Microsoft almost got broken up as a company over simply BUNDLING a browser. Now they're actively hijacking other installs to put big warnings up and redirecting to theirs. It's absolutely bonkers this is allowed.

[–] bassomitron@lemmy.world 22 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Is this a real screenshot or just an out of context meme? I've never seen this prompt when installing other browsers on any of my PCs running Windows 10 over the last 7+ years of it being out.

Edit: It seems to be real. That is craziness. I also realized that all my licenses are Professional or Enterprise (those only on my work-issued devices), so I'm assuming that's why I've never seen it. Like the other comment pointed out, they had their feet put to the fire over simply bundling Internet Explorer in the late 90s, yet nowadays they get away with this shit.

[–] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 38 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yes I've seen it before. Once Microsoft even updated their virus definitions to auto-delete the chrome installer when downloaded. Thankfully they reversed that one pretty quickly, but I had to completely disable all Windows virus protection to install chrome for a relative.

[–] brbposting@sh.itjust.works 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I wondered why Chrome wasn’t “Microsoft verified“ anyway. Do they mean it’s not from their store?

Found someone’s screenshot in response to “How to install apps that are not Microsoft-verified”:

So I’m guessing they’re punishing those who don’t distribute through their store. (Where I wouldn’t be surprised they offered fewer features)

[–] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Many new PCs (generally the cheaper priced ones) come in S mode now, where you can only install Microsoft store apps. You can turn this off to allow regular PC programs too, but they require you to set up the Microsoft store before you can disable it.

If you're trying to set up a new PC without a Microsoft account (which is getting increasingly hard), you can't disable S mode. There was a workaround that involved booting into recovery mode and running some commands/registry edits, but I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft has blocked that too by now.

This is also the biggest reason Valve supports Linux and ChromeOS. Microsoft really wants full control over what software people can use on Windows, and Valve is worried about getting pushed off the platform.

[–] Mushroomm@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

And they actually wonder why tech literate people shit all over them every chance they get. This is some trash human behavior.

It'd be like if you sprayed fart spray all over your neighbors table at a flea market because they also have a few pokemon cards for sale but they're in better condition than yours.

"Rather than improve myself I'm going to block others from doing better than me" is the corporate worlds motto ATM. Race to the bottom

[–] Joeffect@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Depending on your security settings you do get the prompt for the windows app store thing when you install programs outside of it...

But yeah this looks fake

[–] Aremel@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago

I can confirm it's not. I always get this warning whenever I do a fresh install of Windows 10 and try to install Chrome.

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