Don’t care about the default, I just wish they would allow custom search engines like Kagi (no that weird redirect trick is not a satisfying solution)
I disagreed with the Microsoft charges back then, and I disagree with the case against Google now. I hate both of them and I think they use monopolistic tactics, but making their own search engine or browser the default in their OS isn’t monopolistic, especially since you can easily change it.
The tactics that should be fought against are things like when Google used its size and money to offer free unlimited cloud photo storage. That put several cloud services out of business because they couldn’t compete with “free unlimited” storage. Then, when all the competition was gone, Google started charging for their service which was no longer unlimited.
When someone tries to compete with Google, Google either uses their power to put them out of business or buys them. That is totally monopolistic and what the government should be defending against.
You’re completely missing the point to a level that feels dishonest. You’ve already gotten a great reply around why you’re wrong on Microsoft so I’ll keep to Google.
Google started out providing the superior service and didn’t do anything overtly shady. Then the shady shit started, cloud storage was one thing as mentioned, others include doing the Microsoft thing of not following web standards properly, in Googles case with the argument that their way is faster/better etc effectively forcing everyone to code towards their browser (chromium, not just chrome) since it has insane market domination.
Another, and maybe the most egregious because they haven’t been slapped for the other stuff, is the privacy bullshit they’re doing now around cookies which basically kills off the last remnants of competition around ads online.
Google as the default search is just the tip of the shitberg of monopolistic bullshit imo.
Google as the default search is just the tip of the shitberg of monopolistic bullshit imo.
I agree. That’s why I don’t understand why they are going after the default search when it’s the weakest argument of all of them. I just pointed out one instance where Google is blatantly monopolistic, but there are many more, and there are also many instances where they are breaking other laws. It just seems like the government is sticking to the default search issue because it’s soft and they truly don’t care. If they win, they can force Google to make it easier to set your search engine. Then they claim a victory, while Google just keeps on invading our privacy and amassing our data for their own profit.
MS did exactly what you describe Google doing with free unlimited storage.
In the 90s, it absolutely was not easy to change your browser because operating systems didn’t come with browsers. You had to go to a physical store, buy a box of software, and go home and install it. Sure you could find an OSS browser if you knew how to browse the net via command line, but your average newcomer to the net in the mid 90s had no clue how to do so. For the most part, browsers existed as a purchase.
But then MS decided to bundle their browser in for free with the OS, which at the time was the most widely used OS by far, and it completely eviscerated the market. Imagine you’re an average user and you now have IE as part of your new Windows 95 install. What impetus do you have to go out and spend $60 on another browser?
MS took their existing market dominance and used it to completely destroy the competition in the browser space. And it took decades to break that stranglehold.
The shitty part tho is that we traded one monopolist for another. Now that Google is dominating the browser world, they’re essentially controlling the shape of the web and how we use it
While I agree that it’s fine they make their own browser the default on their operating systems, I wouldn’t say it’s easy to change the default browser in Windows 11.
Edge shows a popup when visiting official download sites of other browsers. I remember seeing “Edge is like Chrome but with the added trust of Microsoft” when downloading Chrome using Edge. Then you have to go into Windows settings, default apps, scroll until you see your browser of choice and click “Set as default” or something. Then it might beg you to keep Edge the default.
And even after supposedly setting a default browser, using search from the start menu still uses Bing and opens results in Edge. Outlook started to have its own (somewhat hard to find) setting that has “Edge” or “default browser” as options. Guess what the option selected by default is?
Windows can also show you a “finish setting up Windows” assistant every now and then when you login, which sets Edge and Bing as the defaults unless you skip it (which isn’t the big, bright, blue button, but a plain link somewhere).
All this together makes it very hard to change your default browser and keep it that way, especially for your average consumer.
What else do they expect Apple to set as the default search engine? I can’t imagine Apple users being ok with Bing results.
I like how it works on some browsers where it asks you which search engine you would like to use when you open the browser for the first time.
