Yes it is. When I hear Quantum I think of a line of Duracell batteries. But Wikipedia lists:

Businesses and products

• Quantum Corporation, a manufacturer of computer data storage products
• Quantum Sports Cars, a British-built low-volume car manufacturer
• Volkswagen Quantum
• Quantum, a line of Maksutov telescopes that were manufactured by Optical Techniques Incorporated (OTI)
• Quantum, line of small engines made by Briggs and Stratton
• Quantum-class cruise ship
• MS Quantum of the Seas

Computing

• QUANTUM, a suite of attack software by the US National Security Agency (NSA)
• Quantum compression, a file compression format
• QGIS, an open source GIS program for map-drawing and related functions, formerly called Quantum GIS
• A time slice in computer pre-emptive multitasking
• Quantum computing, the study of hypothetical computers based on quantum-mechanical principles
• Quantum (statistical programming language), a programming language for statistical analysis developed by Quantime
• Quantum Corporation, a manufacturer of Hard Disk products from 1980 to 2001
• Quantum project of Mozilla to improve its Firefox web browser engine

I see they mentioned Firefox but not Duracell. At any rate, only one of the above uses, quantum computing, has anything to do with the scientific meaning of the word.

Don't even get me started on Spectrum....

[Tommy]

2 hours ago, Mathwiz said:

Don't even get me started on Spectrum....

Oh I know, right! In fact I was saying that myself, Spectrum is way overused in a lot of things and the real question is, why? What is so special about the word Spectrum?

[HarryTri]

Both words Quantum and Spectrum have the same merit: they impress...

[vinifera]

IE always sucked, so did Edge
don't understand the big hype over its being dumped, other than MS programmers being too lazy to compete with chromium
just like beloved Opera, which is now chineze crap

[sdfox7]

In my opinion, Microsoft's decision to support Edge on Windows 7 is dubious, since they will just turn around a year from now and tell you Windows 7 is no longer supported.

[jaclaz]

... and remember that in the good ol'times the successor to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum was the QL, i.e. Quantum Leap, and it was actually for the time an incredibly good computer ...

 

jaclaz 

[broken120x120]

What is Microsoft's reasoning for this? Better yet, why does the chromium engine have to be used for everything? Do people not remember what happened the last time a certain browser had too much market share?

[bphlpt]

1 hour ago, broken120x120 said:

What is Microsoft's reasoning for this?

Well, Bill told me it's all part of his master plan. By the way, he's coming back.  He, like all of us, has finally had enough of the current administration's ridiculousness.

He told me all of this in the strictest confidence, (he was a little drunk at the time), but I can trust you guys, right?

Cheers and Regards